Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 23, 1879, Page 11

CHICAGO TRIBUNE SUNDAY. EBRUARY 23, 1879—SIXTEE PAGES 11 THE STAGE. THE DRAMA. CHICAGO. AN1SS CAVENDISI'S ENGAGEMENT CLOSED. Miss Ada Cavendish, closed 20 enzagement of three weeks' duration at McVicker's Theatre yesterday afternoon. Her farewell appearance as signalized by a brilliant matinee audience, and by an expression of admiration such as can ouly be evoked by an artist of high talent and cnlture. This has been her zood fortune {rom {he first appearaunce she made in “Jane Shore.” Her misfortunc has been in {falling into the middle of an unbappy complication between {he manager and a member of the stock com- pany, which has deprived the ‘public of the op- portunity of making a thorough acquaintance with her. With the quarrels between managcks and actors criticism has very little to do, except in o far as they result in deteriorating a per- formance. In the present case there would reallv appear to have been a deliberate pur- pose on the part of Mr. Learock, the «jesding man? of the theatre, to hinder the guccess of Miss Cavendish’s engagement. It it &s his parpose to take revenre on the manager on account of some grudge, he siaould have re- membered that a6 an actor he owed a duty to We public, which hes always treated him with respect, very often with more leniency than he merited, and that it was his duty, as a gentle- man, to respect the position of alady whocould bave no carthly foterest in his personal squab- bles. Throughhis ungenerous and dishonorable conguct e has done a ZTOSS injustice not ouly o Miss Cavendish, but to the people, wno bad expected to see ber in the plays which had veen advertised. The jmpression she created 1o “ » was sufficiently strong toawaken m{-n::icc.si‘x‘-:zmm ‘;:u her in pnyms ofgu different hder, and so, after a week of the “New Mardaten;”? which, on the whole, did e the tudicnce vers favorshly, despite the excellent delineation of Afercy Uferrick, Miss Cavendish proposed to giveusa taste of her quality in fosalind aund Pau inr. Tu the former ‘character she more than Tuliilled vopular expectation. but it proved after owing to the failure of v 2 pariial suceess, O D eome to time. At the last moment e atuto had 10 be found, who hardly knew Cavendish, it was_Dlainiy of prompting her in every imporiant scene. Then the next cvening the Uriando disappeared from the cast without warning, and in 8 diseracetul manner, which et Mieh Cavendish with an sctor on her hands who tad not rebearsed gl_fi part with her. between prompting Ced and bolstering up the ribndo, 1t was no wonder that the lady all tarough the lst week of her enrage- Ihetit, on the verge of 8 fit of illness. Many an aniist placed.in sucb a predicament would bave tghrown up the sponge. and it is an evi- qenee of Miss Caven sh’s good . nature hat she refraised from doinz 0, and = sried throurh the week tae best way she cousd. 1t would perhaps be unfair to take Mr. De Vernon (Learock’s substitute) to L for his shortcom- iu;;s,sim‘e'ncmrnc:tnmomcut’snolice,nsit-wcrc, and etruezled with Orlando in a way which was ‘occasionally painful to contemplate. 1t could not. cscape -lhe notice of the aundicnce, however, et Miss Cavendish was rather directing a re- earsal than acting, and it was amusing 1o hear ke oceasional interiections she fired at her Jover in their meetings in the forest,—as whea fhe began a amlogue with the instruction, “S,ay where you arc.§ Poor Orlando, for Lis part, was a meek and obedient upil, and, being apparently fearful of giving ofience, he made a Y}m ice of bowing to evergbody on the stage. e bowed to Rosaiind, to the Banished Duke, 10 Touckstone, to Celia, and even to old Adam, and always with the same genuflection. A very modest aud polite Orlando, the mildest-man-~ nered lover we have ever seen on 8y stage. Under thesc circumstances, the Chicazo public have cowe to the couclusiou that Miss Cavendish Thas been badlv treated, but with ail the draw- backs tiey have obtained a glimpse of one of e most accomplished artists of the day. Her reading of the *Cuarge of the Lizht Bri- ade,” with which she favored the sudicnce on her benefit night, was a masterly piece of elocu- tion, and aronsed a storm of applause. Ttis to be hoped sne will return here under more favor- able auspices,—that is, that when she next plays liere she will not be made to suffer from the caprice of a boorish actor. w Critetion Comedy Company have occu- pied Hooley’s Theatre during the week with Their spiev farcecomedy .of .t Whims,il, which Las drawn very fair houses. MrsMackay istobe congratulated oa ihe admirable selection he has made 1nthe organization of this troupe, which iswell adapted for the production of a lght comedy such as this. LOCAL NOTES. Manazer Sprazue, of the Georgia Minstrels, s in fown last week organizing a colored bur- lesque vpera troupe. Aifred J. Knight, the elocationist, will give at the Necond Christian Church, on venue, next Tuesday evening, for the of the church. «Qur Innocent Pastor” is the title of a piece to be produced at Hamlin’s Theatre to-morrow evening, 1t is from the Gerwnan, and is another adaptation of the farce which forms the ground- work of **Champagne and_Oysters.” Mr. H. AL Markbham takes the leaging part. The en- tertaimment will be brizhtened by the advent of several vew variety stars. Joseph K. Emmett sppears at Hooley's Theatre Lo-i007ToW evening in bis revised cdition of *Fritz. our Cousin German,” in which he will mtroduce his oririnal songs and dances, all comnposec out of his own head. Mr. Emmett’s enzagcment is to last foronly one week. deis to Le supported by his own dramatic company. A drama from the French, in three acts, will be siven Monday eveuing at_Unity Church. "le astors and actresses are Mrs. Aver, Miss Copland, Mr. McMillan, Mr. Dana, Mir. Ray- mond. Mr. Crawford, Mr. Appleton, Mr. Olcott, wnd Mr. Will, who played *She Stoops to Conquer so finely at Stundard Hall last week. “This play is griven for the benefit of the women’s department of the Hahnemann Hospizall. Such 2 wortay ubject wnd sach a_distinguished party of amateurs sre_sure to draw a finc audicace. ‘Tie-ets are for sale at Jansen, McClurz & Co.’s, =nd at Cobb’s Library, and at the door on the eveniug of the performance. L] Mr. loechster, the mznager of the German theatre at Hooley’s, is not relaxing in bis eflorts {o give firstclass peformances with the best actors obtainable. e has re-engaged the eminent German soubrette Miss Lina Wassman, who rpade such a bit in the farce “ Quicksilver”? two weeks aro, to appear in two of her best parts wo-nizht. dShe will assume the parts of voung Ricictiew 1 the celebratea two-act comedy “Richeliew’s crster Waflenganz (Richelicu’s TFarst Campaien), and in the double role of Hanui- Hani in Offeubach’s celebrated operetta ** Hanni weint and Hansi lacht.” The house will no doubt be filled to overflowing. The New York. Standard Theatre Company opens at Haverly’s Theatre to-morrow evening in Mrs. Ettie lenderson’s drama ‘‘ Almost 3 Life,” which is one of the adaptations of Ga- boriaw’s movel * Within an luch of His Life.” Tae namesof the principal members of the cast may be accepted as 3 guarantec that the vlay wiil have an intellizent rej rescotation. Amony them are Maud * Granger, Miss 1he lines, and Miss seen, had the task Emity Rigl, Miss Virzinia Buchanan, Miss Sadie Bigelow, Miss. Eila_Thorne, Mr. Eben Plymp- tou, H. A. Weaver, Gus Levick, Harry Eytingc, Charles Le Clere. The last-named plavs the part of Cotinett, the idiot, which was thoucht 10 be one of the strongest characterizations in the piece. The Rice Surprise Party, which has gained an i opularity throvirhout the country, open cer’s Thicatre to-IOrrow evening with “Tobinsou Crusoe.” The managewment has made ample praparations for au claborate pre- sentation of this amusing burlesque, and the ublic may feel confideat, irom the experience ot the past, that, the piece will be coriched by enic effects. Sachis the promise & zud McVicker hasshown himself on ali occasions 2 liberal mauacer in the matter of