The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-01

| Fuu Amu9eoeute-In0 war d the nOuMcxos
Every season the amusement horoscope
becomes interesting and exciting. Last win
ter we were called upon to record the history
OF the direful war between tie rival opera
houses, Pixies and the Academy, which
ended in the temporary extinguishment Of the
former and the total humiliation Of the latter.
| Now the tocsin is sounding on the west side,
| and on the Sixth and Eighth avenues the
legions of Grau and Bateman are gathering
for the conflict, while the Irving place monu-
ment is silent and deserted. The irrepressible
| Grau flies his standard from the battlements Of
| the Theatre Francois and the unconquerable
Bateman fortifes himself in the stronghold Of
Pike. The approaching conflict promises to
eclipse even that Of Peter Stuyvesant Stra-
kosch and Jan Risngh Pike. The forces on
either side are strong in voice, cunning
phrases, laughable action and duncan, and are
commanded by veterans SCARED with the
marks Of q hundred battles, on whose brOws
victory has set her seal. Foremost among the
ranks Of the Francois "boufers" are three
prime donse-Rose Bell, Desclauzas and Fon-
tanel-the tenor Carrier, the extravagant
Beckers and the gendarme Gabel; against
whom Bateman marshals Irma, Tostee and
Lambele 0hree amazons fair to look upon
and well versed in the devious paths of
Offenbach), Aujac, representative Of the
jolly Mormon; lie Due, Lagriffoul and
Duchesne. Oifenbaoh will be the guiding
| spirit of both armies, and the public and the
Bohemians are in ecstatic anticipation. The
Theatre Francois has been entirely recon-
structed and beautified and Pixies has not yet
lost the sheen of its first decorations The
result of the conflict between the rival Grand
Duchesses probably will be that when Field
Marshal Grau's five years term of command
expires he will be able to spare something
from his accumulated millions to purchase the
| Theatre Francois from the stockholders and
present it to the city, like second Peter
Cooper. Major General Bateman may emulate
the example Of Astor and donate the metropolis
with some equally valuable gift. Meanwhile
the world Of fashion is in a futter between
both houses, and the modistes are in a quandary
to furnish their fair customers with appropriate
colors to suit their predictions in the direful
contest We, or at least patres familias, dread
the expenses of this war and the many appro-
priations which will be demanded at their
hands by the fair adherents of either Grand
Duchess. We know that the Theatre
Francois will be respondent with beauty,
fashion, diamonds and incalculable toilets, and
hand. Then the purse strings Of the smiling
| Grau are already lOosened to their fullest ex-
tent and the money GIBBS and flows in Bate
mans treasury like the tide of the sea. The
| redoubtable Field Marshal Grau proclaims
| from his headquarters at the Theatre
| Francais:-
J'ai DIES gems portant hallebardes.
J'ai des gems p0rtant mousque0ns
Jai le regiment de mes gardes,
J'ai mes lanclers ct mes dragons,
Mes eclareur5
Et mes sapeurs
Bateman fearlessly replies from his present
post at Niblo's:-
| Plf, paf pouf, tara para, pouu.
! Thus the armies are situated at the present
writing, and what week or two will bring
forth every critic is awaiting with Impotence,
pen in hand, like the spear Of Ithuriel.
But we must not lose sight Of the other
places of amusemen in view Of the war of the
''bouffers." The west side Of town will have
three other strong attractions. Woods
Museum, where Lydia Thompson delights
crowded houses nightly with her sparkling
burlesque; Booths new theatre, which will lay
claim to the title of the home OF the legitimate
drama, and last though not least the bJoas
establishment of John Brougham, in which the
rollicking manager intends to ''spread himself
to the fullest extent, will divide the patronage
of the public in that quarter. The Broadway
managers further down town are also
girding on their armor and preparing for a
successful campaign. Niblo's, after two
nights Saturnalia Of ballet and Black Crookism,
will again return to the legitimate or sensa-
tional (Which in these days, we believe, mean
pretty much the same thing, and the new
management PROMISE unutterable things for
the future. Florence is winning laurels at the
Broadway; the inimitable Lingard has made
the Comique fashionable resort; Wallack's
is again in its usual course Of standard favorit-
ism; ''Humpty Dumpty" still rules the Olym-
pic, and the minstrels are surprising all their
previous efforts. The ''Black Crook" takes
refuge in the Bowery, where It will be re-
ceived with open arms. And amid all this.
turmoil Of amusements the Academy stands
deserted and alone, and the stockholders re-
fuse to be comforted even by their irresistible
neighbors, Dan Bryant ard the Circus.
Steinway Hall, frescoed, ptinted and re-
modelled, claims the conceh and oratorio
public, as before, and there Is nothing left for
the poor Academy but to week like Ariadne,
because the modern Theseus Mapleson, has
forsaken Il. ''Sweet are the uses Of adver-
sity," and we hope that the oe hundred and