Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, April 29, 1877, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS. Ariss Anderson’s -Personation of Lady Macbeth. The Promise It Gives and the De- ¢ ficiencies it Beveals, - Notes of the Green-Room in Chicago, Ete, The Future of the Thomas Orchestra--- Will Chicago Do Her Part? Apollo Club Festival--The Thomas Orchestra Secured. Monster Ohildren's Concert—A Three Days' Festival of Musi THE DRAMA. ©MACBETH™ AT N'VICKER'S. ‘Before Friday night **Macbeth™ bad not been /' peen on the stage in this city for two sessons. The ‘pradence of Mr. McVicker in not presenting it was suficiently justified by the. performance. The tragedy has majestic proportlons, and no ordinary company, such as Mr. McVicker usnally has, can give an adequate represcntation of it. The difi- clty is Dot that the play contains 60 many great parts. ‘In espect to the comparative importance of the characters, *¢Macbeth™ 18 singular among Shakspeare's plays. It contains two personages 5o heroic in their mold that they dwarf all by whom they are surrounded. Even Macduff, although a favorite with the galleries, 15 a mere sketch. 3lac- etk and Lady Macbeth are always the central figures of the action—at once the source of it and the weak human objects upon whom it remorselessly beats. They fllastrate {by their crime and the consequences of it the modern principle of divine compensation, which s the aucient doctrine of Fate in a modified form. They are distinguished for metaphysical refinement, rogged purpose, strong will, - and ten- " derconscience. Macbeth vaciliated before the act, ‘ot his will was {ron when the conseguences of it were to be confronted. Lady Hacbeth wae s demon when she urged the murder of Duncan, but a weak, _ sulfering woman afterwards until conscience slow- 1y tortured her to death. She could not unsex her- self. She prayed: Come. come you plrits ? - That tend o mortal thoughts, nosexme here And fil me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty. - ‘But this was only a prayer, after all; and wehave 10 evidence that it was snswered. Perhaps it is Christian weakness to presume that the prayer of the wicked, as well as that of the rightcous, avail- - eth much; znd that Lady Macbeth, poor woman, 1f she wanted to be unsexed, onght 1o have becn 0. Tha conrse of natare doesnot, however, often divert Itsclf to permit vagaries of this description. Lady Yacbeth was killed by her conscience,—a death which, £0 far as our limited experience ex- tends, is impossible fora man. Just here lies 2 new distunction between the two characters. Why was it tht Alacbeth quailed at the thought of mur- _der, but became afterwards, as he’ was bid, . **bloody, bold, and resolute ¥ And why did Zady Macbeth, who **scorned to wear a heart o white " as her hosband's while the act was to be done, after- wards sunk inher grave 2 crushed and bruised thing? “ The resson of the dilerence seems to lie fn-the differentistion of sexes. Alacbeth was appalled not merely by the present faok of marder. bat by he of conscquences which he saw would - follow. In other words, he was a vicum of his Jogical faculty. Lady Mucbeth ssw scarcely farther thin the crown, and all the spleadid array of a regal state. When the day of reckoning came. Macheth was in a measure prepared for it. le bad scen partof it from the start, had hardened + his mind 10 it, and was able to meet it with that courage which is born of despair. Lady Macheth, .on the other hand, who lad realized little or nothing of the 'mere temporzl atfiictions , that would follow the usurpation, feil under her Temorse and paid for her feminine shortsightedness with her life. It has ever been considered & uliarity of woman's mature that she is con- !trolled largely by her emotions: that love, hate, jeslonsy, or fearavail more with her in action than +ith man; and that her eager zeal, which is not restpined by cold intellectual motives. often ‘bursts the bounds of pradence, ane! gives full s way o the reign of passion. A wsn’s passion rises in epite of the checks he attempts to pluce upon it; 3. womsn'soften because she places no check at all upon it. Such is the theory—very fanciful, per- * haps—upon which many srguments concerning the sexes has proceeded ; and the basis of it we find m‘l'befldzd in the characters of Macbeth and his w e. We have gald that the condition whicn prevents the aceeptable production of **Macbeth™ in our Theatres lies notin the number of excellent charsc- ters which it contains, bt in the complexity and majesty of the two leading ones. _Few persons can say1bat they have over een achet/c gud Lady Aacheth well played on the same occasion. Other difficalties presented in_the pluy are the weird ele- mentand the absence of & comic underplot. The witches mgremd in_Shakspeare’s day because there was then a lingerinz superstition in the pop- ular mind which responded to the fantustic imag- ination of the poet. Nowitis hard to keep the witches above te range of comedy, and as a matter of fact, we belleve, the comedizn oficn iscast forone of the witch-parts, 26 Mr. Hotto was Friday night. ‘There really i8 nothing else for the comedian to do, except perhaps the speech of the druuken porter, whichis generally considered ‘spurious, and which has been thoughtfuily cut out by the msnagement forthe present occasion. *‘Macbeth™ thes be- comes the somberest of 21l Shakspeare's plays, hard- Jy exceptine **Lear®; and the iuterest of the au- lence must be enchained by the. two principal characters. Lot oy now consider how far this task was performed Friday night by Mr. Thorne and fi“fiu"i’:{,“"“ the representatives of those parts iving the post of honor to the lady: Miss Ander- ron's Lady Macletk 15 a froitful study, but as yet BOta wWorkof ar. She bas not filled out to_the stature, phyeical or mental which is required for the impersonation of €0 grand a character. Saruh Biddons was - lifetime studying the part of Lady Afacdeth, and did not fecl that she had 1uoronghly mastered it when she’ dfed. Churlotte Cushman did not attain reputanion in the character until she bad passed middle-life. ‘1t wounld be surprising if Miss Anderson, a mere wirl, should represent 2dequately 2 part which the great geninses of the stage conld not apprehend in their youth. ller act- dog 1n the part mast Le recerved simply with refer- enceto its poesibilitics and its promise, there being 2 constent presumption that the work asa whole 1s iminature.- Mise Anderson's first entrance is disappointing, and her reading of the letter esro- neone. The best representatives of the part have agreed that the letter should be begun in a natural tone and manner. There is 1o reason to suppose {hat Lady Jiacbeth had previously entertained the deaof murderng Duncan. Why should she, then, read tals lctter from her dear husband with aweriig brows, and read it in the forced accents ofatmgedy Queen? Itis truc she has been in- formed (presamadly in the part of tueletter not rmmdn! e interview withtse weird sisters, but e fiwl\-e which follows is a sudaen one, —merely 8 e gination until it takes shape ugh the' fortuitous visit of Duncan 10 the castle. Unquestionsbly, a prudent art, aside from all questions of propriely, dictates quleter beginning, for to_take so hign a strain at Jicoutsetiato ran the risk of a descent more or ¢ea rapid and dangerous before the end. Miss Anderson stands the test thus self-imposed re- markasly well, but taere i3 no reason in the nature of things why it ehould be imposed atall. The b scting Aiss Anderson does in this partisin e first interview with Macbelk, where ber sug- gestivenees is admirable, speaking well for her -Dative talent and for tae study she has already be- £lowed npon the subject. She alternately upbraids and persunges her husband. At the words: Butscrew your coursge tthe stl lace AndveT oo, oo @ the stickiag D 3he puts her arms abont thim, as if to encomrsge Blm. ana. with an affectlonate urzency-quite net i bls relation, presses him to the deed twith all ¢ arguments of expediency and safety that she mwme an::d'z Miss Andan!minan? eflective also et-cene, cepecial in representing tne grand Vreaking-dowa of Lady Macheth's cour- aze, which, although not at afl Shakspeare, is §Eptivating with the mob and affords opportunity ordae uctlnz, The authority of it we may con- sider another time, when Miss Anderson's theory ot the character becorses importand enongh, a8 adoubtedly it will, to deseave '8 full discussion. - The sleep-walking scene was by no meany perfect, ing a piece of still work wanting in_coloring an ve. Indeed, it suggested the primal cnticiem of her acting of the part, that it 18 as yet - jemarkably meacre. The character does mot fil s e stage when she is on it, as Madame Janaoschek loes. Mies Anderson has not et studied the FRxouping of inferior figures and the sobordination of all accessories to her own person. ‘These things and with them the thousand & interesting etudy, and one that we hope to see Jevelop In time into 4n historic stage _portcaiture. .Bhe Is by all odds the actreax of America who dis- Pl;‘vy most ability in work pf this description. r: Thorne's Macheth is everv way s creditable Plece of work, considering the dieadvantages under ‘Which he labors, He is, of course. nota.great facheth ; It he were, he mizht now be at the iop of profession. He is, bowever, faithful and in- \ lellizent; an ng one or two obvious slips in , bis lines, folfllied his duty Friday tolersbly. In the | 188t act, 'when ifacbeth becomes a man again, Mr. 