mountings, even when od to deal with indifferent pro- ductions. We may, therelore, look forward to aweck of good fun and artistic scenic_cffect. It is oniy necessary to name some of the old favorites wlio are in the cast'to attract a wide n,—Alice Atherton, Louise Seasle, otin, \W. A Mestayer, Lows Harrison, n Sivger, Donald Harold, and a number of popular 1avorites, all more or less adepts in e art of *brusbing the cobwebs from the brows of care.? ‘The costumes are desizned by Hr. Bdouin, and sre all fresh from the hand of e artist. In other words, * Robinson Crusoe” will appear i a new suit of clothes this week To-torrow evening will_be produced at the Metropolitan a romantic Irish_crama in_four 2ets by Mr. Frank L Jervis, entitled *<The Falis of Clara” Mr. Jervis acknowledges. deriving 1k plet =nd many of the incidents of the drama from tl¢ “O*Hara Tales,” that _prolific collee- tion which has slready stood Buuicault and Foalkper in such_good stead, furnishing the plots for * Coileen Rawn * and #Peep:d’ Day.” The mapuzement bas spared no expense i b out this piece, the scenery beinx en- Y, new, (hie mecbauical effects startling and 1he Falis of Clarali represented by real water. Mr. Jervis 1s no novice as_a dramatist, l.l:niufi several pieces successfully produce What | in Eoglind, Australia, and America. The oprincipal part in the drama _will be assumed by John T. Hinas, whose Irish charzcter-acting has been favorably recell ed io Chicago. The cast is a strong one, and the incl- dentaP music is especially arranged from the ballads of Old Ircland. A mew overture having the * Groves of Blarney ¥ forits theme will be resented nightly. ~There is but little doubt but this piece, 50 elaborately produved, will en- Jjoy a long and successfal run. * ‘The trustees of the Plymouth Congregational Church have made an enzagement with Prof. Heury G. O'Neill, a graduate of the University of Dablin, who will give a series of Illustrated Art Entertainments each evening this week in the Church. The entertainments are somewhut of the nature of those which were recently given by Prof. Cromwell with so much success, Dut will be more attractive tban those, as the illustrations are in colors, while those of Profl. Cromwell’s were plain neatives. Each exhi- bition will be accompanied by a discriptive lecture and the serles will go over the whole ‘zround. of science, history, art, and nature. Prol. O'Neill comes_here with- an excellent reputas fion as a scholar and lecturer, and in'England made a great success. The Aanchester Guardian said of the entertainment: *Prof. O'Neill is the son of ap officer in her Majesty’s service, and with his father has traversed almost every quarter of the globe. Heisa thorough classical scholar and lingpist, and gives a very charming running accompauiment of wit and informatio .. . Hisreproductions of art equal in every respect theirgreat orizinals.” ‘The tickets have been placed at a very low figure;'the admission being only 85 cents and rescrved seats 50 cents. They may be'bad at the Chicago Music Company’s store, 152 State street, and at Patterson’s, on Twenty-second street. NEW YORE: i W. 8. GILBEKT’S *‘CORNER™ ON THEATRE Special Correspondence af The Tribune.- NEW Yorr, Feb. 20.—W. S. Gilbert has a corner on New York theatres just mow. That is to say, he is represented in the Mctropolitan play-bouses as no author ever was represented before him. At the Standard and Fifth Avenue, s Pinafore* is running. At the San Fraocisco Minstrel’s Opera-House and Ton§ Pastor’s, hy- brid * Pinafores ” are in use, while at the Park his “Engaged? 1§ storming the town. Nor ' docs it end here; for at the Broadway they bave been preparing the *Sorcerer” for more than & fortnight past. Six theatres in one city, work- ing upon material furnisbed by a single author! It is most alarming. By-and-by, if thts thing goes on, the chronicler of dramatic events will discover that, like Othello, his occupation’s zone. And when I don’t have to do anything beyond telling you once a week that ** Pinafore” is run- ning at all the theatres, I shall begin to believe 1baveasoft things . ' & « Ttis perhaps fortunate that they can’t all do “Eneaged.” A benign and far-seeing Provi- dence wisely decreed that E. A. Sothern snould Dbe the purchaser of that drama, or burlesque, or comedy, or whatever you choose to eall it. So it is nov public oroperty, aud all the managers in America can’t gobble it free of expense, as thev have the most of his other.works. “En- gaged " is Mr. Sothern§ play for all America, and the right of playing it in New York has been vested by bim in Mr. Abbey, of the Park The- atre. What in the world Mr. Sothern ever bought the picce for nobody can say. There certafnly isn’c any part in it for bim. ~ The char- acter which he presumably intends to assume would fit him just about the same way Hamle! would. 1t is a part on the .Bob Sackelt order, and is evidently Boucicaulted from Brouson ‘Roward’s * Saratoga,” which is now running, or haa been running, in London under the name of * Brighton.” , just think of Mr. Sothern as Bob Sackeiz! One can as casily imagine the exhumation of an old Egyptian mummy to play Julict. THE FIRST SCENE OF ‘' ENGAGED” 18 1aid just outside of a cottage which stands upou the border between Engluiid and Scotland. “The keeper of this cottage isa Mrs. Macfariane, who has a pretty danehter. In loye with the daughter is a brave and moble Hizhlander known as Agnus VacAllister. A railway passes near at hand, and-it is the trade ot this cheerful und open-hearted Scotchman to throw trains from the track, in order that his prospective mother-in-law may profit by entertaining the delayed. passengers. Anoiber mark of this genial person’s vaunted bravery. is the fact that e cries like ababy at every available opportu- nity. \When the story ovens, be has just pre- pared everything for the comf{ortable recention of the next_train, and--the sweet and innocent maiden of his love is praising ‘bim for his valor and honesty. Presently the cars come along, and are thrown from thie track. The first of the ‘passengers to arrive at the cattage are Bevawney B0a Beinda Treheene, who first cxplain that they have cloped together, and then tell who they are. The mun is employed at a salarv of £1,000 a year to- prevent the marriage of Cheviot Hil, a voung fellow of property, who fulls desperately in love with Gvery female he meets. Belinda is the aflianced Wife of 2 Major Macgillicuddy. and has fied with ZBelvawney, to whom sbe is violently attached. They bave a very laughable scene, in” which she tells um she _shall *love him devotedly, until the tomb shall close over her,—but low about his finances? * Nothing cau alter her affection, but ¢ BUSINESS IS BUSINESS." In response, he relates bis financial status, and the, learning that his income “will cease in case Cheviot marries or dies, concluges that he is not a particularly desirable investment. After they exit, Cheviot_himself, who bas also beena pas- senger on the train, enters, and oroceeds to tell the audience that Afinnie Symperson, to whom he is betrothed, is a remarkable girl; that ste is his past, his present, his to-come; that, in short, she is the tree on which the fruit of his Jove has ripened. At this juncture Maggie Mac- Jarlane, the jpnocent Scotch lassie, enters from the cottage, whercupon Clheviot falls violently in love .with her, und afier she ghows how jnpocent she is_ by gratzitously informing him What she's strictly virtuous and he mustn’t iry to come any shines over her, he tells hor she i Lis past, his_present, his to-come, and so forth. She reposes ier bead upou his manly boozum, and assures bim_that she has plighted her troth with anothery whereupon Agaus en- ters, and amid his own_tears telis that he is the ‘man she means. _Cheviot offers bim £3 to with- draw his suit, and e finally consents. While {he purchaser is placing the coins in his hand, Agnus runs into a_tearful rhapsody about Ifag- 1iey in the midst of which he stops to announce that the cash is ‘saxpence short.” Cheviot is tben left atonc on_the