, 1877-11-25
Close of the Opera Season.
The Kellogg-Cary
Concert.
The Gregorian War--"Defense Of
Plain Chant by Its
Friends.
Emma Abbott and Her Tr0upe---
.Verdi's AIanzoni Requiem.

Emma Abbott and Her Troupc---
Vertli's 1Ianzoni Requiem.
PECULIAR PEOPLE,.
THEATRICAL GESERos1TlES AND ECcESTn1CI-
TIES
The other evening two friends were exchang-
Ing some friendly thoughts in reference to
things in general, and, the conversation chancins,
upon some particular case OF distress. one OF
the intcrlocutors took occasion to remark, in a
6atirical way, that, if the distressed had been 4
member OF the theatrical profession, hc Or she
would have not only had load Of coal dumped
At the door, but would have been presented
With gold watch and chain as token Of
tsteem.
"Yes," said one, ssand the public will readily
contribute dollars III such . case, when not an
individual out Of the mass would give 10 cents
toward buying one square meal for ucighbor. u
+sWcll, let us give honor where it is due, -
said the other; "you must concede that there
is not more ctaritabIy- disposed class Of pco-
pic in the world than the theatrical class."
ssExcept the gambling class. Gamblers help
one another lihcrally. They earn their money
with ease, and it goes easily. They have lost
the proper sense OF the value Of money. They
make big strike, and they are absolutely inca
pablo OF retaining what they make, or vi put
ting it out to honest advantage. Their Liberal
ity is mere rccklcssness not generosity.''
'*But you don't mean to class theatrical pco-
pLe with gamblerss"
81. In measure. The more fortunate portion
OF them {who are not always the most deser''-
ing) jump into luck ct one leap; they obtain
e1trayagant sums for their services; while their
popularity lasts they make good fellows Of
themselves by throwing it away layishly, and
then, when the busy world meets with fresh
favorite, aud passes By on the other side Of the
old,-wcll, did you ever see 1nore wrctrhed
wilmer :han the neglected fayori:c?':
'sAt any rate they make their good fortune
do some good as long Us IL lasts"
1sSo does the courtezaE. SO does the fortunate
ofiicc-Aoiier. All you ciu say about it is, that
their money goes. 1t isa cheap and easy way
OF manufacturing personal popularity. The
sight OF & Billy Manning dying pauper,-you
call tlla: sad; so do l. but aud that 1t is dis
graceful, too.''
''Of eorsse there is another side to all this.
Don't You rc1e,nber how generously the pro-
fesslou came ouL on that occasion!"
'To be sure l do: but can't help rcmem-
bcrrng that Billy Manning might have been
bcne1ac:or to his profession If he had been en-
dowed with something higher thau mere ram
dom faculty of making people litter. But let
us sec-what is all this professional generosity
when you sift away tic chat! 4 certain cou-
vocation Of polite artists are masnctizcl into an
emotional condition over the sickness Of a
brother professional. Said professional has
squandercd the much he earned in the
effort to make short lie and q
happy-and meanwhile lis family are
reduced to poverty. A benefit is improyiscd,
aud all brothcr-artists are pressed into the ser
vice Presseds-if you were to leave out some
one lie would never forgive you for dcpriving
him Of his share Of glory. The brothcr-artist
simply gives say half an hour Of not very hard
labor and not very precious time, and in most
cases receives his quid pro quo in the shape Of
public appreciation. There is, perhaps, no kind
pf charity where there is so palpablc whisper
Ing betwecnt the right hand and The lett as this.
"A little too cynical and little too sweep
Ing Was not the Edwin Adams benefit noble
testimony to the generosity OF the profession
and Of the publict"
4tVcry. It was kind OF emotional mania
with some, and m easy way OF sclf-slorification
with others. Edwin Adams death-bed was tue
event OF the season. It had been starred all over
the country Not newspaper In the land
but was slaying for it, scribes OF all kinds
were watching over 1t, with starpcned pencil,
Sothcrn didn't know that the papers would be
full Of it, and that he would be worked up :
with it!
.''His friend keeps on the business still,
Resigned unto the Heavenly will
uYou remember what the divine William
saws about certain folks that would paw a guinea
tosec dead Indian, but would not give a dolt
to relieve q lame beggar. Well that's not
lcyo1ent doiugs, but, depend upon it, it wifi hit
nine out Of ten Of our theatrical benefits.
"However,'' continued our preacher, "bcpe-
fits arc beneficial. They make people believe in
the calcium lights thrown on the private life
Of too much abused class Of pcop}e,
There is genuine liherality aud large char
1tableness among them, but the best Of it is
OF generosity. Certainly, honor to whom is
due But in estimating the Iuuch-vaunted gen.
croslty OF professional people it may be we'll to
fcep IN mind that in getting up rousing bene-
nj Tor some conspicuous object OF public SYM
pathy there is-thrre is 4 certain infusion Of
well, We will call it al]oy.''
Without commenting unnecessarily upon the
probable onesidedness OF the above unnamed
70 say that # theatrical people deceive the pub
Ac III regard to their lbcralties. they IRE them
serves the most easily deceived peoplc in the
o1'1 wos.a; Their charities are loudly trumnetcd
note Of charities Of an equally effective # less
nolsS knu. We Speak Of the rank and file of
the profession. They must either bask rom
1orfably IN The poon.i1e raYs of popularity. or
Go they know not where
20 be imprisoned in the yiewless winds
Ana blown with restless violence round nhont
The pendent world "
Easy-ninded. easiy-pleased, coou-hearte1:
ha2py, 1uckiess, careless mortals, charr,,inr
companions, delightful yagabouds, s,-Bohem;ons
In tho true sense OF the wo1d,-o,le would Ise
sot1y to drill them into CORRECT busincss-lita
habits anu deprive the world OF tic sirht ri
their picturesque ups and downs Their riran.
tic successes become the envy of the pfx9sajc
plodder who is breaking stones On the highway
while their miscries are paraded and bemoan,1
b. the sentimeutalists Of every grade
Somehow Chicago has become for some time
kind OF house of refuge for large class of
theatrical people, who Erayi,ate towards It. IN
The hrst place to watch which way tho wind
blows, and who rapidly become domesticated.
70 that you can't drive them away for more than
amouth at time.
This accounts for the vigorous growth here Of
lce1tain enterprlsiDg class Of Spectators cali
ng themselves theatrical managers. The
strects are full OF them, and the air cfcaks with
their ssschemes.' Tlcy are nearly as thick as
p1ayw1ights. How they manage to get IN COM
panles without capital, and without talent
drive them into the interior, board at good