'flmrg:‘ ut"u uug:gnuyflgnmm :hndnat?m}. hge Hirs wo_specches, **Can’st thou not minister 108 mind diseased! 1" and **To-morrow, and 10 morrow, and To-morrow,” with much grace and beanty 'of expression. ‘The to-morrow epeech wae always a -bugbear with Macrezdy, and he conld mever read it to his own satisfaction; if Mr. Thorne c2u do it without offense, as he did ‘on the pregent occasion, he shonld be well satised. The fighting of Macbeth was_realistic in_the ex- treme, and called forth the raptarous acclaims of the gulleries, and we almost regretted that the dyinz warrior could not have Garrick's farewell specch o repeat, i3 order that he might go out of the world with some words on his lips to commem- orate his awn valorand the beauty of his cutting and thrasting. Macdujf, of course, deservedsome of the credit for the fighting, but that was all the credit e did deserve. Being new to the part, come zllowance should be made for him, but certainly so bad a Macduyf asthat of Mr. Lee lias not been seen here for years. Mr. Rowe's Zanquo was credita- LOCAL NOTES. This {a the 1ast week of Rice's Minstrels at the New Chicazo Theatre. The bill is fresh and good. Texas Jack is to be at the Adelpbi this week with one of his etirring border sensations. There will be the usuel variety attractions. Den Thompson will appear as Joskua Whitcomd atthe Musenm thls week. and the occasion will bo sgnallzed by the debat of Miss Lillte Dayton, the wife of a well-known journalist. There are 3 nopi- ber of varicty actors in the bill. Miss Anderson plays Meg Ierrilies Monday, Taesday, and Wednesday nights. She has gained much reputation in this part elsewhere, and it will be a corions thing to sec one so youny voluntarily assuming the character of the hideous gypay ha. Thureday *‘Aacbeth™ will be repeated. Friday Dight **Fazio,” by many conmdered the best play in Miss Anderson’s repertory, will be given for her benefit, she, of course. assuming the character of Bianga. Saturday right ** Evadne.™ » The Adelphl 1s to be closed on the 13th prox., sud a week will be devoted to repaira. 1t will e~ open on the 20th with some combination not yet decidedupon. It is 3r. Haverly" tention to se- care next seacon all the beet epectacelar pieces that are offercd, and to give at other times a vaudevillo entertainnient of the best description. His inten- tion'is to elevate the character of the house by prohibiting smoking and drinklng, and inviting the patronage of the ladies for every performance. Tax TrnoNE of last Sunday zave the particulars of the negotiations which ended in the securing of the lease by Mr. Haverly. He will give his per- sonal attention to the house, having withdrawn from most of the yarious troupes which he had en- gaged, leaving only two now on the road under his management. GENERAL NOTES. «+Our Boarding Honse, ” with the original cast, 18 billed for the Boston Masenm, May 7. The **Baba™ troupe has retarned to New York dlsconsolate, having left all ita baggage and jew- clry in pawn at Philadelphia and Baltimore. Charles Fechter was at the Boston Theatro Tnst week, and Mrs, Dowers at the Mascum. Both will remain for the present. Edwin Booth begins an cngagement at the Globe to-morrow with McVick- er's Lyceam Company to support him. ¢* Richard 11" s to be first presented. Mr. McCullough's King Lear is nelther so_mas- sive, spontancous, nor so free as that of Edwin Forrest; and; in these respects, it now falls short of the Forrest standard: but it is just as true and tender; it is just 2s awful in the essential clement of lonely wrecked, desolated, and broken gran- deur; while, as to method and finish, ity artisof a distinctly finer strain.—New York Tribune. The propossl to *‘erect o bust or other com- memorative plece of sculptare™ to the memary of the lute Mr. John Osxenford in the vestibule of Drary Laue Theatrs does not secm particularly happy. Whatever represcntative character Drury Lane may have possessed in the past, it really rep- resents nothing in these days but the shadow of an indefensible monopoly. It certzinly cannot lay claim to any leading position. Miss E. V. Proudfoot, actress and clocutionist of considerable note, died in New York, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery Sunday. The New Yors Tonz says that Miss Proudfoot’s death, though directly cansed by heart disease, was has- tened by an accident which occurred to her on the stage while playing in **Sardunapalus™ n Provi- dence. - A ‘‘trap" wasleft unguarded,and it went down uader her weight, the result of which was a severe shock to her system. Lawrence Barrett bas been playing in Wisconsin and Miunesota, Frank Mayo was at Detroit last week. Chanfrau was st Cleveland, where he has ‘been playing in ** The Octoroon,™ having the as- sistance of Efie Ellsler as Zoe. The Florences were at Baffalo. John Raymond was at 3ontreal. ‘Edwin Dooth was at Providence. The Evangeline Company, with Elizn Weathersby, was traveling throngh New England. Fanpy Macsh has been doing **She Stoops to Conquer " at her theatre in Portland. TRosc Eytinge has Just concluded a brilliant en- gagement in Montreal, during which she received universal praise. Next season 1t s understood that Miss Eytinge will devole herself, under Mr. Max Strakosch's dircction, strictly to the legiti- mate drams, 8 ncw departure warranted by her great success a8 Lady Macbeth. , She will enact Constance_in_ **King Joun,"" “Kutlerine in ““Henry VIIL," Iermione in **A Winter's Tale,” and Maris Anlolielte, and will appear for the first time as Cleopatra, a role for which sde would seem eminently qualified. The Chestout Theatre, Philadelphia. is to bring out to-morrow a new comedy entitled **Slander," by Jobn Broughum. The same theatre has still another new comedy shead—one written by Miss Jesvette L. Giider, who . dramatized *‘Seven Osks™ for Mr. Raymond. During Mr. Daven- port's coming encagement at the Walnut-Street Theatre he will nave a benefit, giving perform- ances poth afternoon and evening. In’ the after- noon Fanny Daveuport and Mr. Charles Thorne will play, and in the cvening Messra. Davenport and McCallough. Sothern closed a brilliant engagement at 2Mz3. Drew's Theatre last might. Lotta is to be at the Walnut and Soldene at the Arch this week. The Dramatic News hss the following items: +43r. Coghlan has decided to leave the Fifth Ave- nneat the canclusion of this scason. Montague Das been re-engaged at Wallsck's witn a salary of $300 gold per week. Katharine Rogers has been offered a lucrative engagement at the Union Square, but has not accepted. The Evangeline Combina- tion, with Eliza Weathersby at the head. open at the Fifth Avenue Theatre on June4. The come- dian, Edward Lamo, who was burned several months azo at the Olympic, I8 slowly recosering. Tie will be siven a benett May 11, and he has done ood work enough to deserve it. Lewis Morrison takes ltose Eytinge traveling throngh New England, and Marcs Mayer Is detinitely shipped, 85 he should have been long ago.