The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-11

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! -. TAKE CARE OF THE LITTLE WOMAN.
See that no harm befalls her, and that
she is not wronged or overreached by any
one. A sacred promise was made which
has not since been violated.
| The troupe was greatly STRENGTHENED
for the season of 187l-72; John uowson.
Charles II. Drew, and Crane, the we'll.
known comedian, being added. Thew be.
gan to shade burlesque off into opera. and
added to their repertorv "Les Bsyards''
ana "lhe Bohemian Girl" Mrs. Oates
bearing the leading parts with little diff
Guilty, although she never had had any
systematic musical discipline. 1t was
found hard work to get the company out
OF buf!esque into opera. The repertory
OF 1o1Z''3 continued the same except
that 1.-The Prima Donna of Night was
added, with two or three things Of slight
Importance, and the troupe could now
consider itself fairly out Of the field of
burlesque and in that of comic opera.
The manager, Mr.. Titus, and the prima
donna, having been for several wears in.
tlmate!y connected in a business wav.
were married in November, 1872, at the
Southern Hotel, St. Louis, which was
decorated in festive manner in honor of
the event. The last two seasons have
been highly fortunate in an artistic point
OF view, though the hard times which
have prevailed throughout the Eastern
States nave materially reduced the re.
ceipts.
AN EXCESS OF MOTHER.IN-LAW.
Although there have been the usual
little piques and jealousies incidental to
the opera business-the discords not cal.
culated for in the score of the composer
the Oates troupe have had. under Mr..
Titus management less than the ordinary
share Of trouble. AS for the husband
and wife, now so widely parted, they have
harmonized hitherto, so far as can be
learned from conversation with members
OF the troupe, quite as we'll as married
people generally do. The admiration
and affection Of the pair have seemed to
outsiders to be excessive and mutual.
Except for untoward circumstances here
there IS every reason to suppose their
welded lives might have novel onward
as serenely as that of John Anderson and
his ancient dame, and have had quite as
swan-llke an ending. Whatever difficulty
there was was caused by an excess Of
mother-in-law and strong infusion of
slster-in.law, two powerful elements in
domestic discord, and two great incen-
tives to divorce. Even the first husband
is rumored not to have been free from
these quasi maternal Vaccinations.
THE ENTERING
CORD.
when the troupe came here, MIR. Titus
and his wife took handsome quarters at
the Occidental hotel, Miss Pauline Mer-
rift, Mrs: Oates sister, lodging else
where: For week or two everything
moved on serenely-the theatre was
crowded nightly, the receipts were large,
and MIR. Titus took possession of the pro-
ceeds brought him every evening with
due regularity by Mr.. Allison, the trea-
surer. About two weeks after the engage.
ment commenced little dispute occurred
regarding relative of Mrs. Oates and
chance acquaintance of Miss Merritt
Angry talk followed. The wife insisted
upon an explanation, which was not cor
daily given, and, without the occurrence
of anything further than the utte:ance of
some pardonable interjection, Mrs. Oates
first excluded her husband from her
apartment, and finally left the hotel en-.
tirely, going to the room of her sister on
Market street, where she has since re.
manned. For day or two after the
quarrel Alison brought the large nightly
balance to Mr.. Titus. The third dav he
tod him that Mrs. Oates had directed
that the money should be paid to her
nightly. Mr.. Titus, although the en-
gagement with Mr.. Mcguire was drawn in
his name, and he had a right to every
thing, retired from the field thinking that
it was
ONLY W0NAN's WHIA,
and the mood would soon be passed. The
result did not meet his expectations.
There were not wanting counselors to
widen the breach thus opened. The chief
OF these was Alison, the treasurer, under
whose advice Mrs. Oates quietly turned
her nightly balances into gold notes
which she kept on her person,
and flew to Hall McAllister, to
whom, as paternal legal adviser
she told long tale of marital abuse and
suffering, and ended by tearfully request.
ing him to procure divorce. She was
told by interested parties that her talents
alone had brought the company to its
present standing, and that the goodwill
OF the troupe, as well as the music and
costumes, valued at $4,000, were hers
by right if not by title. Titus cnce out
OF the way, the party in power acquired
whatever legal right there might be in
possession OF the properties, and since he
declined persistently to interfere, have