Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-21
UNDER-TONES.

sure There was Burton, the comedian, for
instance, who used TO set not only the table
but the whole house in a roar, and who died
rich, as the world reckoaed wealth then, or at
least he left what was considered a competency
for his heirs,-who would ever think of asso-
ciatiDg melancholy and poverty with his name.
which stood so long as an accepted synonym for
faD and luxury? Yet word comes across the
ccean from Florence that his son is ia want of
The necessaries of life in that city. and that his
children-the Grandchildren of the once famous
and prosperous actOr-are actually starving!
Indeed, he has already lost a son nine years old
from want of proper nOursbment aud good air,
WEle the three remaining children, bright,
beautiful and well bred, sre said TO be in a
most critical condition from the same ca pss
The father is a clever artist, but things have
gone wrong with him until he has been con-
PEELED TO live in a narrow, dark AMI dirty street,
where the sun never shines, and where be i
shnt IN by all sorts OF unhealthy ami forbiddinR
sur, findings. There he lies, very i'll, with
little hole o. recovery, his children wasting
aVaY. and his devoted wife worn out with
watching and apxety-an dependent on Others
for eno1gh to keep soul aud body in companion
sGip. The story Of poverty and sickness Is
always sad Cue. but all the circumstances
attending this case make it peculiarly sugges-
tive aud touching. The poet must have had
such an one III mind when he wrote:
% l. ell 80 tse light and dark will kiss;
The brightest things throv sternest sh ade"
~
The promise Of having the wretched evesores
all removed and the site of the old Marsh Mar
ket handsomely improved went a great way
toward TecOnciling the public to the donation
Of that valuable property to a private com
pany. But how has the promise been KEEP?
70 the ear, and broken to the hope, az usual.
So far as mere market accommodations %,
there ia great gain, TO be sure, bat at a round
price to those who would enjoy them; but tn
portion of the square lying between the build.
ing and the street is, If anything, more forbid
ding than it was when covered over with the
old-tme shed d-reof rookeries. Il seems ID be a
convenient place to shoot rubbish of all kinds;
and if ybody has tat women or lean kline to
exhibit they either find authority somewhere
to pitch their tent upon that spot or else &C
quire sort of squatter's right under the as
sumption that NOBODY has authority or inclina.
tlon TO warn them OFF. Just now it is the camp
ing ground for centennial" something or
other, that, whatever it is, doesn't pro
m-se very much, so far as appearance goes, tor
iIs beneficiary, whatever that may be. How
it that all sorts Of chesp-iack shows are allowed
70 occupy that ground? Who gives PERMISSION
Az Oh hat authority? Are rents paid for its
use? II 80, how much? and what becomes of
he money These are questions the pabic is
interested in. Ii such nusances are allowed to
spIinR up along the line Of our main thorough
fsTe, it is some comfort to know that the public
Golfers are being swelled and the burdens Of
taxation reduced, even in a slight degree, as
the price of their existence. But IL were stiH
better TO prohibit them altogether, and have
lion. Until something better can be done. let
It az least DC leveled up and set in grass.
~
Theatrical managers who complain of want OF
patronage might find 1t worth considering
whether their own interests as well as tue com
fort Of the public would not be materially pro
NOTED by the adoption of earlier hours, both In
he opening and closing Of places OF amusement
As it is, many persons refuse to go to the thea
ter at sl, because, If they sit out the play, they
cannot as general thing get to bed until after
midnight; and this objection is based not on the
matter OF personal comfort alone, but upon the
more important consideration that thsy ara ID
a great extent uuitted thereby for the next
days duties, whatever they may be. NOmiualIv
eight O'Clock Is the hOur for ringing up the Gu.
ain; but as rule it is from twenty to thirty
minutes later, and these twenty OF thirty min
utes are the most tedious and dreary imasjna-
We for those who are prompt in attendsBcs.
Now, there is no good reason why perform
anee. particularly lengthy one, should not
commence at 7.30, sharp, 60 that it might be
over, in a majority Of 6ases, before 1879. FHO
hours is long enough to sit through almost any
entertainment, particularly IN such cramped
and crowded seats as most thestsrs afford. Irit
be said that this would not allow sufficient time
Tor an average play, the answer is that a great
oeal may be saved between acts. Two seIec-
tons by the orchestra and three intervals OF
silence between acts Is too much, either for the
needs OF the actors or the patience of the audi
eDce. But, again, II may be said that many
persons cannot get to the theater by 80. To
this the conclusive answer is that they do not
ynf he hy : aud fhau
D II that were the hour fixed. In fact, it is Que
OF the missions or some peoples lives 70 De late
always and everywhere. They enjoy the sensa-
ton OF sweeping down the aisles after eyery-
body else is seated, and are happy in being the
means OF disturbing and annoying others. 1t is
about the only way they have of attracting at
tention and making show OF Importance, aud
they make the most OF II. In weighing the pros
sDd cons, managers may therefore as well throw
the snObs out OF the calculation altogether
Tbctr attendance is certain, any way. What
they want and all they want is an Opportunity
TO show their finery by coming in after the per-
formsnce has begun, and an hour or so earlier
or later in time will make no material differ
ence To them. The people whose patronage is
really worth catering for il that larger class OF
steady-gotDg folks, who, while they are perfect,
ly able and would be willing TO pay the ratherex-
uavagant price generally charged for admission.
are yet not willing to give up in addition halF
the night 10 an entertainment, DO matter how
attractive, except in very rare instances. The
experiment of early hours is at least worth trv
ing. II the.thesteT and opera goers of England
have TO be on hand at six O'clock surely those
Of this country can afford to be 10 attentance
by halfpast seven.
~
The abundant material afford d by tn imme-
date vicinity OF Washington for attractive and
permanently pleasing landscape pictures has
long been shown by the studies and sketches in
oil and water colors brought to the notice of the
public by local artists, but 1t remained for "
Jarvis, a young but accomplished ,,andscane
photographer Of this city, to dsmpnstrats the
possibilities Of our hear Surrounding scenery
for artistic stereoscopic views. During the past
summer he spent much time taking pictures in
the lovely valley of Rock Greek, and the result
is series of views which, in point of quiet
beauty and artistic effect will be found very hard
to excel. In fact they will not suffer by com,
palison with like representations Of the famous
Artists Brook locality in the White Mountain
country, or the choicest bis OF rural English
scenery, and when they are placed before tha
public they cannot fail TO become widely popu-
lar, both as desirable additions to q general coll
lection and rs appropriate souvenirs TO be car
ried home by visiting strangers. Next summer