™ The Soldenc troape has been ronghly treated by the Lioston newspapers and withdrew its adver- tisements from two of them. Thereupon the Ad- Tertiser, with a good doal of eleventh-hour virtue, invited the manazers to take their advertisements from ita columna also Dy writinz 10 this ellect: 1*\We considerthe perforimances ef this compuny 10 be on the whole the most vulzarly and razenly indecent we have ever seen onauy etaze; they Dave little wit to keep them sweet; most of thein appeal with coarse directncss to the coarsest part of coarse natares; they do incalculable harm to the moruls of youth. Theyonght never to have been permitted ona Boston staze, and once per- mitted, they onzht to be shunned by all persons who consider themselves respectable.™ 2r. McCallough's last weck at Booth's Theatre, in New York, was signalized by the production of *Lear,” and his sctingof the titular part way bighly praized byall the crities ¢ Virginius, " +Othello,” and ** Macbeth ™ were the othr plays of the week. The last nights of **The Dani- cliefls" areaunounced at the Union Square Theatre. May 7, an adaptation of ‘+ Nichiolas Nickleby,™ Dby the late_Andrew Hallday, entitled ** Smilke.” will be produced with Bijon Heron in_the leading part, and LeMoyne as Squcers, The most im- rtant members or the Company will travel with *+Les Donicaefls.” Stoddart, Mrs. Wilkins, Bijou Teron, Charles Dade, and others were last week acting’ ** Rose Michel ' at the Grand Opera Mouse, under Poole & Donnelly's management. The last nights of **The Princess Royal™ at Daly’s witnessed no improvement in business. Tucs- May 8, Miss Neilson begins her enzage- ++Twelfth Night.” wtal Dad " 18 enjoying a profitable run at Wallack's. The’run of **Qur Boarding-House ™ at the Park termmnated Jast night. To-morrow John Rayuond begins a farewell cogagement there witia the ** Gilded Age.™ MUSIC. THE THOMAS CONCERTS. The four concegts by the Thomas Orchestra have been the grandest musical events of the scason, and Mr. Thomas can no longer complain of a lack of appreciation in this city. Never before has he played in this coontrs tosuch vast audlences. Probably over 20.000, if not 25,000, pcople have attended these concerts. It is not necessary for us to dwell upon the playing of the orchestra, o8 that has already been done. The most remarkable featare of the programmes has been their novelty. Out of thirty mumbers fifteen were new,—the Scherzo, from Hofmann's ** Frithjof Symphony.” Handel's **Largo, " Bizet's **Suite L'Arlesienne, ™ Gounod's ** Funeral March of o Marlonette,” Hofmann's ** Hungarian Suite,” the Ballet Music from Rubinsteln’s ¢+ Feramors, ™ Saint- Saens' two symphbonic poems, the ‘‘Danse Macabre” and ** Phaeton " ; Beethoven's Serenade, op. 8; Strauss’ ‘* Autumn Roses™ waltz; the overture to Cherubini's ** Ali Baba™'; Schumann's «<Bjlder aus Osten™; Rameau's ‘‘Rigodon de Dardames™; the ballet music to Goldmark's ¢+ Queen of Sabsa"™; and Wagner's ** Centennial Tnnuguration March, "—the rich resaits of a reper- “toire ncenmulated in two years of absence from us. In view of these large audiences some questions arise of more importance than the mere success of. these four concerts, and they are questions which 100k to the fature of music here and to the fature _well-being of this noble orchestra. It is the first ‘time since the Fire that such results hsve been possible. ‘The question ariscs, were these au- diences bronght together by s spasm of masical ex- citement? Did they go becausc it was nnderstood to be the fashion, & has there sprung up amongst onr people, we will mot say such a violent love of music, but the feeling that on cvening spent in @ masical tabernacle is after all a recreation which we can hardly afford to deny ourselves in the whirl of ‘business ond the cares of every-day life? In other THE CHICAGO 'L'KIBUNE: SUNDAY. APRIL 29, 1877—BIXTEEN PAGES. worde, does the desire exist amongst us to be peri- odically soothed by this the cheeriest of the muses? We are not preparcd to apswer the gues- tion, bnt it secms as if the time had arrived when Chicago shonld step forward and join hands with New York, Koston, Cincinnati, Washington, and St. Louis, in order to secure, for her share, twice 2 year, a short season of concerts by ths inimita- ‘ble orchestra, * ‘The masical public is aware_that the organiza- tlon known as the Thomas Orchestra has had its full share of the trials and tribulations of hard times, and that even now, unless certain plans arc carried ont in New York, the orchestra will be obliged to disband after filling their precent en- gagements. The talk, **it would be a sad blow,’ “‘the country cannot afford to let _them go over- ‘board, " and 0 on, does not ‘provide the necessa- rles of life to these artists, and some practical plan will have to be devised to" sccurs and gunarantee the means nccessary to keep up the orzanization. We have pentlemen of means and -culture among us to whem it wounld be a small matter to subscribe sufficient to put the matter on & permancnt basis, and, although the expense ia of mecesity very great, the fizures are not_so appalling that with united action success could not be sccured bevond peradventnre. - Abont two-thirds would probably fall to New York, leaving the other iive citics to guarantec between $10,000 and $15,000 a year cach,’ As for Chicago, we bave the Exhibition building, after the Tabernacle shall huve been passed over to Mawmon, and Mr. Thomas, Instead of coming here with some forty men, could bnng his full New York force of sixty perforwers and zive us warks which are_now_beyond his means. Our vocal societies who buve'always been at s loss what to take up for want of an orchestra could work hand-in-hand. and secure a repertoire which Dias 80 far been entirely beyond their reach. The concerts being on a larger scale could be placed at Jrices which wonld insure largs audcuces; i ine, f the present hopefal signs are not deceiving, it i3 ‘dimcull tosee what risk a guarantee-fund could ncur. Let Chicago set the ball in motion, and with the usual elun of her citizens carty to success a scheme of which we #hall all reap the greatest enelt and pleasure. ~ A to the result in an artistic wayant the cultivation of musical taste, we leave that to our musicians to fizure out." The quesiion for America is simply thfs: Shall & united effort secnre Mr. Thomas the incans to kecp his orchestra to- {:elher or shall we lose this very fmportunt power n the field of national culture only to let London or Berlin reap the beuetit of a conductor whom we canot expect to replace in the present gonera- on: £ THE APOLLO CLUB’S PESTIVAL. The Apollo Mugsical Club of Chleago was or- ganized in 1872 with no further object in view than the hope to sccdre sufliclent associate memoers to pay its expenses ‘and to supply its membership with such entertaioment as 2 limited man- nerchor can furnish. It hardly expected to do more than to live from hand to ‘month, and bad no deflnite object inview in the ‘musical education of the.public or in accomplish- ing any serious woric in music. It had no realiza- tion of the magnitnde of reaults it was destined to attain, and consequently it- moved along quietly and privately from scason to season, furnishing its members with pleasant entertuinmente of song and closing its concerts with attractions of a social natore. the more firmly fo cement its membershin. It was not unuil 1875, when Mr. Tomlius as- sumed the leadenship, that the Apolio Club began to appear as a atrong impulsive force in the local rausical world, not only infusingz new life into other societies, both American and German, but moving on with rapid strides itself towards a well deflned nnd highly important result. r, Tomlins took the conguctorship not merely to give concerts. Ltis scheme embraced an ultimate accompligh- ment that had to be attained in gradual steps. Iis first object was to perfect the munnerckor. To do this the active memberahip was cnlarged. Young voices susceptible of training wero added, strong leaders wore secured for the parts, and the work commenced. The standard of music was Lept within the strict limits of the Club's vocal pussi- bilities, They were not allowed to sing anything they could uot sing well. Mr. Tomlins bronght {0 his work all the qualities of success, —capacity for untinug_industry, putience, faithfulness in the least details, & magnetic preseuce, experience in choir and choral work, and an