stage. and presently Be- linda comes on. Then be falls in love with her, and tells her she is bis past, his present, his to- come. JBevawney rushes on with the announce- ment that acgillicuddy is coming, with blood in his eye and a horse-pistol in each hand. Che- viot agrees to et the clopers out of theirserape, and when the infuriated AMajor euters he tells lim Jelinda is his (Cheviot's) wife. She aclmowl- cares that such is the iact, und the curtain falls upon the tableau. = THE SECOND ACT opens in the house of Minnie - Symperzon, to whom Chexiot is about to_be married. Belinda comes to call on herold schoolmate, Minnie. and in a very tragic manner tells bow she has by a Scoten marriage allied herself to a man whose name she dow't know. She is in terrible de- spoodency and gricfover the matter, and proves her condition by cating a number of tarts with unimpaired apuetite. The scene is uproarious, and when the two ladies depart Cheviot cotnes on. He doesn’t yet kuow thathis declaration of marriage is binding, but is quickly apprised of the fact by Bevawney, who threatens to give him away in case be insists upou marrying _ifinnie aud thus catting of - Bevawney’s income, After that Maggie Mactarlane comes on, and Jresh complications arise from Cheviot’s love for her. The act ends when Lelinda comes upon the stage and recognizes him as her husband. When the curtain rises azain, Cheviot bas been to the Macfariane cottage, but can’t find out whether it is in Scotland or Eneland. And after he has alternately sworn undying devotion to Belinda, Minn‘e, Magqie, oid ifrs. Mefariane, and even Minnie's waiting-maid, £arker, 3 mys- terious letter clears up the watter by teiling: that the cottage is in England, but the garden where the mutual declaration of marriaze o¢- carred is in Scotland. _Therefore Cheviot is Le- linda’s busband i reality, Bewawngy marrics fiunie, Agnus, with mauy tears, rencws his love for Magygie, and Minnie's father weds old Mrs. Macfariane. ¥, TAE FUNNY PART OF THE WHOLE PIECE is the seriousness with which everybody assumes his or ber cuaracter, and the fact that not one of those characters really is what it is described. The * braw laddie ” is an arrant coward: the innocent lassie is forever on the aiert to guard off attemots which -are never made agaiust ber yirtae; the woman who loves witk a devotion which is even trazic bestows her aflection upon everybody wao comes alonz; the city girl, who js deseribed as_a mere child in matter of mone- tary interest, displays tie deepest koowledze Tpon the greatest finuncial intricacies of theday; and s0 OD. Mrs. Booth, as D&;flfla. carried off all the houors, and rather Grusved poor little Jumes Luwis, who had evidently made up his mind that Tic was going to wake a “*star’ part of Chw'ol. She was the cnly member of the company who eas recslled, and it may, be added ibat she thorougaly Geservea that distinction. Bhe over- topped everybody on the stage. Lewis was just A as he always is: His lines wero funny, and that was all. I sometimes fancy that when the Creator orzanized John Dillon He had a very little of the same stufE left over, and, wishing to et an example of cconomy, He squeezed the Jeavings into Lewis, He is a bard worker is Lewis, but his fun is of a variety which makes the suditor hungry for the rest of it. He gives you a sort of sawple of comedy, and you want to | sec the whole fabric. T. G. RIGGS (who is gradually winning forgiveness on account of having in an hour of weakness ““starred in a piece called “Shin Fane?)pave a very artistic portraiture. of Agnus MacAdister. Mrs. Gilbert also did some good work as s, Macfariane, and Sidney Cowell played her dauzhter, Maggie, with diswiminatton. If Minnie. Palmer wounld only conquer ber idea thatip order to succeed one must imitate somebody else, and quitgiving us eternal and much-ndulterated doses of Lotta, she would be more of a favorite than she is. Ste is pretty, and dresses handsomely, but she is ahout as original in acting as Uli Perkins is in literature. A Mr. Abbey has mounted the piece with a great deal of liberality, and it will run, I have no doubt, until April, when Aimec is due. Barton Hill is still in New York, and is con- stantly on the watch for atiractive material for California. Mr. ITill is what they call o “rustler® out West, and nothing he starts after cun escape g;u;. ‘Hxs latest engagement for the stock com- ny is i T. W. KEENE, who is now under’ the manazement of John T. Ford, of-Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia, and the biw Souihern circ Mr. Keene was the leading man of the California-Theatre when John MeCullough ran that bouse, and is the most popular stock actor San Fraucisco has ever pussessed. alr. Hill has shown wisdom by in- ducing Keene to return. “He is to open there about the middle of Apri, und will remain through the season, with s probability of stay- ing there mext year. Mr. Hill will probably stay in _New York a month or so loveer. He will play Sir Anthony Al- solute, in “The ' Rivals,” to Mrs.” Joln Drew's Lydia, on' the occasion of a monster benefit which is soon to Dbe given that lady in Philadelpbia. His reception there will undoubtedly be very cordial, as that was the city wherehe used to be a general favorite as Jeading man at the Arch Strect house. s JOIN A. STEVENS,- whoisow playing at Haverly’s Theatre, is very likely to sce some troublc before long. For publishing in this city a Ietter which was considered_libelous by Charley Byrne, of the Dramatic Nes, he was drrested, and gave bail in $1,000. -Mr. Byrne’s lawyer took exception to the bond, but Mr. Steveus was allowed to zo on with his engagement at the Globe Theatre in this aity. Frank Mortha, who manages the Globe, says that, withont his knowledse, Stevens removed all his bazgage and effects from the theatre last Thursduy night after the performance, and early Friday mornig skipped for Chicazo, leaving Murtna with .no attrac- 1 tion for Friday night. Exceptions having been Zaken to Stevens' bail, the Snerifl becomes per- sonally responsible for his presence bere_when wanted. And I am told that the oflicial is 2bout to apply to the Governor fora requisition on which to bring Stevens back. The case is lilkely to come up at any time, and a goud many peonle are interested in the result. Mr. Byrneis determined to press his suits azainst these people who haveatracked him, with the utmost rapidity, aud is njw right after all of them. BRNEST HARVIER, the other person arrested at his instance, is also inaclose box. If proven guilty of the charge breferred azamst him (criminul libel) he is like- 1y to sce the inside of some of those ‘bandsome buildings over on Blackwell’s Island. Tu is rather rough on the lad, beeause he is evidently the figure put forward by his backers to stand all the Kicks, while they do the lieary thumping at thelr enemies. But then le *orter kuow better” than to become auybody’s cat’s-paw. It isn’t pleasant to stand between two or three fighters and take all the blows. ‘Ihere’s no, mooey in it, and not enough fun to make it wortli while. There is a good deal of rivalry among THE SAN FRANCISCO THEATRES, —probably more than i auy other city. There jsn't enouzn patronage to ullow all of them to make money, and 5o tiey bave to fizht pretty hard for what there is. 1 bave heard a good many rather wild yaros irom there, but one which came to me 1o a very authoritative way Yesterday tukes therazroll thebush. Clara Morris recently played an cnormously successful en- gurement at” Baldwin’s Theatre.. She subse- quently had negotiutions with a nival house, pointing to a short season ness year. Tnat fact coming to the ears of the Baldwin management, and Miss Morris acknowledging that sich was the case, it became necessary to choke off e opposition at any cost. 3liss Morris’ terms at ‘hest are tremendous, but money is_no object Lo the millionaire who backs Baldwin’s, and so the star was engazed to come back to his house next season. At that time she will receive, not one-half or three-fourths of the gross receipts, but THE WHOLE OF THEM! There’s enterprise for you. Imagine aman- ager who, io order to overbid a rival, is willing £ pay a big company and put D for all the ad- vertising without getting back acent of hisin- vestment! At's uppalling! ‘- Mexico® stili goes on at the Grand Opera-flouse to wretched business. % Spellbound,” one of Boucicault’s rehashes, is the next thing at Wallack’s. The Broadway is closed for rehcarsals of “The Sorcercr.” Pauiding, the amatenr tragedian, is a failure. He dues Zam ¢t next week. At the other theatres the attractions are un- changed. 