The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-06-03
dNTSFNFNTS.
The Matinee Extraordinary

quantitativcly from her moro ignobc conaort-
man. She dotcs on matinecs. They are the di-
rect result Of her liking. and when n matinee
extraordinary. like that which was devised at
Booths Theatre on Thursday last is held out
MS n bait. She puts on n white bonnet and
rushes multitudinously into the snare.
She goes because it il a matinee man gocs. II
he goes at ali. because she is there that il all.
10 the healthy masculine creature tho natl
nee is hollow mockcry in itself. The soul Of
the ruder human being revolts at the idea OF
going TO the theatre in the morning. as II rcvolts
ut oysters and welsh rarcbits for breakfast
The gasli ghtto him has n thin and slckly hue.
The stage is grim and unillusive. and the actors.
he knows are bored and do their work shift
lcssly. He cannot quito escape from tho re-
proaoh Of the healthy activities out doors. He
knows that the CHEEKY hustle of anxious life Is
going on in the street and that he has no bust
ness to be- sitting idly Tiers in an artificial
night. trying 10 coax himself that it is Jolly
when IL isn't
But to the woman 1t is Jolly. for she brings no
compunction with her. On the contrary. she
bctrays Il secret satisfaction in the OF an
amusement which has no reason for its exist
cncc but continues because she desires il. |
can recall the names and faces Charming faces
they arcl Of score OF women who 10 to NATL
noes rcgularly-I had almost said rcligiously
and they have told me Of many scores moro
that they always meet there.
From this. and from my own observation n
the faces | am led to believe that there Is mat
in6c community in Now York, a snowy. hand
some, frivolous. cxactng. inartistic class, which
makes the theatre contribute TO it, own vanity.
1t is to this class that the eivcrs Of matinccs
extraordinary make their appeals. and they
never appeal in vain.
In the first place. however let us respect
woman at a matinee; for it il there that she is
ailranchiscd. II she is OF the well-brcd and
womnnly order. consider the freedom OF the
first matinee. and how Joyous is the liberty Of
her dcmeanor. Up 10 this time She has been
held in the iron grip Of that monster. man, at
all evening entertainments. He not only
thought for her. but he felt for her forsooth
H. If she were incapable Of doing both for her
sclf. He bought the tickets without her knowl-
edge. Selected the seats without consultaton
She had nothing TO do but To- walk in. sit down.
and have him tell her what was good and what
was bad and to 20 demurey out when it was all
over. 1t was all little irksomc and even OPP
prcssvc. She could not talk as she desired TO
him about Romeo's back hair and Julicrs waist
He had an absurd idea that it was necessary 10
appreciate the text and applaud the acting and
Talk about the con rcption and execution. and an
hundred other tircsomc things. She was crush.
ed under the tyranny II his reason.
But one day she broke loose and went accom-
panied only 10y her innocence and her indepcn-
d'nre. TO IA matinee. II was luxury that till
then sh" had never known. II nt"Nirat"d h"r.
~ one oppressed her with proprictics. Nc one
thought Tor her Perish the notion. She could
| ihihN i"r herself II thought were necessary uut
! II wash She rould look round IN" mousse eN-
amin, every bonnet. aud lean over the scat and
] e-t. o.. 3D..
She was in an atmosphere heavy with artificial
odors. thousand perfumes made the ga-
burn with shos'ly nue. Art was no longer
considered. ana man was smut ou'. or. W the
best only allowed to stand up in the corridor.
/ 50 she had II all her own way, ana with the
/ splendid pervcrsiy OF her sex she reversed all
inc decisions that man had madr al night she
V"'l'u Vu' VI, suo' io1Nins supoi ", "uso u.
hecnuse ne aid not fnsetnatn her sbo kcpt
,imn +, the orchestra with nor fnn honll, an tho
back Of the sent. and swung her head with All
its wealth II flowers rhythmicnlly To- md fro $50
/ that her friend behind hor could Il I soc any
/ thing l. She had two or three volumes in brown
paper from the Mercantile Library. she pu,
! them under her for an extra cushion. and Then
| her protesting friend was shut III entirely
When the talented" young tragolian forgo-
his lines. and said something ridiculous. sh,
clappcd her hands and made him believe h,
WIS inspired. But she slyly said aiterward that
j, was " too absurd for anything"
7, ,s ,tts o,o ir,r.ri,,s,,.. 80 woman fl, 81
r,,i,.. ,b,, nm, h,r,, ,e s.,,.b.,r o.,
,r,mt.. ,h.t,l, r,o,i,a. i. bnr s,,..i,l "i,.,i
r,,lo, " k.,t +, for.o ~ l.m,r.tr,,.. how an.
,.r','r e.. por uItn, ,.,,.n ,l inny'r.lio l,,r.
nf nrt Al this entertainment Won nre owur,
that all the rules governing the business Of the