admiruble musical education. What heachieved s well known to the public. Ue brought the Club to a degrue of per- fection nover before reached in maennerchor sing- ing in this country. In all that consiitutes vocal success—promptuessof attack, steadiness of tempo, exactness of tune, clearness of counclation, qual- ity of tone, felicity of expression, and mastecy of planlssimo, —that rare uccomplishment, —the Club was iucomparuble. It is inovitable, however, that exclusive male slnzing must grow monoton- nous and Dbesides this that programmes must sooner or later involve repctitions &a the repertoire of miennerchor music is limited. Having brought his malc singers to a high degree of perfection he was ready for his next stzp, the orzanization of an auxiliary chorns of sopranos and altos, to combine withtae Club for the produc- tion of larzer and more setious works which could not bg prodaced by tho Club alone. The lsdies’ chorus was soon orzanized and it waa subjected to the same drill and discipline, & part of the time in sections and a part in mass-chorus, until the whole chorus was completely welded together into one ntelligent. compact, and effective corps. The re- sult wae a pefection of mixed choras sinzing hitherto unknown in Chicago—the mixed chorus displayme in such numbers as the Bach motet i“[ wrestle aod pray”), Gounod's cantata ‘*By Dabylon’s Wave"), the Mendelssohn Lymns, and _minor miscellancous selec- tions, the samcadmirable qualities that had pre- viously characterized the mwnaerchorsinging. The second step In_ Mr. Tomlins' scheme was now accomplisbed. e bad in his hends & splendid ‘male chorus of eighty voices, which could at any time be employed for exclusive 'use, and a mixed chorus of 150 voices for larger and more importsnt work. There was still, however, a deficit. Doth the male and mixed chorus Lsd been trained to sing without sccompaniment, but. there are important and sustained works which must have accompani- ment, and for tis the piano Is impoteat. 'To com- plete Mr. Tomlins' scheme there must be an orchestra to accompany the chorus. Thia was the E;‘llwlpll difticulty that confronted bim. There s not been o complete, well-disciplined, hom- ogeneous orchestra in Chicago since the Fire. No 1655 than three attempts have been made to organ- ize ome, but they have all failed—one" for want of discipling, one for want of any fixed purpose, and one for want of money. as in the short space of time before him the organi- zation and training of a_home orchestra appeared fmpracticable, negotlations were opened with Theodore Thomas’ Orchestra which, after some delay, owingto the engagements of Mr. Thomas, have at last been closed by tho signing of the con- tracts on Thursday last, thas securing the services of this eplendid band for accompaniments and programme unmbers. The material for this festival scheme, which {8 to pave the way for still greater festivals in the futare, war completed by Eecuring the services of as excellent a quartette of soloists as the country can_produce—Ars. H. Smith, sopranos Miss Annc Louise Cary. contraltos Mr. J. L. Winch, tenor; and Mr, M. D. Whitney, basso,—four singers whose longz expericuce in oratorio work peculiurly fits them for the duties of the festival. The chorus now embraces over 350 of the best voices in Chicago, and asitis intended to swell th1s number to aboat 450, it will be secn that there are opportunitics for stiil further uccessions of good singers, who can be accommodated by ap- Rlym to Mr. Tomlins or tothe Secretary, Mr. ';‘e cll. Since the engagement of the orchestra, e snagers of the Club have aiso been fortunate *in_securing the co-operntion of the Board of Educsation, thus enabling them to obtain from the &xh!lc echools 2 chorus of 700 children, who will under the direction of Mr. Tomlins and Mr. Blackman. It is ux yot too carly to give anything like the details of the programines, but the most important choral works will be Mendclssohn’s ora- toriod of **St. Paul™ and the **Hymn of Praise™; Sullivan's dramatic cantata, *‘On Shore and Sea, " which was written for and performed at the open- ing of the London International Exhibition of 1871; Gounod's besutiful cantata, ** By Bubylon's Wave™; und two or more numbers of Wurner's music. 'The works which will be produced by the orchestra have not yet been fixed. The Festival will occur on the 5th, Oth, and 7th of June, the Gth being reserved for the children’s matinee, and it is not impossible that the Club may add a third concert, the contract having been so ‘made asto admit of it. ‘These are the generat outlines of this great festi- val. The prospects are that it will assume a much larger sbape xnd achieve a much greater suceess thanthe most sanguine have anticipated. Al- thouy b a first sttempt, it bids fair to reach the high #tandard of the Boston and Cincinnati festivals. ‘The chorus i8 already well into its work, and early in May rebearsals and sub-rehearsols will be of daily occurrence, under the immediate dircction of Mr. Tomlins, It only remains for the public to . give the Apoilo Clab s generous sympathy and sup- Port. Itis trme that Chicago recovered her prestige #sa musical centre, and challenged Cincinnati to ook to her lanrels. THE RICHINGS-DERNARD SEASON. The Richings-Bernard English Opera Troupe will commence a week's geason of operaat Haverly's Theatre to-morrow evening with *‘Maritana.” The cast of the leading characters is as follows: Morilana, Mrs. Demard; Lazarille, Miss Batte Moore; - Marchioness, Mrs. Henrl Drayton; Charles Z.. Mr. Howard; Don Joge, Ar, Benitz; and Don Casar, Mr. larry Gates, former~ 1y o well-known tenor of this city. The repertolre for the remainder of the week is as follows: Tues- day evening and Wednesday matinee, °*Bohemian Girl; " Vednesday, ‘‘Martha;” Friday, ‘Il Trovatore; " Saturddy matinee, ‘‘Martha.” On Thursday and Sotarday eveuings selections -from **Traviata,” *‘Faost,” ‘‘Fra Diavolo,” and ** Marriage of Figaro,” will be given. LOCAL MISCELLANY. Aimee and her troupe will commence & season of opera at Haverly's next week. Mr. Matthews' lectare on ** Becthoven™ will be given next Wednesday at Hershey Hall, at 3 o'clock. The illustrations will include a sonaty (Mr. Liebling) and songs by Messrs, Wheeler, Knorr, and others. . A complimentary concert tendered to Signo. Farini will be given - by his- pupils and others af Standard Hall May 8. Among those assisting will bedirs. Purinton, the Misses Zurburg, Le Bran, _and Beatelle, and Messrs. Huesson snd Enos Brown. - a A parlor concert for the benefit of the Woman's Christian Association will be given on Tuesday evening next at the residence of Walter N. Mills, Esq.. 476 \West Adums street. In addition to choice musical selections, Mrs. Laura - E. Datoty wiil read. # On Monday evening, the 30th, a soiree musicale 'will be given at Bauer's music store hiy the pupils of Miss Helene Muller, assisted by M& C.E. R. -+ . Shone with a mocking swile of scorn,. Muller. Those who will take part are Mrs. James Bolton, Mrs. A. N. Eddy, the Misses Jessio Jenks, Marie Maller, Lizzie Hoyne, and Mr. A, 0, Muller. The programme we have already give; Mr. Thomas Goodwillic, the ‘well-known bari- tone, had a testimoninl_concert given lim on the 24th by the cmzcns,&l Englewood, In which Mrs. Tharston, Miss Jessle-Bartlett, Mesars. Creswol Ledochowsky, dJordan, Smith, - and the Orient Quartette took part. Among the rising young singers of this clty is Miss Grace A. Hiltz, ‘onc of Mrs. Hershey's pupils. Her singing on twa or three occasfons ‘of iate in public has_shown her to be a student of extraor- dinary promise and nlr:nd{ 80 far ndvanced in cul- ture 48 to indicate that before long-she will occupy & very prominent position. The Tarner-Hall patrons wiil have an Old Set- tler's concert this afiernoon. Mr, Romanus will direct the first part, °‘Greeting to Germ March," by Romanus; overture to ‘‘Martha:" solo for trombong from lelnemann's opera of “sThe Ring," by Mr. Braun: and Meyerbeer's +«Marche gux Flambeaux.” Mr, Vaas will lead the necond part—The **Prague Albam Potpourri": **Reunion Waltzes,” by “Vaas; and the third finale to Nicolai's \*Templars.” 'Mr. Clauder will Tead the third part-Overture to Suppe's *¢Chase After Fortune *'; Schubert's *‘Petersburg Carni- val_Potpourri”; and Sekat’s *‘Thunder Storm Galop."