The Portland daily press., 1871-03-13

AN OFFER FROM HOoSIER CIUB.
Mile. Nilsson, or rather her manager, had
decidedly odd experience in Richmond, Ind.
1t seems, says the Hamilton. (Ohio) Tele-
graph that the sname and fame of the Swed-
ish sonsstress bad penetrated that village of
steady habits. and club was organized for
the double purpose of afording the denizeDs
a musical treat, and OF turning an honest PEN
ny for the club in the transaction.
The club, close corporation of four, met,
organized, and in fifteen minutes after the
ioea was first suggested, were en- route 10
Cincinnati intent on the consummation of
tneir OBJECT. The club reached the city, pro-
ceeaed at once TO the Burnet, where they met
tne anaDle Strakosch, and with bated breath
stated the object of their mission. to accom-
pllsh which they would stand, Individually
and collectively, pledged to pay $500. The
musical director was for the moment com.
petey overcome by the magnitude of this
offer. Nilsson, he was assured, would have
felt that her mission has been failure, had
she not been invited to sing in Richmond, and
after again and again expressing the emotions
of joy he felt at this signal recognition of her
abilities by the people of Richmond, the mu-
sical director came down to business, when it
was mutually agreed:
!. That the troupe should be paid $500 cer-
tain, and that If the receipts should exceed
i've hundred dollars, then the first $25 81 ould
De evenly divided between the club and the
troupe, and all remaining sums IN proportion
ff fU h Ff{o TO- . <nlrr 4, 4
troupe.
2. In case of rain the club should nav ON.
nibus fare from the Richmond depot to the
hotel. II fair weather, Nilsson was to walk
from depot to hotel, carrying her own vaise
as an advertisement.
Everything being now arranged it only re-
NAMED for Strakosch to name the evening
when the entertainment should be given. A
careful examination of bis red book followed,
Page after page was scrutinized with the
closest attention, and as his brow corrugated
with impatience the club began to fear that
after all they were to be disappointed, and
their enterprise nipped in the bud because of
no evening.
"Marze ees tagen," soliloquized Mons. S., as
he studies the book. "Apreel-ah-here ish
vOn SOondays weech you can have-de twen-
dy-dree but, bah, you peoples 90 to kirch
dat day; and he turned the leaves back and
forward fitfully, and at last when lust about
to close the book with that manner that indi-
Gated no hope for Richmond, he hastily re.
opened it, and with shout OF triumph an
nounced that he had day, and with the ut.
most eagerness recorded an engagement for
February 10Th.
Hope sprang exultant in the Richmond
breast. The engagement was ratified with a
bottle OF Longworth's best, and the telegraph
licked the happy news to anxious ones in
Richmond that Nisssn would come! The
success or failure of the enterprise now de-
pended on the club. The engagement was
ratified on the 10th, and they had eight DAYS
in which to work. Tie printing Offices were
visited and mammoth posters, limp from the
press soon announced that Nilsson would
sing on tine Goth.
Everybody visited everybody and the bur-
den OF all gossip was: Nilsson will sing in
Richmond on the Goth! Demure young ladies
in siver-gray garb and bonnets OF a pattern
most antique, assured each other with "yea
verify they would hear Nilsson sing on The
Goth.
Solemn old pumps, whose countenances in
their severity would abash cast iron statue
of any man save William Penn, grew excited
and affirmed" they would hear the silver
throated warbler if they had to maintain the
silence OF year at meeting for their misdoing
Elderly ladies in prim gowns and white ker-
chiefs forgot for the moment their ''thees''
and their "thous" in discussing what they
should wear on the Goth wher Nilsson would
sing in Richmond!
Meantime the club fumed and hustled
around. 1t was now Tuesday, the 2lst, and
the bills everywhere said that Nilsson would
sing in Richmond on the Goth! Young Quak-
er ladies had shouted from under those fear
full projections, ycept bonnets, that Nilsson
would sing in Richmond on the 29th Elderly
motrons had lisped 1t over their bohea; ane
the ne Quakers paused, in counting carna
gains. and shouted that Nilsson would sing il
| Richmond on the Goth The refrain burdenec
| the very air; ir rang OUT from every crevice
| and echo. from every direction, hurled back
the cry that Nilsson would sing in Richmond
On the 29th Thanks, cries the press, to our
energetic clnb, Nilsson will sing on the Goth
1t is vouchsaed, sOlernnly announces the
minister, 20 this people the pleasure of hear
ng Nilsson sing in Richmond on the Goth
The club was photographed in group, ant
at the expense of the city, and distributed
over the city. Invitation on invitation "ts
tea" "to dine," threatened The most serious
consequences to their gastronomic apparatus
| while intemperence reared her horrid from
before the club in their numerous invitation:
| "get outside of one?"
One member of the club who had LONG
| tide OF popularity at its flood, proposed and
| was accepted; while another, more thought
ful still, compromised debt with a promise
vi adding 70 his speech, introducing Nilsson
the appeal of"Go to Williams, the tailor, for
your underwear"
Such was the excitement when the club
met last Tuesday evening to congratulate
each other on the prospect OF their enterprise
Each naturally claimed to have originated thu
idea, but Jones claims were too clear for dis
pute. and the honor was finally conceded t,
Jones. Smith casually mentioned that owe
ing to prayer meeting it would be well not Il
commence the concert before nins o'clock
stun shouts johnson, there is no praye
meeting that night. What night does the 29t]
fall on, at last asked Perkins, when-there en-
sueo solemn conversation among the mem
Ders OF that club; there were objurgations ex
poded more emphatic than polite, and Jones
the man who had first conceived the idea
| was SC overcome with emotion and dig in
the bowels that he was prevailed to curl III
under the table apd lose all interest in the
subsequent proceedings OF the club. The
club had now solemn duty to perform, ant
at once set about its execution. Some tore
down the posters; some changed almanac
from 1871 to 1872, and left copy to each o
the newspaper offices of the town land on yes
terday morning. as we are credibly Informed
the Richmond Pantograph announced in
leader, double-slugged, that, owing to a SUD
den illness. Nillson would not sing in Rich
mond on the 29th.
The Richmond people have since learne
that Nilson received about three thousan
dollars per night, and are OF the opinion tina
either Max Strakosch was amnsing himself a
the expense OF the club, or consulting in max
ing his engagement, an Almanac for 1895
The opinion OF the club has not been ascer
tanned.