The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-03-24
Madame Weiss and the Mavor.

A capital story is told in the Southern correspon-
denee of the Sunday Age, of Madame Weiss, the
custodienne of the Viennoise danseuses, and Sol
Smith, the manager:
1t is well known that the old lady is somewhat of
| tyrant, not over her troupe of children, but over
the managers in this country, who, poor fellows
compelled to submit to her whims, wait her leisure
lin preparing the danseuses for the stage, and keep
the curtain down as long she happens to see fit,
besides submitting like patient martyrs, to be
bowed up in high Dutch, if everything is not
exactly to her liking in the way of clouds, fowery
gardens, and blue fires. Learning from experience,
these peculiarities OF Madame W., at st. Louis,
Old Sol, hit upon plan to keep her in order,
and to fulfil the law which requires that the curtain
shall rise precisely at the time advertised. On the
first night of the danseuses, wait of about half
an hour occurred, i'll consequence of the children
not being ready. report of this was made to
manager Sol, by the prompter, whereupon that in
dividual waited upon Madame in her dressing room,
and very formally announced to her that he had re-
ceived an ntimation from the Mayor, that in case
of a similar stage wait - on any future night one
hundred dollars would be required to be paid into
the city treasury by Madame &c Won huntret toll
lars screamed Madame" Won huntret tollars
for tie schildrens not be realty! Mein Got! vat a
counthry.'
Next night there was no wat--nor the next; bu
IN the course of week the terrors of forfeiture
of hundred dollars began to fade from the old
ladys mind, and carelessness began to be appar-
ent Ia preparing the children for the stage. very
long wait occurredone night Old Sol again visited
the Maitresse de Ballet The Mayor had again
sent word, etc. Der Marie. vat der Marie again.
Veil, come schildrens, make haste and tress your
selts-der Marie shall fine huntret tollars ~
So all went tolerably well for about IA week more,
when another awful wait occurred. This time the
manager was obliged to threaten Madame with a.
visit from the chief magistrate in person-for she
had began to believe that the threats of the mana
ger were nothing but threats. Next night another
long wait" and Madame seemed quite Indifferent
about it, saying she didn't care damn for the
manager or the Mare either. In fact, she insinu-
ated a doubt whether the Mayor had ever sent any
word at all and at last went far as to say she
did mt believe there any Mayor in the city.
" No Mayor echoed the manager, well, you
shall shortly whether there is a Mayor or not.
You'll find We have Mayor, and Crossman
at that
1t happened that Mayor Crossman was not in the
house that night but that the senior manager uud-
low having arrived from Mobile that day, it oc
cured to the junior that he would do very well for
Mayor pro tenn, inasmuch as Madame w. had
never as yet set eyes upon Mayor Crossman. Open
ing private door, Manager Ludlow was ushered
into the presence of Madame, accompanied by two
gentlemen of the " Committee"
Here Madame said old Sol, " is the gentle
man we have been speaking of. No Mayor, in.
deed"
The dignifed appearance of Mr.. Ludlow struck
poor Madame all in heap. She apologized, and
courtesed to the ground, assuring the Mayor
Mayor for the occason) that the children should
always be ready" henceforth and for ever, if he
would let her off from paying two huntret tollars
dis time ~
Madame replied Mr.. Ludlow, with great dig
nty you forgiven for the past, but let such
wait occur again, or shall be compelled again to
wait you ~ and he departed through the private
door, attended, he entered, by the gentlemen Of
the committee.
Ever after that night, the sight of Mr. Ludlow
the signal for unwonted exertion on the part OF
Madame Weiss.
The engagement at the ST. Charles closed and
the troupe departed for Mobile, where Mr.. Ludlow
conducts the business. Madame Weiss, at the
Railroad depot, in New Orleans, expressed great
delight at being about to escape out of the jursdc
ton Of Mayor Crossman. What was her horror.
then, on entering the Mobile Theatre, through the
box office, to see the supposed Mayor seated on
high stool, selling tickets through small aperture
g Mein Got! she exclaimed there is that dam
Mayor Crossman again -shildrens, tress quick -
shelling tickets dey pring him Offer here to make
ter stage no wait! Mein Got"
There no '' stage waits in Mobile during
the whole engagement.