™ The _concert of the Choral Association of the Sixth Pmsb‘wrl:\n Church will occur on Tuesday evening at the church, and promises to be a very succesaful one. The programme will embrace the following selections Dy the choir: **Mighty Je- hovah, " Donizetti; parL song, **Fair Whispera,"" by liation; **O Lord, How Manifold, ™ by Burnby; part song, *‘0, Spare 3 Flowers,” "oy Morl; prayer- from ‘* Egypt,” by Kossini; part song, **Farewell to the Forest,” by Mendelssulin: sud **Gloria,” from the Twelfth Mass by Mozurl. The other parts of the programine Wil be filled with choice selections, and will be given by Miss- Ny W. Lester, the 1’h|lndelghh Quartette (fr. and Mra; C. A. Khorr, Mr. and Mre. C. G. K. Knorr), Miss' Martha Par- dee, and Miss Mary Wishard. e ———— NANINE OF WELDINGHAME, Over the land and lake, Cloudlets of white, ‘and blue, and gray. Over the surzing break’ Promise a fairer, trucr day. White as the morning-star, Nanine, a muiden sapphire-eyed, Dreamily glances afar, Crossing Lhe 1neadow's velvety side. Over her womanly head Seventeen summers! tender light Shines as o balo outsprea And in Ler cyes one reads aright All of the olden tale, All of the peacefunl, womanly thoWght, “Tnnocent, fresh, and inoels, Modest ajd trembling when gentiy sought, Blushing with fear to speak. Ah! sweet floweret,: grown in the wood, Shiclded from every banin, Trust not the stranger of‘gullant modd— Turn in thy quick alarm. He of the glittering diamond crest, e of the soft, dark cyes, Under the cloud of his worsiiu confessed Basencss like seaweod lies— 3 Like seaweed under the gentle green 0t waves near the frmer land, Deep and low 'neath the rippling sheen That sings its chant on the sand. Alas for the clonds that brew Up in the canopled realm of June! Old, yet a misery new Blending with melody of the tune, Bitter-sweet, bitter-sweet piln: . While cver the summer sunlight ilares, Blindness of burniug riin, Joy that no mortal constant shures, — ‘Only an idle, wanton game Plaged by the careless hand of Youth, Who is the ong to blame? ‘Where was the absence of truth? | Ah sweet maiden-drooping eyes, Sweet shinlag hair like closo-spun floss, Wait till the dark cloud in the skies Has cleared away. Forget thy loss. ‘Loss, did 1 traly say? Al me! my winsomé pet, yon know Little of life's ronzh way Where the gusty wind-storms blow. Grayish violet {s the West ‘Where red-gold fire has slowly died, Duskily o'er the cool lake-breast, Numberless onknowa shadows glide. All the glorions setting sun Smled till the long daglight was done, Stendily up from choorlezs morn. Out on the g:"l] lake-ghore, Whence the tide darts back in alarm, Never to sulfer more, Never to dream a éream of harm, She with the hair like gold, Like golden flos¢ by un aneel gpun, - Little Nanine, death-still and cold Maiden, whose half-known life is done. Ilands, as two lilies white, Droop on her resting-place of sand, ‘Till darkness of coming nlght Folds its black wings ver the land. Little Nanine, wild-rose, y Near the chanting Toan of the ware, €Calm and s@pct De thy reposo, And peaceful thy éarly, sinless grave, Cmcaso, April, 1876. Daisy Wurre. e e “| WANT MY BALLOON!" As T passed down the Street, one bright, sunny 2y, A comical sl;m met my gaze— Ascene that, for mixtureo? sorrow and fan, Will haunt me through all of my days. On the walk stood a child, who,-with *‘Injun- like " yells Of dismay, stared up to the sky, Where: a tiny red object was gliding away And fast growing dim to the eye. As nearer Icame, he loadly bawled out: +*1 don't want to lose it g0 soonl, 0 sir, catch it quick! , O make it come back! 1 want my mice, preity balloon!™ *4Littlo 1ad," then Isaid, it willnever return. Why did you let go of the string? Pray did you not know, when you loosened your ‘hold, Your plaything would surely tako wing?” W Why. 8ir." sobbed the chitd, -1 thought it wonld stay And float close above me, until I wesried of watching it bob up and down, And could draw it back to me at will. 0 won't you plesse asap it? It's floating away! 1don't want to lose it s0 soon, 0 somebody catch it—it's going so fast— Do stop my nice, rosy balloon!™ Ah! many there be in this world’s busy throng Who heid in el bunds the frall string That bound to themselves wealth, laurels, or love, Or some other valuable thing; Dut, alas! Iike the child, they loosened their grasp, Térhaps mercly testing jtavower, But realized, too late, what their recklessness wrought, As they watched it soar 'bove them 50 far: Then, frantic they strove their tight hold to regain, But too oft 'tis Jlumanity's doom, To, by their own folly, luse what they prize most, And then cry for thelr vanished batloon. LL1E R. AKERSTROM. Cuicago, April, 1877. "'PORTIA.” [Zires Written 1n an Album.] The years may come, the years may go; butT, Auwid their changos, shall remember thee; Though fieeting was the friendship tnat we knew, Unutcerably sweet i Ampeieniy wess tome. 1 had grown weary of the world, its ways; Cured naught for pleasure; to the proffered hand Of frienaship I gave naught butscorn: the past Taught me "twas but 88 **writing vraced in sand. Of Jove I thought not, and still less I deemed Its boasted pussion would 'er fll my heart; To me 'twas but 8 mock’ry,-a deceit, From which my life, regrotless, lived apart. Fame, Ambition, Fortune—these I craved— The ruling passions of-my life they were; No tender feeling for thy sex then thrilied, Nor could the current of my being stir. Then thou did'st come, - As disappenrs the Night Before the presence of majestic Day, So did the thonghty, the feclings, that were mine Melt as do star-beams *neath the sun’s frst ray. 1 saw thee—loved thee. Days may come and go, The ceaseless years their changes bring to me; Yut, to that first love and the last, my heart Wil turn when Mem'ry fondly speaks of thee. Owsx 2. WiLsox. ~ [Written when very idle.] *“Twes on a bleak November's night, A something whispered you must write; Take in your fist tnla gray goose-quill And shoiv the world your matchless skili, Should critics chude, they’ll find you tough; Should they attack, lay on, Macduf! *Twas thos my Mase kept harping still, And bent my spirit to her willy o down I eat with pen in fist, Enveloped in poetic mist, Througn which [ yazed with wondering &= At shapes of beauty ditting by. . Sweet Muse, how potent are thy wiles! - 1 wrote in twice ten thonsand siyles; 1 scaled the starry realms aboves 1sang of bed-buge, frogs, and love; 1 gave my fiery gentas scope, And d——n me but I rivaled Pope. 1 struck Apollo's wondrous Iyre, Till from its chords flew parks of fire; 1 wove o mighty web of song, ‘As broad 08 space, and {urscé as long, 41l matrons old and maidens sweet. .* Enraptured listencd at my feet. Tiwoke! What made my head feel so?, The Jamp bad set my hatr aglow. It as not from Apoilos Iyre, But from iy head, flew sparks of fire, g:; ‘ater londly did I scream:’ fact—my. fame 3 dream. Jire wos Jact—my.J n‘ : OBSCENE -LITERATURE. Some Account of the Publication of Obscene Litgrature, And the Manufacture of Indecent Photographs and Other % How Schools: Are Corrupted, and Boys and Girls Enticed to Ruin. - The Grand Work Done in New York by Anthony J. Comstock. How One Energetic, Conscientions Christian Gentle- man Hay Fight a Great Evil. 3 A Life Devoted to a Noble Work, and Its Results. Chicago Now the Headquarters for the Manufactore. of This Damnable Stuff, Spectul Currespondence of The Tribune. New Yorg, April 26.