11n0RIEL. EVERY WHERE. TOEATRICALS AT TOLEDO, O. Tledo Commerch:l. The play was full of heavy villaine, the lead- ing lady was the inmocent maiden upon whomn they bad designs, and the trouble was all brought about by ber having to read Ler part. For instance, one villain enters and seizes the leading lady. The Jatter looks at her maou- seript, and reads: * Unhand me, villain *? (bust- ness). Now *‘busincss” means that 2 strugzle should ensue, but the leading lady m her awit1- tion, renders it thus: * Unband me, villian! Business.” The villain stauds back abashed at this unexpected turn, and. the prompter goes crazy, and_vells, “Take hold of her! Helen Blazes! teke bold of hsr." The villain rushes up to seize the woman, Who looks at her manu- serivt, and shrieks, **Sooner than submit to your embrace, 1 will take this kinfe,” There s pauses and Jooks around for the knife. The prompter by this time is turning handsprings all over the fioor, kicking the wings to picces, tearing his bair, osnd shout- ing, “Oh! Godfrev’s cordial! why don’t you take the knifei—the knife, blank it, the Lnife! Itisin bis belt.” ‘The knifeis finally seized, the villain oblizingly turning around o the woman can conveniently meb it. The prompter calms down uotil 8 scene is produced where a villian with a big pistol io his hand, is at the door of a chamber to see that the heroine does mot escape. It is his'business togo to sleep, and the lady’s business to escape by him, just before the other two villiaps rush in and exclaim. “Abls, lere she is.? But she has Jost her place, and as the catthroats rush in and make their exclamation, there she Is sure enougb. ‘Then the prompter becomes a drivel- Sz idiot. His load is more than hecan bear, aud his mind gives way bepeath it. He asks to be buried ina retired spot and sinks to the floor, while the stige manager throws his hands over his head; waves them wildly in the. air, dances a horubipe hehind “the scenes, aud yells at the leading lady, “Get of Of the stage; thunder and lighining! et off of that stazel” The Foman is on fer dignity by this time, und strides calmiy by the villain With the bi pistol, who Jooks at her with open-mouthed wonder, and allows her to pass him. Then the otber two. Jiliaius look at ber and exclaim, “By heavens! she has escaped us P and the house gets up and remarks as oue mau, that it's too thrilling for anv use, and it muy be ¢ gormed " if 1t isu’t the Digrprest ¢ o Toledo has Lad for years. GREES-BOOM GOSSIP. John E. Oweps is’ considering a six months' tour in Australid. The Criterion Comedy Company play during the present week in Milwautee. Miss Clarz Brown, un awateur reader of En- glewood, read at Peoria last evening. Leona Dare, the American acrobat, now per- forming in London, gets $330 a weel. The Wallack-Dillon company opcned the pew Opera-House at Osage, Ia., on the 19th. 1t is expected that the Duke of Beaufort will sccompany Mr. Sothern to this country in May ne: Mrs. E‘tic Henderson (the a apter of & Al- most a Life ) end’ Mrs. Marguerite Aymar are wWriting o new American play- - Another county heard from. J. B. Dickson, manager ot e Inaisuapolis Opera-House is or- genizing o + Pinafore ™ compani It is reported that Mr. Louis James has had a liberal olfer to become * leading-mau " of the Californis Theatre next season. And it is fur- \ ther rumored that Mr. Charles Barron will take Dis place at the head of the Boston Theatre company. It is asserted, on the best of authority, that Buffalo Bill has killed more [ndians in his mind and in his play than any liviog man. Harry Hapgood, manazer of the “Chips?” combination, has engaged Miss Lina Tettenborn for a principal part in his new piece. Jack Haverly calls his new troupe the Mas- todon Minstrels.” His end man plays on pre- bistoric bones.—New Orleans Picayune. Mrs. Flandran, nee Miss Annfe Wood, the Mormon giantess, dicd 1ast weck in the Amer- jean Museum, New York. Shewas1s years old, {ent, and welghed 516 pounds. six feet in he Howard J. Taylor, of San Francisco,has dram- a play in a prologuc atized from the German and tfonr acts cntitled *The Second Wire,” which Clara Morris mP._v appear in next season. If an actor is desirous of appearin in “ sev- eral pieces - in one cvening, let him smoke a cigar in a nitro-glveerine f,ncto.ry. He will bring down the house, too.—Norristown Herald. It is made known that a revival of “ A Win- ter's Tale” will. later in this year, be effected at Booth’s Theatre under the mauazement of Messrs. Jarrett & Palmer, for the px}jmosu presenting Miss Geuevieve Ward as Hermions and Mrs. Scott Siddons as Lerdita. Tenry Irving, the ‘English actor, who, for reasons not very clear, on_the first night of his present season of Jamiet, incurred the assaults of the critics by altering the line, “The dog will have bhis day, to * The dog will ‘bave his bay,” has succumbed to criticism, and the doz now has his day agaio. AL B. McCoy, late part manazerof the West Side Academy of Music, bas leased the Peoria (T11.) establishmentof that name for ome year, ile opens tlie season there to-morrow, and will endeavor to maintain a regular company to sup- port_stars. Among those cngared are Miss Fva Webber, Josephine Craiz, Marlon Lester, Minpie Edrington, Mrs. F. Brutone, Minnie Wint, ete. ‘The opening attraction will be Mr. Harry Webber in **Nip and Tuck.” When Booth was playing Hamlet during his lnst engagement at the Boston Theatre, in the church-yard scene the grave-digeer threw up the skull as usual. Booth picked it up, roiled it carefully over in his hands, felt of its familiar bumps, and ejacnlated in an, “aside” to thedie- ger: “*Same d— old sXull! and went on with his_pathetic nvostroplc to the shade of Yorick. Those who have seen Booth in kis won- derful interpretation of Hamlet have probably nover supposed there could bo anything humor- ous connected with the characterization. Col. Dan Rice hason handa movel smuse- ment-scheme for 1579-'80. It is a floating opera- house, especinlly constructed and danted for the Western and Southern rivers, and will commence the season either in St. Louis or Cincineati early io May. Col. Rice hasassociated himself with men who have placed capital at his disposal, at St. Louis and Memphis, and is fully preared to carry out his design. The floating-palace con- tains & perfect opera-house, lighted with mas muunufaetured on board, and is supplied with every convenience and comfort of a first-class theatre. ‘Denman Thompson is slrll:!n.i; the people of Toronto with astonishinent znd’ admiration by proceeding to pey his old debts. In Rochester he paid a washerwoman 50 cents which he had owed her for seven years, and surorised a rail- road conductor by repaving s borrowed five-dol- Jar bill. He also settied an old board-bill. Now he is in Toronto, where he owes $2,700, and he has called a meeting of bis creditors to tell them that be intends to play there till. he has paid every cent. It is rizht to give Mr. Thompson’s action the widest publicity, because there may be bigzer debts than all these yet to setule up if his memory is good. Mr. F. D. Hildreth, the treasurer of Tony De- nier’s ¢ Huapty Dumpty? troupe, was pre- sented the other day by his emplover with a handsome eold watch and ancat speech. In re- sponding. Mr. Hildreth expressed bimself in the Tollowing witty and time-worn speech: *¢Please accept mv thanks,” said he, *for your timely reminder of past exertions in your hehalf. shall always strive to keep a good wateh on your business, and keep a minute of eversthing which shall sccond vour _interests, and trust to hand Ihe corrcet figures in the future, as I bave in the | past, until wound up by hard and faithiul serv- ices, and Father Time may gather me to himn- self. Ishalidial-ate no further on this subject, as my object is appgrent on the face of it."” Jobn Dillon writes to the Dramatic News: wSorry to intrude upon your valuable space. But permit me to correct some statements of Mr. W. N. Griftith regarding: * My Awful Dad.’ He goes on to say thathe ‘rented the piece to Messrs. Wallack nnd Ditlon.? -Now this would lead vour readers to suppose that such a firm as Wallack & Dillon existed, when in fact it does not. never did, and never wiil. - Mr. Wallack is sole and responsible manager of the Wallack combination, pays all my expenses, all roralty. ete., ete. I am simply a ‘salaried hireling,’ as it were. The Town-Cricr in bis rat squib i3 also misinformed by THEC CmicaGo TRIBUNE. 1 need 1ot mention 1y ¢ curse,’—at long intervals of late,—but I never had a rat in my pants nor snakes in my boots; I never was inside a police- station—*as usual;’ I never had a policeman put his hand an my shoulder; Lam oot a loafer or a ‘bummer,’ and 1 aefy any one 1o say so. Your Chicago correspondent also erred when he wrote that Wallack-Dijlon (so such combina- tion) had gone to pleces and come to the city. Mr. Wallack plaved without-me, and gave just ‘as much satisfaction. He also paid salarics last Tuesday, and does not owe me 8 dollar.” Boucicautt told a correspondent of the Boston Gazetle that Dickens was a pood actor foran am- ateur, and probably was the hero of the theatri- cal experience ascribea_to Nicho'as Nickleby. ©There {s 2 Jady,” Mr. Boucicault said, “‘who for many years has been deservedly popular in this country as a star, who mizht, ns%. suspect, throw some lizht on this same episode, if she pleased to look back into the records of her childhood.” He thinks there is nothing strange in the fact that Dickens’ brief expericuce a5 an actor bas been kept out of publicity. ‘If, when he was a stripling of 16 or 17 years of .age, he slipped down to Southumpton or to Glouces- 1er under an assumed name, und played some subordinate parts, and 1{_he vecame di gusted With the life after a brief expericuce, he could have returned to his place as a reporter on a newspaper, aud no one would haye been the wiser. Arain, he gives NVicholas a literary ca- int makes bim write a play. This adds Snothar slenificant incident to the” rest, which scems to confirm the suspicion that Dickens de- scribed his own adventures for those of oas; for, i he were in such a position, his lit- crory capacity would ave prompted him to do isoly what Nickolas, who is not sceredited with auy sach powers, i8 represented to have done successtully.”? - MUSIC. ' AT HOME. THE STMPHONY CONCERT by the Chicairo Orchestra at MeCormick Hall on Friday evening was the next event of the weel in importance to the concert ol the Beethoven Society, which has been already noticed in these columns. The programme Wwas a good one, em- bracing for the orchestra the overture to the « )Midsummer Night’s Dream,” bv Mendelssohny the Volckmann “Serenade” for strings, with secllo obligato by Mr. “Eichheim; the Third Rhapsody, by Liszt; and the Symphony by Burgmuller,—the swan song of a composer who died in youth, but whose talent had been recog- nized by Schumaou and Mendelssoun. The first two movements, the Allegro and Andante, were finisbed. The Scherzo was ouly sketehed in part, and Schumanu completed it. The Finale was never written. Mr. Liebling played the intricate Henselt Concerto, and Mr. Werrenrath sang & ‘very plaintive and smooth aria from Handel’s opera ‘‘Sosarme,” never sung here before, and Schumann’s rather dreary setting of Heine's “Two Grenadiers,” with its Marseillaise cading- Althongh the orchestra played at times very well, we do not sce that it maiies the progress e have a right to expect: Itis wanting in the unity and homogeneity of tone which it ought to have seeured by this time. The violins were frequently uot together, und the reeds stovd out by themsclves with 8 wheeziness that was very disagrecable, and this effect was at times emphasized by playing out of tune. Iustead of a fuli, blending harmony, With proper subordi- nation of the parts, the work was disjeinted and uobalanced, and under such circum- stances 1t is useless to cxoect nish and nicety ot details. Whether this is owing to want of satlicient relicarsals, or to the pos!n?on of the orchestra, We cannot say; bat the the predomi- ‘waot of clear, musical”tone and nance of some-instroments over the ‘others is § .apparent cnough, and should ; be rectificd.. “There is no question of the ability of the individ- rs, and they have played long enoueh togeiner to met seasoned and matured, aud give us 4 combination of tone that is clear, even, and balazeed, sind without Bnoise. We koow that numerous di ities svand in the way of proper rehearsal, which a conduetor cannotremove, but Tor this very reason swwhat few renearsals can be hind should be made all the more severe and thorough. . It is not impossible sometning may be done in the way of placing the orchestza to avold the effect of the ‘in the tricks of bad acoustic _ qualities of the hall, which give a disagrecable echo and at times briog out the mechanical action of the instra- wments much more forcibly than the musical. The most enjoyable features of the performance were the Volckmann * Serenade” and the Con- certo. The former, being given by the strinzs alone, was freed from the disagreeable qualitics of which we have spoken, while Alr. Eic! heims’ masterly performance of the solo_emphasized the success. The quality and breadth of tone, and the neauty and expression of his cantabile playing, were not only all that could be desired, but they were of a_character that indicates the possession by the player of true musical feeling. We do uot feel that we are paying Mr. Eichheim any compliment when we say that although . there may be some other scellists in this country who may excel him technique, we do not believe there is one who can excel bim in the more legitimate and meritorious quality of smooth, exoressive, and sustained **singine.” His delighttul performance deserves the highest praise, and the man who can play in this man- ner deserves to have a higher position, and one ‘50 remunerative that he would not have to scrape in o theatra orchestra for a living. Mr. Tiebling is also deserving of great credit for the clear, forcible, and_expressive manner in which he played the difficult Concerto. Though at times, especially in the finale, he was overpow- ered by the orchestra, his work was legitimate and showed the results of carcful study. The performance was well received by the andience, und he was given an encore, to which he replied with a Gavotze of his own writing (** Gavotte Modern®), which was very original and characteristie. Mr. Werreorath made his second appearance of the season, and confirms what we have beforc said: thut in the character of his voice and method he is essentially a song-singer. This was evidenced in both his numbers and in bis encore, ““ Im wunderschonen Monat Mal.” of Schnumaun, but even in sons his voice is one which will not bear forcing. His ideas are good and his phrasing cxcellent, as was shown in_the 4 Two Grenadiers,” and be has a great deal of sentiment, which is somewhat upusual in voicea of his kind; but below all these qualitics there is & physical embarrassment which is not very encouraging. It may be the result of recent se- vere illness; it wiil be a pity if it is anything perinanent, for he has all the methods of an ex- cellent song-singer, and real song-singers are s0 scarce thateven one cannot be spared. THE HERSIEY POPULAR CONCERT. The seventcenth Hershey oopular. .concert took place lusc Monday evening, on which ocea- sion Hershey Hall was crowded by an intelli- geat and appreciative audieace. The entertain- ment opencd with the performance of Thicle’s great * Coucert-Satz ” in E flat minor by Mr. Kddy, & work which is a sever e tax upon the puwers of any greatorganist, und was given with his usual case and skill. For his second nuwn- per he gave the * Pastorale and Finale ” from Widor’s Urgan Symphony In D, a number both masterly in its constructiod and possessing a beauty well caleulated todelishtamixed sudi- ence. Inresponse to an cncore he gave the « Storm Fantasle ” of Lemmens, which he will be remembered as, having played- some time ago ot an orghn recital. ~The Chicazo Lady * Quartette gave a pumber of cioice selections: *The Night?” and * Burds of the Forest,” by Abt; * Softly Sleep,” by Grabeo-Hoffman; *‘The Water Spirit.”