Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-09-12
Letter from HOstOn,
THE COMING OF AUTUMN-THE AMUSEMENT SEA
soN-wHAT THE THEATRES ARE DOING AND
PROMISE TO Do-wILL THE WOMEN VOTE p
PINAFoBE AT "oAKLANp."

soN-wHAT THE THEATRES ARE DOING AND
PROMISE TO Do-wILL THE WOMEN VOTE P
PINAFoBE AT OAKLAND"
BosToN, Sept s. 1879.
May come in? You see l have been so
long away from you that feel little cere-
mony is necessary on the occasion of my re-
turn. Autumn is really here, so at least the
calendars tell u.s. but the only peculiar proof
that we have of it is the opening of the CT ty
theatres, and the return of the wandering
members of the dramatic profession from
their summer tours. We are promised all
sorts of good things in the way of entertain
ment this winter, and we surely ought to be
very much amused" We shall have our
choice of all sorts of good things, from heavy
tragedy to the lightest burlesque, and from
Italian Grand Opera to the friskiest of Opera
Boufe. The Museum led off in the openings
OF the season as usual giving for its initial
performance of the season of 1880, the ster-
ling old comedy, 1.-THE School for Scandal 4"
with Miss Annie Clarke as Lazy 7'eazle, Mr.
Warren as Sir Peter Teazle, and Mr.. Charles
Barron as Charles Surface like the OPEN
ing nights at the Museum The same people
are in the audience year after year, and you
greet many of the same people on the stage.
They are like yearly reunions these first
nights. Rain doesn't keep people away it
poured on this special night, and yet the
house was crowded; there wasn't even stand
ing room. As each favorite appeared, there
was perfect tumult in the house. The greet
ings to Miss Clarke Mr. Warren and Mrs
Vincent were very hearty to Mr.. Barron it
was overwhelming. 1t was as though the
people wanted to give him welcome for
this year and last, too. He was much touch
ed by the unanimous expression of favor, and
when, after the third act, he was repeatedly
called before the curtain, he was obliged to
respond with speech, but it was Il difficult
matter for him to get through it, so overcome
was he by emotion. l congratulate Mr.. Field
on Mr.. Barron's return l congratulate the
public which has the opportunity of witness
ing the performances of so able an artist !;
and | congratulate myself as being one of
that public.
The coy little Gaiety was the next to open;
and that gave as the first of a long list of at
fractions, Annie Pixley as "Iliss" Sails
burys Troubadours, the jolliest most rollick-
ing company on the road, will follow Mr..
Wentworth is going to give us some nice
things this season. The Union Square com
pany is playing at the Park the little draw
ing room theatre" as an admirer styled it.
The regular season at the Boston opens two
weeks later with Mr.. Chanfrau in Exit" as
usual. The fate of the Globe is uncertain,
but probably Mr.. Stetson will have it, We
are to have a new theatre at the Highlands
under the management of Mr. Fred Stinson.
1t will be known as the Dudley street Opera
House, and opens Sept. 18th with Murphy's
Juvenile Opera Pinafpre company the same
organization which hiled the Museum during
the summer months Then there are the in
evitable lectures, and the impending concerts,
to say nothing of the threats of more walking
matches, and other queer exhibitions.
Oh dear, no; there's not the slightest dan
ger of being bothered with ennui, with such
a surfeit of pleasures.
There is a great deal Of curiosity to see to
what extent the women will avail themselves
of the new voting law. There's no use shut
ting ones eyes TO the fact that there is great
deal of indifference on the matter; but | do
not consider it at all strange, nor do think
it proof that the law is an unwise one. 1t
has never been argued even by the most san
guine of the advocates, that the large mass
of women wanted the ballot on the contra
ry, they have said it was the utter indifference
manifested by them, which has made the
work more difficult; and that it was harder
20,
for where there is conviction there may be
conversion, but the utter absence of opinion
is APPALLING and hopeless. Not nearly all of
the women of the commonwealth will avail
themselves of the newly acquired right, prob
ably only small proportion; but those will
be the women of high social standing, whose
influence will eventually be felt. l suppose
you have already seen that the first woman
in Concord to register as a voter was Miss
Louise Alcott, and through her personal in-
auence a number of her townswomen have
qualified themselves TO vote. In Boston the
appeal to women to avail themselves of the
new law was signed by Mrs. Louis Agassiz
Mrs. r. Waterston, Mrs. Quincy A. Shaw,
Mrs. Fenno Tudor, Mrs. James T. Fields and
others showing the class of women who have
taken the matter in hand. have no doubt
there will larger number of women vote
than is now anticipated.
The out of town gardens are hourishing
still notably the Oakland" where very
realistic "Pinafore" is given nightly on board
a ship built in a lake. 1t is very nice on a
pleasant evening; but the other night when
a sudden shower came up, utterly unheralded,
in the very middle of the performance, it was
so funny. Down came the rain in sheets,
the actors stopped short and hurried under
shelter, and the audience got up and scatter
there was no more opera that night. Since
then an awning has been placed over ship
and audience seats, so showers will no longer
interrupt. It's well worth seeing, this Pima
fore. The company is good, although weak
ened by the withdrawal of Louis Pfau, who
is one of the best RaekStra,o's have seen,
and Percy Cooper, who is the best Capt. Cor
cOrdR on the stage. They left to join the Sa-
vile & Lee company, of which they are mem
bers. Still Pinsfore will go on as long as
people will go to see it, and there's no sign
of falling off in attendance yet. A disguised
manager said to me this morning, "Pinafore!
I'm tired to death of it; you can't take a rifle
out and shoot in any direction without hit
ting Pinsfore company" True enough;
but the public don't seem to have tired Of it
yet. SALLIE JOY WHITE