—Mr. Anthony J. Com- stock isa young gentleman who has, within the past three or four years, obtainéd something more than a local notoricty. Te has devoted his life to a cerlain work, and has done that with an ear- nestness which, in other spheree, makes heroes of men. He {s the Secretary and. General Agent of the Society for the Suppression of Vice. So far as work is concerned, and the carrying ont of the objects of the Association, Mr. Comstock s the Soclety itself. His work lies chicfly in discover- ing and destroying immoral publications and ar- ticles, and in secaring the punishment of the de- praved wretches, men and women, who make 2 business of debauchinz the bodies and soals of the youth of the conntry. It is a grand work, aud he 18 8 grand man who has vol- unarily . taken -upon his shoulders a work of such immense magnitude. - His reward is a clear consclence and the knowledge that he is doing a Christian work, for he makes nothing by it. The Socicty pays him 2 modest salary, bat be conscientionsly refuses to touch one dollat ‘of the many that by law accrue to him in the way of woleties. ‘Thousands of’dollars have been tempt- ingly offered to himif he would forego certain prosecutions.and to-day he could receive a fortuno if he would quictly take his departurc for Europe, and thus permit’ the escape- of certain villaing against whom. criminal prosecutions are mow pending. But Mr. Comstock isa man with & con- science, and no temptation has been able toswerve him from hie purpose. Very few persons have any conception of the EXTENT TO WHICH OBSCENE LITERATURE, ‘beastly plctures, and immoral articles were circn- lated in this country a few years ago, or are even &t the present time. Nor have many parents even the faintest conception of the terrible influences to which their innocent children are exposed, in public and private schools, in the atreets, or :wherever they escape for & moment from parental observation. ‘These beastly publications, filled with tho foulest langusgeand the most disgusting pictures, arc insiduously placed before them at tines when they are supposed to be beyond the reach of such contaminating influences. But the persons who deal in them are the shrewdest aud sharpest of our villatns, and they succeed in clr- calating their corrapting staff inspite of all vig- ilance. - There is but one way to prevent it, and that is by destroying the foul sources from whence it emanatce. And this is precisely what Mr. Com- - stock is doing. Hundreds of tons of obscens books, pictures, and other articles have been captared by him,—enough to have supplicd onme-half tho children of this entire country with some indecent object, —something to corrupt its mind and sully the purity of its sonl. I can best illustrate the im- portance of ‘this subject, . and, T trust, inspire ad- ditional care in the bressts of some parents; by briefy reclting TIE WORK DONE BY MR. COMSTOUK. He came to this city some years ago a poor boy, a fair education, much energy, good moral prin- ciples, and & determination to push his way. He obtained » place as porter inalarge dry goods Thouse, but was 6oon found deserving of promotion, which he received from time totime. While em- ployed in the dry goods business he frequently saw obecenc books and prints in the hands of his fel- low clerks and acquaintances, and was a witness of their degrading infiuence upon those who had them. 1le saw several of them hurried to a worse than euicide's grave, and others the victims of in- curable disenses, the result of the licentions lives they led, induced by this class of literatare, At that time such_books were sold openly, almost at Lundreds of ' book stores In_the ‘clty, and agents, employed b{ the_ publishers, made a regular business of peddling them in the stores and offices, There were lawa forbidding the selling or reading of such articlcs, but there was 10 one whose business it was to_see the laws enforced. Indecent pictures were offered on the street-corners, slyly, it is true, but eagerly to all who manifested the slightest curiosity. “Alr. Com- stock saw that the trouble lay in the fact that there wasnoone particularly responsible for the en- forcement of the law, and he determined at lnst to . make an attempt to do something towards it in his capacity as a citizen, hoping thereby to arouse the proper authoritics to a sense of their duty in the ‘matter. He had little difiiculty in_finding a book- store were this kind of stuff constituted the bulk of the stock 1n trade. He purchased some books of the man, and then arrested him for selling them. After much delay, the man was Drought to trinl and recelved 8 meverc sentence. Soon after, Mr. Comstock caused another arrest to be made, and conviction and sentence followed. But these were believed to be only spasmodic raids, like those our police are in the habit of making on gumblers, and the men in the bosiness paid little heed to them, carry- ingon THEIR INFAMOUS TRAFFIC asboldly as before ‘the rrests had beenmade. But this experience convinced Mr. Comstock that there was o crying necessity for vigorous action, and he continuéd his good work. He soon had the opportanity of securing the plates from which one orp the worst of these books was printed. It ould cost some money, and he knew_not where Yo turn for it. One day he met Morris K. Jeasup, 2 gentleman of means, and to him he related his esperience, giviog him an iden of the extent ot this infamous irafic. Alr. Jessup became in- tercsted at once, and gave Mr. Comstock a check for $650, and from that day to the present time has been onme of the stanchest friends of Mr. Comstock, contribating freely of-his means to prosecute the work, and glviug his time and influ- ence without stint. With the money thus obtained Zthe very first pecuniary ussistanice he had re- Cceived from any one for this work—Ar. Comstock bought the plates he had discovered and destroyed them. He continued his indepcndent raids on the dealers s be found time, bat became convinced that he was doing but little towards suppressing the evil. For every dealer he drove outof tae busi- ness two or thrée othera took their places. Becom- ing sativded that nothing short of systematic and persistent pursait of the evil would sncceed in cradicating it, he applicd for assistance to . THE YOUNG MEN’S CURISTIAN ASSOCIATIOR. A committee was appointed toaid him, but its - members were not particnlarly active. 'In fact, ;I‘S.mcnmflonk had wpcurry them on his shoulders ‘together with his other work. Some good resnlted from this, however, as it opened the eycs of a good many versons to the magnitude of this horrible ‘business, and this resulted in tho orzanization of tho present Society for the Suppression of Vice. A charter was obtained from the Legislature, as well S some stringent smendmenta to cxisting laws. Ou the 1st of January, 1874, the Society was ready foractive work. A few gentlomen contributed the means for prosecuting the work, and o small sala- Ty was guorantecd to Mr. Comstock if he would abandon his business and devote his energies to carrying out the objects of the Soclety. His heart had Yong been in the work, and he at once accepted, the pnsfilan of Agent of the Soctety, Since then he! hus given his whole time and his excellent ability to the work of ~crushing out this Rorrible trafic. The Soclety is entirely sup- ported by voluntary contribntions, its ‘members scorning to take any gomun of the fines collected from the men whom ti c{pmsn:cn!e, It costs about $10,000 s year to pay the necessary expenses in- carred by -Mr. Comstock, including traveling ex- penses, witness fees, etc. Several lawyers ‘have volunteered to prosecate cases grutuitously, bat, a8 arule, the public prosceuting oficers canduct the cases. Mr. Comstock prepares everything to their hands—makes the complaints, makes arrests, becures the evidence, and has everything ready. As a consequence, few of his cases are lost. e {a anre of his ground before treading upon 1t. Latterly, the public and ttic Judges have begun to aporeciate his wotk at its just valuc, and to recog- oheihe nature of the evil that he is fghting against. As a consequence, when he secures a B viction, It Is pretty sare to eliclt s severe sen- last annual report of the Soclety gives; .tence. the following ! SUMMARY OF WORK 14 done by Mr. Comstock from the time he first com- iothe present,—betweey elght and nine ‘menc sl arrested in United States Cor 120 it tes Pertons arrested In State Courta 121 Discharged by commltting Maglst 15 Discharged by juries, - 4 Convicted or plesded guilty. 133 .evil so great as this. Amount of fines imposed. Convicts pardoned. . A v ool andaheet stock séized and eatroved: i 21,141 Obscene plctures and ploiogTapis and de- stroyed. . 