! by Schumann; and _© Let’s Dance and Sing.” by Wentworth. Ther were received by the au- dience with the greatest cnthusiasm, receiving encores ofter every appearauce, and, though called out twlee aftér the last number, they es- cused themselves and acknowledged the com- pliment with 2 bow. _As cocore numbers they gave the “ Peasants’ Wedding March *? and Abt's ©Woodbird.” MMme. Emilie Schiller, the lady flatist, made her public debut in Chicago on this ocension, sund was received with great favor. Her exccution is remerkable, and in the playing of her tiwo numbers, * Fantasie on L'Etoile da Nord” and “La Belle Amazone,” showed 2 complete wastery of the instrument and a tecli- nique of the himbest order. She was encored after cach number. Miss Eva Mayers played uwo piano nnmbers, an * Andante’” of Thalberz and Lisz’s arrangement of Weber’s * Concert~ Stuck,” both in a splcndid manner, winning the hearty applause of those present for her mae- uilicent playing of the diflicult octave passages and runsic the latter number. Mr. Eddy ac- compauied her upon a sccond piano. TOE SCHUBERT INSTITUE CONCERT. The soirec given last Thursday evening at the Schubert Institute was attended by a select audience of about 500 peopte. The’ object of the entertainment being mostly to show results of instruction, we refrain from extended review. We mast, however, make special mention of the & Ave Maria” by Abt, sung by the ludies’ chorus, aud_also the double quartctte, “No ovit shall befall thee,” sungz by Mrs. Haveas, Sirs. L. 8. Smith, and the nsses Taylor, Bevan, King, Farnhaw, Squires, aud Durfee. Inboth of these numbers the 1adies deserve much praise for'their excellent effort. Miss Witder plaved the mareh from * Lonenerin,” and iss Hill the *Rondo Brilliante,” by Weber, and received an encore. Mr. Brittan sang sonzs by Schu- munn and Franz in good taste. The Schubert Ciub appeared with_twenty-two members, and sang . Summer is Nigh,” by Beoedict; “The Carfew,” by Smart, and *The Fairies,” by Maofarren. This Club is now fairly entitled to favorable recognitionfrom the musical publie, their work- on this_occasion being cven better than heretofore. - Mr. Havens piiyed the Bach Fugue fo B flat and some sclections from Buci, Battiste, and Gounod. le was received with Iuore than usual interest, and replied to an en- care with’ Buck’s transcription of *Sweet Home.” ‘The increasing popularity of the co- tertainments of this institute must be encour- aging to the director, aud ought to refleet fa- vorably upon musical cultare in the south part of theeity. THE WERRENRATH SONG RECITALS. The series of song recitals by Mr. George Werrenrath commenced last evening at the rooms of the Becthoven Su , in the First Methodist. Church, the programme incinding sevensonzs by Mueller (“Wohin?” ¢ Dank- sarung an den Bach,” “Der Nengierize,” Morgengruss,” *Die_lieve Farbe,” *Die bmse Farbe,” and *Der' Mueller . und Rach ”); seven songs from Schumann’s “Di ter Liebe 7 (Im nderschoeben Monat Mai,” “Aus meinen Threoen spriessen,” Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Soune,” “Wenn ieh in_ deine Aucen selr’,” «an den Sonnenschein,” “ Der Nussbaum,” and «Sonntags am Rhein™); four of Rubinstein's «Leise zirht durch meit Gemueth,” ¢ Der aite Coenig,” * Schosucht,” and * Frueblingslied”); two of Clay’s (** ThereIs no Flock” an “8ands o Dee”); and Moore’s “Oft in the Stilly Nighe ~ Mr. Wolfsohn played Schubert’s “Momens Musicales” and_‘*Elegie 75 Schu- mann's *Novelette” in F_major and *Ro- manza” in F sharp major; Rubinstein’s *Ro- manza™ and * Barcarole™ in G major: Schar- wenka's * Melotie ¥ in F major; and Seeling’s “Loreley.” The three remaining recitals will | be given on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of this weel. The programme 10r t0-mMOIToW night includes the following numbers: DEETHOVEN. Fa . . ...... Piano i An dic ferne Geliebte.” TMENSELT. Tomanza, Bflatminor, L Ltude, F sharpmajor, 1~ Gotxon. <43 belle nmie est mortie. ™ ++When in the curly morn.” s+ thou art sleeping, maiden, awake ++Perche Prangit™ «+Ifemesso nuove cerde al Mandolize. 7 LISZT. ntasia. . Cycle of Songs, +vseasso.Piano 1 «+Waldesrauchen, [ i, Emdgixe, “?Sé‘l!xcuon {0 the Birds,» ¢ +e-e+---Eiano Der Hirte. ™ Der Alpenjazer. ™ Dor Fischersnabe.” JENSEN. L . SriiD Piano ebe, " * 'Deehn‘ deine Wang an meine Wana.” \WOLKENSTEINER (FOURTEENTH CENTURY). +*\Winnelied.” GOLTERUANN. **Am Rhein.” H. M. S. PINAFORE. An amatare troupe has recently been orga ized in this city whieh will sive one week’s per-. formances of **H. M. S. Piatore” at the West End Opera-[ouse, commencing Lo-morrow even: ing. The troupe is made up of singers well known in this ¢ity, and if their week’s season proves successfal they will take the road witha repertoire_of ‘“‘H. M. S. Pinafore,” * Trial by Tars,” *-Essence of Opera,” ‘Martha,” ¢ Bo- fiomian Girl,” and other light works. The wmanacer of the trount 3 and the musical director Sig. Carlo Torriani. The cast will be as follows: The Rt. -Ton. Sir Joseph Porter. Capt. Corcoran.. “Raiph Rackstraw. Dick Deadeye.. Bill Bobstay. J30b Beeset. .Frank C. Walker James Paxton ‘Edward Dexter L. W. Raymond Fliat Kennicott .J. Bruners dth “fom Bowlin. e McLeroth ‘o Tacier ..Frank G. Cineit Joscohiue 3fise Bsther Batler Little Buttercup. Mra. F. B..Brewer Hebe.. Miss Ada Somers THE DOUGLASS TESTIMONIAL. On Friday evening next a_testimonial concert il be miven to Miss Kate Percy Douglass at the Woodruff House, iu which a large nmmber of our most prominentsingers will take part. “This deserving lady. who has been studying very hard and’ under very severe disconrage- ments to make for bersell a place -on the con- cert stage, has unusual ¢laims upon the musical ‘public. nnd the maoner in which the tickets are foing off shows that the publicis disposed to recognize them. Apart from the indiviaual merits of Mias Douglass. the programme itgelf - is Mr. Fiint Kcnnicott, { is oue that ou i el ght to appeal to concert-goers, as 1. Mixed quartette—*‘0 ' the red, rod rome e it . oub! 2. Violin sclo—Cavaine. . .Ra Ir. Willi 3. Solo—**Eily Mavoureen™ .. Ar. Clnz;lu fi Knor; @ **In Abser ¥ 4. Quartette—] 6 “re]:lsanv:c\‘w’:e arch ™. S (,'ecillin Failies” Quiridi Fodermsss 5. Pisno solo—] 8 NoCtUMRE B A, ... .. Field b ‘*Gavotte Mod g AMr. Emit Lubfln?y. pEus L Lishime 6. Solo..... g, s Glara B Siaci. Seieoted . Duet—Sonata in D.... Me A R a **0 wert: thou in the 8. Qnmuue——% canld blast ™ Kncken ] b “*The Letter” .Hatton Quaker Uity Quartelie. 9. Solo...c.nenen «.Selected Mrs. Jennie T. Kempton. 10. Mixed quartette—*‘Of 8’ the airts the ‘wind can blaw".. ... veevens. oo Hatton Double ‘Quartette. LOCAL MISCELLANT. There will be a praise serviceat Christ Church this evening. ) A full rehearsal of the Avolle Club is an- nounced for to-morrow evening. The Amphion Choral Society will give a ‘public rehearsal at their rooms in the American Ex- press Building on Tuesday evening; March 4. 