Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-06-08
fFrom Our Regular Corr "'''nt.l
Our European Letter.
LONDON. England, May "a. 1887

LONDON. England, May "a. 1881.
It Is calculated that the shopping cousins
from beyond the sea coming to London
every season spend nearly 0,0OO, 900 here
merely over the counters. One would
think the London tradesmen would put
pr oper estimate on such customers. That
they are eager tor this patronage of purse
there is no doubt. Every weak device in
the way of circulars, touts, and ineffective,
splurgy, indiscrimanate advertising they
crudely resort to but they omit the more
important attraction of homes Y in dealing.
Measured by their own national standard
and bushel, the British shopkeepers, in
their greed for short-sighted programme
of public plumber, are on what is termed
= the perch of bird of prey" Not pos,
sessed of the Parisian's verbal oil for the
troubled waters of bon-ntarche, not APP.
preaching the Stave and submission of the
dealers of Rome, and even behind the
blandness Of the shopdodger at Berlin, the
British tradesmanmind gropes in the zone
of farthing and petty impositions on the
foreigner, minus single redeeming quail
ty in the way of an Offset to the insult to
the purchasers intelligence. In Paris if
your purse be cut across a counter your
discernment is deferred to; in Rome if
your plaster is ruthlessly pocketed, polite
ness goes handin- hand with the act; in
Berlin a smile plays part over an ill-got
groschen. and in Dublin bit of " blarney ="
is done up with dodge" But in Eng
land sulen, owl-like solemnity of pur.
pose obtains in decoying your coin and
attempting to insult your intelligence.
Herr Most's conviction must give great
satisfaction in court circles, especially in
St. Petersburg and Berlin. The jury con-
victed him on the charge of melting to
murder and his counsel, Mr.. A. NJ. Sulli-
van, lost not only his case but one of the
finest opportunities of his life. He might
have made speech on this matter that
would have made the world ring, and he
was just the man to do it. Somehow he
failed, and the courts decision will be a
lasting example in matters of this kind
The American horses are steadily forcing
their native merits on the attention of Eng
lsh turfmen This is noticeable In the
betting which is gradually combining itself
to narrower margins on the Americans.
These will doubtless be found narrower
still as the Derby day approaches. At the
same time the Englishmen stick by their
own horsehesh. Barring accidents, this
years Derby will be one of the most ex-
citing since Gladiator fought his way to
the front. and there are many things more
unlikely than making the Englishman see
stars and stripes.
Mr.. Mapleson has now issued his pros
pectus for the approaching season of Ital-
ian opera at her majesty's theatre this
summer, and if he is not able, like Mr.
Gye with Rubenstein's Demon opera,
to announce the production of any very
extraordinary novelty, yet the names of
the artistes engaged and the repertoire Of
fered by him, sufficiently prove that the
old reputation Of her majesty's will again
be sustained. After all, the announcement
of new works is not much; Boito's ME
tistofele," the great event of last season,
was not even mentioned in the prospectus
of that year. lit now, of course, is given
prominent place, aud with Mdme. Nilsson
in her charming impersonations of Mar-
guerife and Helen Of Tr0y and such ar
tistes as Mdme. Lebelli and Signori Cam
panini and Nannetti support her, it will
no doubt be once more the great attraction.
Mdme. Nilsson is also, for the first time in
England. to assume the magnificent part
of the queen in Semiramidi," so long
associated with the name of Mdlle. Tict-
zns. Mdme Eteka Gerster, retur ming
from her recent triumphs in America, is
announced for the leading soprano part in
Baron Bodog Orczy's Hungarian opera,
" II Rinnegato," an opera which has sew
eral times before Inquired in prospectuses,
but though portions of it have been heard
in its entirely in this country. Among the
tenors are again Mr.. Mas. and Signori
Ravelli, Campanni, Fancelli and Runcio
and among the baritones and BASES Sig.
nori Del Puente. Rota, Gaassi, and Nan
netti. OF the new corners announced |
prefer to postpone speaking until after
hearing them. The season will commence
on May 9th, when Faust" with Mdme.
Nilsson and Mr.. Mas, will be given.
AUGUST.