202,133 Establishments for making the Indecent playing carda Doscaof B, Bowders et e of ‘Ciroulars, cataiog aud destroyed:....ot 235,218 Wapapers contain! m pro) & ] o ohscen mucergfiudnnr?z'pmtemn‘? =35 Dosscsat 14 Oven letters seized fn _rested. Namesof ObicEaE et e Bar-rooms. cene pletures framed on walls of Flirures and images selzed and destroyed. Letlers, packages, etc.. seized 1o iands o “era. réady for malilng, at thne of arrest. Names and post-ottice addresses tw whou Iars etc., may be eent, that are. Iam cte., ma e sold as matters rested.. ‘selzed In hunds of persons ar- THE ‘‘NAMES AND POST-OFFICE ADDRESSES ™ referred to.in the above table are largely composed of the names of young men and young women in the schools, colleges, and seminacies of the land. Dealers in this obsceno literature get hold of school cataloguer, or by some false representations of the list of echolars attendingdifferent schools, and then send to them plansible circulars, lauding some article, which circular may be_ innocent cuough, yet calcnlated to excite curlosity. Some thus ad- dressed ure_sure to reply, and in answer recaive some lascivious book or print, a song, a picture, perbapa a book full of beastly pictures. The very worst of these, containing illustrations of the most diegusting character, written in_language seldom Teard ontside of the lowest brothels, have been found circulating among the youn= girls at the most aristocratic boarding-shools n the land. One such ook is_enough to- corrupt an entire school, and, if once read or looked at, 13 eure to create a desire for more of the sume class. Of course, the theme of all thiv ciass of books is that virtue is a thing to be langied at. and that the consequencesofa lapse tuerefrom aro the only things to be dreaded. Then follow elaborate descrintions of means to be cmployed to prevent discovery. Boys and girls sre thus taught that to sin is picasant, and that the Tntural consequences of. sin may readily be ayold- cd. But ushort time since Mr.' Comsfock found one of the worst of these books circulating ‘among the boys of one of the BEST PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN BROOELIN,— a echool located in an_aristocratic neizbborhood, and sttended by the children, of both sexes, of the most weslthy citizens of that'city. When cauzht with the book in his pocket, the boy owned to having been indaced to send for it by an obscure advertisement which he saw in one of those sensa- tional weekly papers which arc printed for tho pazposo of foeding the fmaginations of the young and iguorant, —papers which avold the -obicene, Dut are filled with excitinzand suggestive stories. After getting the book .he loamed it to other _boys, il o .dozen ~or more had read it. Mr.- Comstock does not do things by Talves, but; on learning the names of the boys who had secn the book, he motified their parentsat once. Healso pscertained that severalof them were fast becoming victims of the passions excited Dy the perusal of these diszusting talcs. Onestock of goods of this_character, included in ‘the above list of ** confiscated, " was svulued by its owner at $60,000; another at $30,000. ~ Scores of men have ‘made large fortanes by publishing and selling this terrible stuff. But, thank heaven, a number of others arc now paying the penalty of their crimes In State Prison. Perhaps the worst phase of this indecent business is that which includes the photo- grapha and charms. ‘The former include phato graphs of men and women 1z all the fndecent at tudes which thoroughly depraved imaginations can suggest. These arc taken from life by photogra- pher who make large profits from the sales of the pictares, e THEIR SUBJECTS ° are the most degraded specimens of humanity that can be found, and who are hired by the day by the photographer. Such pictuces are easily made, and more_difficult to trace_ than the makers of the books. 'Thereare thousands of photograph-. ers, and any oue or dozens of them may be engj ed in the business, which is conducted with little cost. But it costs money to publish a book, and nny persons 1aust be"intrusted with the asecret. It I8 therefore more easily traced, and the responsi- ble partics discovercd. In the parish school at-' tached to a Cutholic church in this city, nnder the shadow of the charch iteelf, in o room aseparated from the school by ' only & folding- door, the _jonitor of the church ' was discovered printing o series of _filthy German plctures, from blocks which had been imported. Some of the pictures had found. their way to the hands of the scholars, and even the little girls had been shown them. French fessor was recently coptured hsving in his possession o satchel filled with the very worst of this_class of booksand pictures. He had been n teacher of French in several academies, and was in the habit of exhibiting bis flithy stuff to his pupils for the flnrpose of tifying his own beustly pas- sions. He 18 now in State Frison servinga ten yeam' sentence. inan received a similar sentence for the same offenge. A woman at Des Moines, Ia., has done a thriving business by advertising “LOVE POWDERS," which are warranted togain for the person ad- minstering the affections of the perzon to whom they ure given. Mr. Comstock entrapped her by means of decoy letters, and_then went to-Des Moines and arrested her. She is now awaiting trial. In her possession was found a large &nmfity of letters from young women from 1 of the country, each one ef which told its own story of shame and disgrace. Mr. Com- stock found one of tae victims of this woman to be the daughter of s clergyman. She was an cdu- cated, retined girl of 16, who was infatuated with 2 younz man who did not reciprocate her aifection. It was ascertained that she hud prepsred one of these *‘love-powders " ina manner too indecent to be mentioned, and actually admiuistered it to him. Inreplyto a letter complaining that it did not have the desired effect, the Des Moines woman bad recommended her to surrender to him her vir- tue, and telling her how toavold the consequences. Theso are but solitary instances out of thousands. Some iden of the magnitude of this horrible traffic can be gathered from, the table given above of ar- ticles destroyed, which_list {5 small compared to the quantity actually sold within the past few years. Out of 163 obscene books known to have been pub- lished in this country, the plates of 161 nave been seized and destroyed by Mr. Comstock. One man whom he_arrested wos found to be sending his booke to England. Mr. Comstock communi-. cated with the London aathorities, and, saa resalt, thirteen persons iere arrested there, and received severe scntences. 'The suppression of this terrible grime of ‘issuing obscene publications , has become LIFE-WORK OF AR, COMSTOCE. Indeed, on scveral occasions, his life has nearly ‘paid the forfeit for his persistence. Once a prison- er, whom he had arrested, stabbed him scveral tises, one atab cattig bis cheek open and leay. ingalong scar on his face, From this wound it was long thought ho would not recover. Again he was nssaulted by a prize-fizhter, who had been hired tomaim him forlife. He succecded in arresting lus pseallantand sendinghim to State's Prison. Another time & man cntercd his oflice when he was alone and declared his purpose to kill him. A Teady revolver made him euccomb, und he was also taken prisoner. Hethen confessed thathe had been hired to assnsainate him, and 18 now pay- ing the penalty of Lis attempt. - Nota day passes that he does not recelve threatening letters from the friends of persons he has had convicted, or \whose business he has ruined, Recently he made » raidon the lottery and_policy dealers, and so carcfully were bis cases prepared, and 8o surcly does conviction staro them in the face, that they have recently been trylng to bribo or frighten him from his purpose. Bt ks life is in his work, and ‘fll!n!k{)fi Xohm’lxlignBM]J:‘. it Ho Is sustained by thorough knowledge of the démoralizing effects of the dnmnable trafic he i3 fehting and his Christin teachings, for his work 15'0 matter of conscience, and he i3 backed by the Christian gentiments of & numerons constituency, which constitutes the Soclety for the Sappression of Vice. - Thada lengthy conversation with Mr. Comstock recently, when he informed me that the traffic which he hasso nearly broken up in this city has taken deep root in some Western cities, chiefly in Chicago. He saya the West {s over-run by these obscene publications, large numbers of which_are manufactared in your city. Itis this fact which has induced me to write 0 faily upon 80 disagreeable asubject. Mr. Comstock has shown what onie_able, sincere, devoted, indefatigable, mencan do in battling single-handed againstan Cannot Chicago farnish his connterpart? The