New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-07
The New Varieties.

The New Varieties Theatre is rapidly as
suming shape under the quick hands of the
masons who monotonously lay the brick
and flourish the trowel, as it is their trade
to do. The thousands who parade upon
Canal street in front of the Three Sisters
do not know the work that is being done
behind the wall of succeed brick that fronts
upon the great boulevard. And yet it is
only few yards from where the banquette
ends to where the masons are at work
building with line and level the temple in
which all of human life is to be reproduced.
By and by there will be a break in the mar
row curtain that separates fashion from the
grim and dusty laborers, and then the dainty
beauty will realize that a new delight is be
ing constructed for her enjoyment. A
theatre is under progress where men and
women may see themselves as they are
drifting and beating through life, pro-
tected by agencies and tempted by
sorceries that are to them unknown
The representation which engages us fer
an evening is lesson if we rightly under
stand it. The plot which makes man or
mars a woman is not an invention OF the
stage. 1t is simply an "oer true tale" that
has its original in the life of every hnman
being according to his surroundings. The
tragedy, the comedy and the farce all ques-
ton our experience, because they inform us
that life is a current beset by distractions,
altered by shoals, DETECTED by projections
sheltered by groves, gladdened by sunlight,
turbulent in its passage over the rocks,
liquid in its murmurs through the plains,
dark in its subterranean channels, bOunti-
ful to all, terrible in its force, abrupt in its
end, long and peaceful in its way to the sea.
Fishermen stand upon its margin, peaceful
travellers float upon its bosom, pirates
darken its unsuspecting waters. From the
daylight until daylight it courses it's ap-
pointed way, unconscious alike of the sun
shine that awaits its entrance into the vale
or the storm that hangs upon the brow of
the mountain gorge. Every playgoer has
opened so fair and beautiful soon fell
into clouds and darkness because
of hands and hearts that worked evil
in silence and without warning. Did the 7
apply this lesson to themselves how, in
some hour of happiness, through causes un-
known and unexpected, the joy was turned
to grief The stage instructs how the
change is sometimes wrought by those in
whom the greatest trust is vested. The
secrets of guilt are revealed in the theatre.
We are cautioned that our lives are not of
our making, but that strange threads are
woven into the web of our existence, even
while we sleep. Pitfalls are dug in the path
and roses are planted to hide the chasm.
Guardian angels ceme out of the bowers to
turn the feet of innocence from the ways of
death and shame. The great sea gives back
the bread that was cast upon its waters, and
virtue suffers only to be made more happy
in the future.
This is the story which may be extracted
from the active industry that is shielded
from observation by the brick wall ON Canal
street 1t will come to Us by and by in the
beautiful temple which now climbs toward
the heavens in the rear of the Three Sisters.