The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-02-22
LIGHT READING.

They have known below
LIGHT READING.
WHAT THE OPERA BOUFFE COMPOSER
THINKS OF THE NEW WORLD.
Astonishing FACTS G)-DEsERTATIoNs ON
ART, MUSIC AND THE DRAMA-PECULI
ARITIES OF AMERICAN WOMEN-A SERIO-
COMIC BOOK.
]From the New York Merald.]
In obedience to the wishes expressed by
his wife, as he tells lis in his dedication, the
pleasant musician, NJ. jacques Of1enbach,
undertook OIL setting out from Paris to write
book-no easy task for one whose life is de
voted to the merry measures of opera bonte.
and whose relations with life are OF the light
est and pieasantest description, shutting out
all idea of serious things, and making exist
ence pleasant dream. 1t will be admitted
by all married men tina. the acceptance Of
the toll and travail Of bookmaking by such
Que as NJ. jacques Offerbach was, to say
the least OF it, a striking proof of marital obe-
dience and fidelity not generally associated
in the public mind with the heroes Of opera
boufe. But for accident it is very evident
that the world would never discover half the
virtues OF its great men, and in nothing will
the admirers of NJ. jacques Offenbach's mu-
steal genius be better pleased than in discoy-
ering the family virtues Of the gag and brill
liant composer.
1t is true that the work seems to have tried
his dedication he tells his wife that this was
the first annoyance he had suffered at her
hands. and admits that he has not quite for
given her. Now, it must be admitted that
plant against their better-halves, and we,
therefore, do not think it at all necessary to
waste any sympathy on NJ. Offenbach. Pas
sing over the interesting pages which are de-
voted to telling how NJ. Ofenbach came to
leave his fayorite haunt, Paris, that paradise
Of the artist, and adventure himself and his
fortunes in the unknown American land, we
come to those interesting pages in which we
see ourselves mirrored rs others see us. And
here it is but just to pay a high tribute to
the careful observation and the truthful conr-
age which distinguish NJ. Offenbach's work.
A WIDE AWAKE TRAVELLER.
lie came to America with his eyes wide
open and with all his senses quickened-an
as consequence nothing worthy Of note
escaped him, and the future historian of the
time when NJ. Offenbacll visited these United
States vii. turn with confidence and enthu-
'siasm to the pages of an author whose quick
perception and careful gathering of informa.
ton makes his account Of his travels in Amer
lea almost as valuable to the Americans them
selves as they must prove interesting to read
ers in foreign lands.
Some twenty brilliant pages bring lis to
the door of the United States. NJ. OTen-
Canada ran by the two little islands called
| sQuarantines. where the Sanitary Police and
Custom Eouse officers visit incoming ships"
Long ago these ''islands did not
exist The inhabitants of Staten Island
| having objected to the location Of the Quar-
antine took up arms and burned all vessels
approaching their coast. 1.-The Government
| was very much embarrassed. But in Amer
| lea people never remain long embarrassed
| The Council came together, and as the in.
habited islands would not, under any pre-
text, receive the sick, others should be con
structed where there would be no inhabit
ants. In little while the two islands rose
from the water as if by enchantment."
Received by steamers filed by distinguish
ed artists, journalists, and band of eighty
| Instruments, the traveller makes his entrance
| into New York, no., however. without hav,
| ing to pass through the customary swarm o.
reporters. Unfortunately the travelling mu
| sician is silent as to his opinions about the
members Of the press who beset him, though
he evidently wishes to leave us under TIKI
| impression that they were not bad fellows
| or at least that he thought it prudent not tt
| hint any nnfavorablc opinions.
AMERICAN HOTELS.
Installed in tile Fifth Avenue Hotel. h,
gives sprigh.ly account of the life he lei
there ''For $40 day. he says, s'you have :
sleeping room and parlor, with all accesso
ries, and the right to eat all day long. From
eight to eleven you can breakfast; from nool
till three p. m. lunch from five till sever
and from eight till eleven take tea. Yo
repair to the public hall situated on Che frs
4 TJor 1v RI Of t1,o fra m
to this immense gallery, where fifty table
are metbodically aligned, when huge chic
waiter comes up and points you ont table
Don't try to resist; don't have fancies an
preferences for one corner more than anotf
err; you must give in, it is the rule. Th
chief waiter is the master of the hotel. Fl
will seat beside you whoever he likes, an
you have nothing to say. Then you tax
your place. The waiter does not ask yo
what you wish. He begins by bringing 70
large glass of ice water; because there
one thing worthy OF remark il. America,
is that on the fifty tables which are in tn
room, there is not one where people drin
anything but ice water. If, by accident 20
see wine or beer before guest, you may
sure that lie is European. After the glass
water the waiter presents you with the dali
list Of eight dishes. do not exaggerate. :
You choose three or four, and here is tn
comical side of the affair. All that you hay
is brought to you together. Ii by i'll luc
you have forgotten to designate the veget;
BILE you wish to eat, the whole fifteen inscril
ed on the list will be brought to You all ;
once. In this way you suddenly find you
self flanked by thirty plates-soup, fisl
meat, innumerble vegetables, sweets, witt
out counting the rear guard of dessert
which are always composed of dozen val