fleld is 28 broad as was his, and the harvestis ripe for the sickle. Who will be the reaper? DoTroN. American nnd English Physque. > Appletons: Journal for May. Mr. Richard Grant White, who has recently been abroad, and who has set down certain of the ex- periences purchased by his ‘‘penny of observa- tion" in an article entitled ‘*English Traits," makes a few affirmations which, while con! to general opinfon, accurately accord with the facts a3 we have seen them. ey refer to the com- .parative physical condition of tne Ecclish and American people. - Mr. White asserts that he Tias whtched crowds of ingiish people at theatres, festivals, churches, and railway-stations; that he ¥nows the human physioznomy of all quarters of London, and has walked through country V]I'L\Ifel and cathedral-tuwna; and, as the resuit of this wide observation, he declares that *‘the men and women are generally smalier and lesa robust than ours, and, above Afi. that the women are, 00 the whole, r and less bloom! than oars.” He thinks there are more very ruddy people_in England, but that delicately-graduated bloom is not very Com- mon, while the proportion of people without color in their cheeks is nearly the same as here. Now, we also, unwilling to let o vague impressfon for truth in this matter, hsve stood o ‘watched crowds of people at English railway-sga tions—wherever, indeed, there were “men and women—and ccold but fecl that, com- pared with similar assembiages here, the pbysic- ai diffcrence was but slight. But Mr. White “awells u; “another point that we also noted, al- fhough the- descriptive phrase he uses is his own. He speaks of the superior ¢+get-up ” of the men— ‘meaning, of course, their carriage and bearing. This, b tells us, **appears in 5 marked degree in persons, - way of compensation, the New Yor] Only a week or two ngo a clergy-+ |- - ail military tanicand flc aawellas off-, the police force, which are, on - the |- S fhediae in statdro and bulk -t 9 bat far superior in appear- ance, owing to the ‘sct-np’ of the men, and the way i which they themselves.™ ‘This **sct-up™’ is not alone, according to our ob~ servation, confined to drilled bodies of men. Mr. “White miist_have noticed what & vuperior body. in appearance and um:fi_e‘ the omaibus-drivers aad ‘hackmen are to ours, The London omnibas-dnivers areno such ragged and slovenly vueabonds as thoso who make nnsightly -the- Broad much saperior). They are genesally well clothed, often wearing o ‘‘Riza: bat,” that stamp.of respectability in England, * and they sit on their ‘boxes with the dipnity. and upright carriage that here we never sce, except on the box of a private e. Whether omnibus-drivery there are sub- Ject toany form of drill or. dlscipline, . we cannot ey if not, then they must be animated by greater pride and sclf-respeet than ours are. Similarfacts may be- observed-witd Enclish’ railway-oficialy, especially with the guards and porters, who aro always trim, neat, cleanly **sct-up " men, prompt to serve, but always commanding respect. ‘This Is not aslight mattsr. If the habits of American life .tend to mzke men slothful 2nd nezligent, if they the epirit of "the loafer and the vagabond (and the recent rapid multiplication of tramps would seem to confirm it), it behooves ns to look well and see whence may come tho remedy and how to apply it. The good effect of uniforms in dress upon the morale of the men has often been observed.- We dee, therefore, one way in which, in large bodies of men, the evil men- tioned can be partly remedied.” Conductors on eity cars, for nstance, just o they aze now on the wteam lines, might be pat in uniforms In all othet cases where it is practicable this should be done, as one step toward connteracting an evil tendency ofavery serious nature. - THE GAME OF CHESS e CHESS DIRECTORY. Cmicaco Cness Crun—Nos. 63 and 65 Wash- ington street. Cmicaco Ciess Associatioy—Henrici's Cafe, 174 East Madison-st. * 2 Chess players mect daily at the Tremont Honse (Exchange) and the Sherman House (Basement). All communications intended forthia department shou!d be addressed to Tur TrsuxE, and indorsed +4Chess.” 5 encours, e ¢ ‘TO CORRESPONDENTS. **C. W. C.," city.—Your solution to Problem No. 70 was overlooked last week. “E. A. ., city.—The Whits Pawn In Problem No. 7315 correctly placed at & Kt ke B ¢S, H. L.,” Winona, Minn.—The correction -allows another solution by 1..B to K sq. #,* Problems received, with thanks, from C. A. P. and E. B., city; B. C. 8., Oswego, N. Y. - from W. }. Ovington. C. A.Perry, J. H. Cump- bell, W. J. Parsons, C. W. Clark, T. A. Wain~ wright, E. A Swarth, E. R. B,, andJ. E. H. U., city; 1I. C. P., Little. Rock, Ark.; Kt., Tarer. 1117 . A. Greenbill, Clinton, Ia.}. J. K. Robin- son, Winona, Minn. ; C. E. Mever, Freeport, 1Il. 3 R. €. Scott, Oswego, N. Y. ; F. B., i:gmnt. piTh *,* Correct solution to Problem No. 72 recaived from W. H. Ovington, J. IL. Campbell, W. J. Par- sons, T. A Wainwrlght. E. Barbe, J. H. Wal- lace. F. A Bergman, E. A. Swarth, C. W. Clark, E. R.B., J. E H. U., and W.W. W., city: C. E. Aeyer, Freeport, JIL; J. A. Gr!enhflk-cunlfln, Ia.; H.C. P.,Little Rock, Ark.; L. G. E., 1. 1L T, Wright, Morgan Park, TiL. Oswezo, N. Y.; Kt. Tumer. I.: L. Des Moines, Ia. ; J. E. Robinson, Winona, ENIGMA NO. 74—(Anthor Unknown.) e Diack l!ono kat L 8 Bishopat K R Knightat Q4 ‘White to play and mate in three moves. PROBLEM NO. 74 BY MR. J. W. ABBOTT, ERGLAND. (& B B & % %‘7 /»%/ o - R RN B E B 7%%%% @%52%7 7 il B I B BN o n B White. White to play and mate in'two moves. SOLUTION TO PROBLEM NO. 72 Black. l 1..BtakesR. 2.F moves It 1L..PtoQ5 | 2.RtoQRt2ch I 3..Any mova 3. Emates SOLUTION TO ENIGMA NO. 72 ° White. Bisck. 1.QWKERS l 1..QroB4ch 2..] K6 8..Qor B mates y move THE CHICAGO CHESS ASSOCTATION Met Saturday evening, April 21, at Henrici's Cafe, No. 174 Madiaon street, for the purpose of effect- ing permanent organization. The following of- ficers were elected for the ensaing year: President, J. D. Adalr; Vice-President, Dr. L. EL Watson; Secretary, Chris Becker; Financial Secretary, Max Sonnenschien; Treasurer, August Blam: Execn- tive Committee, Dr. J. B. Duff, Louls Uedemann, Mr. Burdick. The constitution and by-laws were adopted. 1t was therein provided that there will ‘be 1o Initiation fec until after June 1, and after- wards a fee of $1 would be charged. Tbe ducs were flxed at $4 per yar, payable quarterly. About sixty persons have already sizned the conatitution 2nd become members, and it {s confidently expect- od that the number will exceed 100 within 3 very short time, The next meeting will be held Satur- Qday, May 5; a committec will make a report in fa- vor 'of arranging & handicap tournament, Which will probably commence at once. 'The Association has now fourteen bright new tables, and after to- - day the cheas-room will be open every cvening un- #I'11 o'clock. Non-members are permitied to uso the chess-tables and men on payment af 10 cents per day. CHESS IN PHILADELPHIA. Game between Messrs. Mason and the Centennial Tournament. Barbour in to ‘Ew g 10 Kt 2 Q3 ki ke W takes B 20, m&‘ wQs 21, wQq ~ -8‘0 4 22..810Q2 QB4 .. R B PIoGBS . PoKB3 PlakesP . 25..QBto Ktsq QRWBI? 28. . KtoK3S 27..Ktt0QB7ch () K Kt to B 3 was better. (b) Anoversight. — **CHESS BRILLIANT." KING'S ENIGHT'S GAMEIT. 3 White. . Hxez Nxoaaxx. {Black—Mz. BLACKBURXE. sEefl, LEekL P to i BIEKttoBI ..P 1o K Kt 4. BB+ Bto K3 5.PtoQ4 .Pwfi:) Castles ‘PoR RS P KRS PKES Ktto ks sq ‘PtoBg .. Pto B3 KttoQ2 Kttoli3 Ko By3 3 B §a5e SN o 24 Riesies takes P, P cakes P 0Q B3 Keto 37 ch Ko R takes B 18Kt to Kt takes Kb K¢ takes B Kt takes B 20./K¢ takes K¢ P Reto Kech P takes Kt : QtoKi6 - . RioR7 / T; takes P, Ptakes R / K taZcs I wksch Fi ngtlfl lfll‘!fi;lcln Ko 2 KtK3 8 e, and wos 18 there & soul in my body? # And is there s Heavea (ormly soul? | Or is the grave the end of it alf, And the worms est ap the whole? 1f the end of life is the endof time, Or the end of time for me, i I would sever the tie that binds me he®y And from care and toil be free. But, if there Is 3 sonl in my body, | ‘And if there is a Heaven for my mul, And if there is & life beyoud thia Ii'e, And this 18 but o part of the whde, Then I take up my cross, and beazit THILT reach the prayed-for goal ‘And the earth mav retaln my bodvs it saccept my soul.: 1f Christ will accept my % A T