1t s creditable to_Western skill in violin manufacture that \Withelmj has ordered two violins of Mr..Hermaon Macklett, of this city, whose instruments are beginning to have s national teputation for their excelience. The choir at the Sixth Presbyterian Church has recently been reorganized, and is now as fol- lows; Soprano, Miss_Ada Sowcrs; alto, Miss Ella Benslev; tenor, Mr. C. W. Smith; basso, Mr. W. F. Brace; orzanist, Miss Mary Wishard. A grand masical and literary entertainment will bo given by a number of youuz. ladies at Plymouth Church, at 8 o'clock on the 4th of March, for the benefit of the Haynes family, who, because of their blindness und of their private worth, are deserving of the kindness of all. Tickets for this worthy abject can be had at Japsen & McClurg’s bookstore, and at the door of the church on the evening. Mr. H. F. Fuller, a young musical student of this city, bas completed an * Ave Verum™ (**Jesu, Word of Gud Incaroate ™) for.the choir [t of the Catnedral of 8. Peter and Padl, which is a creditable production for one on the thresh- old of bis musical studies, and, gives good promise. It is published in very neat form, and will_be of service in other than Episcopal c:’xmrs. It may be had at any of the music stores. The Turner Hall programme for this after- noon includes Schreiner’s **Singers’ Greeting March” ; Suppe’s overture to tie * Chase Atter Fortune”; Strauss’ * Academitian Waltz”} ‘Lumbye’s ** Visions in 8 Dreawn’; Wicniawski's -\Faust Fantasie,” with violin solo; Volck- mann’s “Serenade,” for string orchestra, with cello obligato; Glinka's “Rumariskava”; Strauss’ *“Indizo Potpourri?; Loeschiborn’s “La Belle_ Amazonc”; and Rosenbecker’s “Carnival Lanciers.”? The entertainment given by the Young People's Union of the St. Paul’s Reformed Episcopal Churchon Thursaay evening last was exceedingly interesting. ‘Uhe musical portion, altnough in- formal, was vers attractive and called for much | applause. This was esoecially so in theinstznce of the pianoforte picces by Miss Nellic Bangs. ‘The programme wos agreeaby varied by the readings of Mrs. Minnic H. Skidinore, whose humurous sketches were given in a manner that caused much amusement. Before supper the audience all united in singing “Auld Lane Syne,” the words of which were printed on paper napkios. The fourth Chamber Concert of the Athen®um Conservatory of Music, under the direction of Mr. J. Fuchs, will take place on Friday atter- noon of this week at 2:30 o’clock in the Athe- weum, No. 50 Dearborn street. An unusually fine programme will be offered on this occasion, including a quartette and a sextette, plaved tor the first time in Cuicago. In the quartette (a new oue by Raff), dir. William Dyreniurth will play the piano part, and in the scxtette, by Fetis, Messrs. Fuchs and Dyrenfurth will play the piano part. _alessts, J. Dyrenfurth, Lewis, Allen, and Eichheim will perform the quariette m:cox)lkp.’mimenl in both of the above numbers, and Mme. Koelling will sing. QUESTION ANSWERED. To the Editor or The Tridune. Cmcaan, Feb. 22.—Will you kindly inform me through ThE TEIMONE Who the artidis were thut supported Miss Albani in January, 1875, daring the performunce of **La Sonnzmbula™t Also those Who took part in *¢ Faust* given by the Strakosch troupe 877; finally, those who supporied Cari in **Lohengrin" several years ago? G. A.C. Mme. Algani was supported in ‘¢ Sonnam- bulg,” Jun. 27, 1875, by Benfratelli as Elvino; Qeolara as Rudsifo; Miss Cooney as Lisa ; blme. ‘Huebsch as Theresa; and Capra as Afessio. In lhe samc season, Carpi iu-*Lobeoerin® was Supported by Albani as Eisa; Carey as Ortrud; Del Pucnte as Telramund ; Scolara as the King ; and Hall as the Hera'd, fhe Strakosch troupe Qid not produce “¥aust? in 1877, but in Febra- ary, 1818, when Marie Roze was Marguerie; Cary, Siebe! ; Karl, Faust ; Gauffman, Valentine; and Gottschalk, Mephisto. MISCELLANEOUS. USICAL NOTES. Mr. Richard Mansfield—son of Mme. Ruders- dorfl—is singing in London. Wilhemj, the violin-player, had his pocket- book containing $125 stolen during his stay ab Macon, Ga., the other day. . Miss Florrie Hersee, sister of Mme. Rose Her- see, will soon malse her debut in London as a concert vocalist. She is a soprano. The report bas again gained currency that Frau Materna, the great Wagner prima donna, is coming to this country next vear. Herr Wachtel has been relieved, at his own request, from his obligations at the Royal Opera Haouse in Berlin, and Las removed to Vienna. Miss Thursby, Who has been hizhly successful in Englund, il probably sing at_the last con- cert, o% the Brooklyn Philharmonic Society in April. Mr. J. f. Mapleson has siznified his inteation to offer prizes of $60 and S10 to the best sing- ers at a concert to be given by Cincinnati singers nest December. Artbur Sullivan has. in place of a trip to . America, gone to Rome, where he is at present 2t work on his new comic opera, called ¢ The Army,” a comparion to the “ Pinafore.” It is announced in London that Col. Mapleson liopes to have Christine Nilsson and Etelka Gerster appcar together in America next scason, and that he will retain the cnief members of his present company.- < : Robert Franz has written to his publishers to say that there is not a single word of trath in rumors (which have reached this country t0o) that he had discovered a chestfal of Bach MSS., —viz.: 120 violin sontus. Madame Pauline Lucca would scem to regret her resolution to retire from vublic life, for she is announced to appear in Vienna at the Im- erial Opera in two characters she has never yet. mpersonated, Carmen and Elsa. . Atranslation of Prosper Merimee’s romance, ‘upon which the opera of “ Carmen™ is tounded, will shortly be issued from the pen of Mrs. Arditi, the ‘wife of the popular conductor. The Tomance has been translated for America. 1n one of his recent letters to a German mu- sical journal, Von Bulow says: “I must men- tion in terms of praise an American lady, Mrs. Oszood, fo~ the taste with which she ssng her songs (Mozart 2ud Mendelssobn); she afforded fresh corroboration of my good opinion as to the artistic capabilities of the fair sex on the other side the ocean.” Miss Kelloge has signed articles of acree- ment by which she places herselt in the hands of Maurice Strakosch for a three-years’ engage- ment i European cities; It is understood tiat Miss Kellogz does not desire or intend to fol- jow her professional duties as closely as she has of recent years, but will sing a certain portion of each seasom, and in roles which suit her best. The Committee of the Birmingham Musical Festival have accepted a setting by M. Camille Saint Saens of Victor Hugo's ode, * La Lyreet Ja Harpe.” The setting will be in the form of 3 cantata, and Mr. Sydnes M. Samuel (the En- elish adapter of “ Piccolino ) has becn ccm- missioned by the Birmingham Festival Commiit- tee to make an English parapbrase for the pur- pose, and to adapt itto AL Saint Saens’ music. The New York Zribune of the 20th sass: «Qn next Monday nizht will take place the first performazce in the second season of Col. Ma- Dleson’s company in this city. _On that occasiun “Tnzia” will be resented, with Mme. Gerster as Lisa, Mme. La lache 23 .Orlrmi.‘slznur Cam- panini as Zokenyrin, and Signor Galassl as e~ i, Signor Francescoi and Siznor Foll, arealso i the cast, which, it is quite evident from the namcs of the artists zn;:n:‘cd in it, will. be an exceptionally fine onc. ¢ Carmen” il be given on Friday wit Miss Minnie Hauk, i ot the Satnrday Jatinee Mme. Gerster will appear 1o **La Soopambula.” p——————— A Bankrapt Italian City; ‘bankruptey seem to te d absolate e ey the beautiful.? Lia have overtaken ¢ Florence zle commune 3,000 houses are announced tor sale for taxes at the instance of the municipal authorities. There is frightful distress, und but for the: munificence of Prince Demidoff, :who' supports soup kitchens, many would , perish. from actmal starvation. . Local . jealausies ab- tain so strongly in the Italian Lezislature that the Government, while conscious that something will have to be done on its part toward the ra- Dabilitation of the whilom proud aod prospi ons home of the Medicis, shrink from introdac- ing a measure which they have {00 zood reason .. tofear would meet with lusewarm suppert. — —————— SPELLING REFORML. Why We Do Not Need Forty or More Let- ters. =3 To the Editor of The Tribune. C1caco, Feb. 22.