Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-23

The Massachusetts House of Representa- tives has recommitted the resolve for biennial elections and legislative sessions to the Com- mittee on Constitutional Amendments. This movement is understood to indicate that some of the legislators who are opposed to biennial Legislative sessions are willing that the State officers should be elected for two years, provi- ded the people can have the political educs- tion' of electing Legislature annually.
 The rise in the price Of paper has confront ed newspaper publishers with a problem which some of them have attempted to solve by raising the price of their publications. It would perhaps be better for the publishers. 1 and certainly better for the public, if gene ral advance in the price of newspapers could be avoided. One plain remedy for tine exist ing state of things is a very marked reduction or abolition of the duty on foreign paper, and the abolition of the duty on certain of the raw materials that enter into paper making. vigorous effort should be made by both publishers and the public to get what is not extravagantly called "a tax on education" re- moved.
 Mile Marimon, one of the singers whom Colonel Mapleson has imported is rather difficult person to manage. The maneuvers necessary to induce her to brave the dangers of the sea were many, and she was sufficiently exaspersting before and during the voyage. When she sings in 'La Sonnambula' she has a habit of refusing to walk the rustic bridge in the sleep-walking scene in the third act. Aoonrdino1v if has haar r1ecassarv t0 dress somebody so as to resemble her and let the counterfeit Marimon cross the bridge, and as she disappeared in the wing, the real Mari mon would replace her, and no one in the audience would know anything about it. When she was singing in Chicago, H., Col. Mapleson got tired of this nonsense, and told the capricious singer that she must fulfill all the requirements of her role or submit to heavy fine. When the scenery was arranged for the third act, Marimen grew very excited, and insisted emphatically that the narrow, slender looking bridge was unsafe, and that she would not cross it. The stage manager exhausted all his powers of persuasion, and in despair sent for Col. Mapleson, who was in a private box. The gallant colonel is afflicted with a severe attack of gout, which renders locomotion difficult; but he painfully hobbled back upon the stage and wanted to know what was up. The stage manager ex- plained that the madamoiselle would not con- sent to cross the bridge. To convince her of the safety of the structure, Col. Mapleson, who weighs 25o pounds, mounted the bridge l himself. Still the sweet singer was obsti | nate. Then two brawny stage..carpenters as- cended the bridge and jumped on it, and to l farther reassure her, rope was stretched | across to serve as a substitute for hand I rail No use, mademoiselle would not risk | her precious neck, and as there was no time l to dress 8 double the only alternative was | to ring up the curtain and let things take their course. When the villagers pointed to the l window of the old mill. as Amina was sup | posed to appear, and exclaimed: ''She trem- | bles she staggers! courage, she is saved!" as she was likewise supposed to cross the | bridge in her sleep, the situation was ren- dered ridiculous by the entrance of Marimon from the wings. She had to pay we'll for | this performance, but whether the penalty | made her more sensible or not we are not |