, 1879-01-12
What Longfellow Likes--The Hebrew
Fair and the Postmen--Ringing
Out Old Bells,
From Our O1rn Correspondent.

''~~ s~A~
after this.
"AsK MY WIFE,
was the response, with an odd twinkle Of the
eye. But as s'my wife" was discreet nobody
was any the wiser.
.On'Mon1ay night. when Nine. Gerster sang
In II Puritani,: the enthusiasm rose to its
height Not ouy was the singing most salts
factory, but her acting delighted and thrilled
every one BY its union Of delicacy and strength.
For the time every one else In the company is
oyershadowed BY the ''diyine Gerster," though
Campanlni won great praise as 1rcturo, and
Galassi as Ricardo was magnificent simply, and
indeed all the support we're something wonder
ful in their perfection. 1t has been sort Of
fashion lately to say that Boston is slow and
cold, and waits for an authority to move her to
enthusiasm. 1t has been limited, too, by her rival
citY that she is By no means >'up'' in musical
culture. However this may all be, it is very
and il pleased enough is
NOT At ALL slit OF SHOWING IT..
And it Was pleasure to see. to hear the
manifestations of enthusiasm from the audi
ence. Again the old Jubilee days of abandon
we're brought up. Men didn't exactly jump
upon the seats and wildly wave their hand
kerchiefs and shout, "Gerster! Gerstcr!" as
they shouted Lcutner! Leutner!'' on that
memorable occasion, but they did dshout +" Bravo! !!
bravo!" aud they sprang to their feet,-some
of them,-aud they generally "carricd OF" in
q DELIGHTFULLY."- unconventional, un-Bostonian-
ish, unreserve that was not only good for
their souls but their bodies.
Great is "Carmen" with the greatness OF
modern mirth, and madness, and picturesque
wickedness, and great is the singer OF Carmen
in her reckless role NTH the greatness OF gay
abandon, OF i,soacio,Ae recklessness. But GeFster
In !" l Puritani,'' as E:vira, Is something better
than all this for Gerster is great rs the finer
and greater requirements Of Bellini's beautiful
opera.
By the way, I wonder it it is generally known
amongst opera-goers that the iibretto OF this
opera Of "Carmcn (which is by Bizet, the
French composer, who died in 1875, three months
after its successful presentation in Paris-is
founded upon the novel Of Prosper Merimee
called Carmen" Those who have seen the
opera In Paris say that it is broad
EVEN FOR FRENCH AUDIENCES.
In the translation, as ! hare said before, thera
is only the faint suspicion of naughtiness.
This week ends the great opera-season for us,
and leaves behind certain quickening Of taste
and vain regret that such music is only for sea-
son. The only hitch has been the disappointment
Of the first n..ht in "Carmen,'' but, that little
hitch smoothed out. and all soprano mills or
MISUNDERSTANDING overcome, everything has
run evenly and delightfully."-.
Now, as am upon the subject Of entertain
ments, must say word about Mrs. Dainty
and her Increasing popularity In and about Bos-
ton. She has given her representations use
the term representation adysedly. for her forte
Is representation, not simply readiug-in Boston
before the Young MEMS Christian Association,
and In most OF the adjoining towns. In Provi-
deuce. R. l., she is great fayori:e this last en-
te7tanneut being the seventh since her debut
One enthusiastic admirer said to me, ''I'd rather
hear Mrs. Dainty than go to the opcra~''
The poet Longfcllow gives her very warm ap-
probation, aud Trowhridgc is to write charac-
ter poem for her sole use, while other poets
and literary lights OF New England welcome her
With equal cortlaltY.
WITH 1osGFELLow "soc1ABLB JIMMY " Is
THE FAVoEiTE
in her varied repertoire.
One great and abiding charm with Mrs. Dainty
is her own personal enjoyment Of every small
est detail of her representation. In Sociable
Jin,my,n the Old Deacon" or any other OF
fects upon her audience. She is too busy, too
absorbed in the character and her own enjoy
mept OF its development. She is one OF those
who enjoy telling story for the story's sake
These are the story-telIcrs whose charm never
fails, in whom our interest never flags.
It must somewhat have astonished the little
lady to have met as she did here, in what is
supposed to be the very home Of lfberality, to
say nothing of intelligence, with the signal
stupidity aud uarrowness which made objection
alter one Of her entertainments to that most
innocent Of a1 the negro stories OF race pe-
cl1lfarity, - Christmas at the Quarters"
or course it is unnecessary to say that this
Objection came from the Clique, or the kind III
persons, who furnish the community Win WINS
lows, end Spcnccrs, aud
OTHER BRETHREN OF THAT DEFAuLTlNG AND
ABsc0SD1NG sTTLE.
Perhaps it will also aston'sh nobody TO hear that
the objectors on This occasion we're recipients OF
free fit from, Mrs. Dainty's generosity in her
evening representation To them, poor souls
poor, indeed, to be SO smut to the rcalcst
reverence and faith that is extant
a. hs cftrS Tsev eeud es te sse
nothing OF that confiding simplicity which is
really the little chld's, nothing Of that uncon-
scous poetry which makes Nature aud Natures
God visible and present. But what IS the use
OF expatiating upon set pharisees .yho, ,Wtat~
1nent Of sense and culture-native perception
and 1ntel1ieeuce? So let lis dismiss them and
shut tue door upon them, leaving them TO Their
choice, chosen companions. !
The Hebrew Fair continues, aud continues
successfully. The management shows itself |
very shrewd in providing special attractions in !!
the way Of entertainments every evening ano
different fcatures,-for instance.
such as tnat Of Monday evening, where tue ict-
ter-carriersf Of Boston were present BY ~
f,rItv r1th0 IL