—The clamor for an alphs- betical representative for every sound knowa to the Eoglish tongue purports to be based on l!lc fandamental principle of phonic representa- tion, viz.: each elementary sonud shall have an unvarying symbol,’ and, conversely, each symbol shall {ovariably represent the same sound. While this is the true theory of or- thography, the 'advocates of ' the extended alphabet under discussion overleap their gozl, and overload their alphabet with representa- tives for compound ‘sounds, diphthongs, sud various modifications and dearces of tone. 1t will be shown, further on, what o heavy barden tois redundant alphabet becomes. The sound ck and j arc compound, % (long) and i (long) are diphthongs,” while what arc known as the short andlonz vowel sounds are merelv degrees in auautity- of tone, more or less moditied by .the . consouants-of the word. Now, while I would not edvise the rejection of alt letters thus provided, the atgument for their necessity must fall if*it has no other basis than represcntation of the elementary sounds of the voice. If, on the other hand, the theory {ncludes quantity und moditication of tones, the alphabet must be indetinitely extended to rep- resent all the degrees, shades,” and “modifica~ tions incident to assimilation and style. Doubtless too little attention has been given to the function of the letter 2. It is in nowise a representaiive of a distinet sound, bat wher- ever used indicates some moditication of the sound of another letter. It may be'sald to bear somewhat the same relation to the other letters of the alphabet that the zero or cipher does to numerals in our notatiop—nothing in 1tself put indicative of the character of the accompanying letter. ‘This force of A as a modifying power is per- haps mever more forcibiy felt than by the Greek student who attempts to master the lozic of smooth and rough breatbing. It is crously apparent to us wheu we hear a Yorkshirean *pattempt to mind ’is haitches.” Becaase this 4 foree does not depend on_the position of the organs of speech, it enters or lnay enter into combination Wwith any vowel sound, both as a rough initial to the vocal tone, s in haud, ho, ete., or terminal with consonact- al éxplosive power, as in eh! oh! cte., in cither position marking a moditication of the original vowel sound. Io the latter position theunalozy of the cipher is still farther carried oat, for as the zero is no longer written where a sizmiicaut fizure takes its place,s0 the A is unwritten wilea a consonant follows a short vowel, the modification being “clearly known from the na- ture uf the consonant which is to cat short or explode the preceding vowel sound. jouratively, then, k isthe sero of the alphabet, doublive, yeu, and sowetimes tripling, the powerof thie letter with w hich it combines. We sunction this upiversal law in the rouz ¢ of be, ¢te., where the force of h i3 heard mearly or quite throughout . the vocal sound, and we need to ackoowledee it in ch!, etc, when the h acts with the wer of a_consonant-or articulated. sound. ‘Thus a single vowel character clearly indicates sition the three phases of a vocal tone, viz.: its rouzh sound, as ein he, ete., the pure tone, as e in me, ete., and the short or exploded sound, as e in ea! etc., and eight vowel charac- ters may In like manner reoresent the thirty- wwo vocal sounds,(quantity as welt as quality considered) of our fanzugee. The diphtoorigs, i (lone), u (long), of, aud ou, are also subject to this modifyiog foree of k. Combiniug with the consonants we have th, ah (th as in this), sb (trom sand y as ip tran- sient), zb (from Z and y & ib azure), o, wh (bw), ch (tsh), 2h (j from tzb), ph (7, wud ba, the lai- ter being the ouly possible consouant combinu~ tion wiere both the dweraph und sound are lost, this deficicney because of the relationship of f und v being supplied by the Iatter letier. In some of the other instances, as will ke scen, the orizin of the sound is not.shown in the digraph, but in every instance, 2 a3 in fusion, - ete., excepted, thel: is stitl iounc in the comoina-~ tion, not necessarily as an element of thesound, but to indicate a modified use of the accompany- ing letter. Now, what can better argue the continusnce of, digraph representation toan this universal rale -hoiding good with both vowels and consovants, and tlis established - auxiliary character, meeting all dem:uds, und never used except to indicate a modifcation. Thus it is clear that an aiphabet of forty or farty-five. characters Is not logical. It contaias eiclier too few or too many letters. Further, it Goes not conform to the genius of our lanzuage. ' A Chaucer to-day would demand as persist- entiy as 500 years azo that form is not the. only propertyolAwrmenlnngmzcmpuhleo[lmpr Ing the seoses. Lt was a master stroke to unily or entirely sever those bothering endings of our ancestral words, which were supposed to bg Lhe only means of indicating the oflice of the word, aud in their stead to S0 arrapge the words in conformity with the ideas in the thought that their rolations should beat ouce apparent, there- oy cstadlishing position as coequal with form in tie representation of our ideas. We can bard- 1y afford to iguore this priuciple wherever itcaa e applied in_ simplifyiog our alphabet and the orthography of our words. The constraction of a word is analazous to the constraction of a sentence, and the genius of the one must be ap- aren: io the other. Forty or more letters are a barden. Not so much on account of the mental energy required to learn their form end functions, as because of the arduons labor imposed upon the compositor by such a maltiplicity of charucters. 1t is no little task to zather, “lightning fast,” from the ordiary cases the various letters for desired word. Should we nearly double the characters, 1n capitals, small caplials, and small letters, we force the mind to retain the position of not less than 200 compartments, in addition to those for punctuation marks, spaces, ete., and the nerve energy to select [rom or direct the suthering and distributing of this unrecsonable number ot characters. A written language to be practical mast be adapted to printing, and no prooosition to add unoceesearily to the number of letters 1o our alphabet should be tolerated. In 2 word, then, an alphabet of foriy letters {a uanccessary, il- Togical, out of harmony with the zenius of our language, burdensome, and impracticabie. Withi a perfect understanding of the nature and functions of the letters we already have, 2 fow unnecessary ones expunged, and, ‘mayhap, a very few added, we mav_parify and systema- tize our orthography without & révalutios. Mrs. M. E. WALEER. —————— ““WE GIRLS, A musical maiden named Anna ‘Attemptea the Star-Spangled Bannab; She played in C suarp - "Till she rore through her baro, Then in six flats uttacked the piansh. A cooking-class graduate, Dea: Once concocted a horrible mes: ‘She stewed pickles with yams, And put yeast in herclawa. o - - . And her friends alt went wilil with distress, A charming young dancer named Carrie Tripoed the L. . L quite like fairy; 'She cut sach strauge fres At Martine's and Honrnigue’s, That she got an engagement in Paree. A clever young pafatress czlled Dalsy £ ¥as clean-zone kenmically crazy; She put bugs on her dishes— Yen, tree-toads and fishes— . . . In 3 way that would traly amaze thee. A feminine financier, 'Lizer, A close-fisted, short-sighted miser, saved np one trade dollar. Tived long in great squalor, I Sold out ut >0f—and was wiser. gl An amaitions young milkmaid named Frank, Who was laugnably long, lean, and lank, Walked 3 mile In three days, In o pink polenalse, % And, pansing, gaspea, ' *‘No more, I :hx:.nk yo “Xe ———— HOME. Just as the Planets, every Dflfi, Teep still revoiving round thefSay So all thy thoughts, where'en Shonla ever circle "round th; L i 208, Moma, O what in this world can compare With Home. 1f Peace reignsd alwars ther b The fountain "is of Joy andy Bi And links the other world wiih tazs. And. a8 2 bird flicn to jts ngst When it 1t8 wearied wing wonid reef, So 1, wherever [ inay rusm, Find Peace and Rest aloa ‘Home! magic word, thog act the shiae 3Ronnd which the hesrt'dafecuas tn . The teraple of Hope, Jof, aud Love, .. Thou art apart of. eavpn avove, - Cmucaeo, Feburiry, 1879, | Buskxt TuRNKY, at Home, .