Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-24
A DENVER MANS APPRECIATION OF THE
OPERA

enthusiastic, "Tve had heap of fun in
this town since ! have been here, but
nothing has warmed me up like the opera
Theaters is all very we'll, but the shooting
and cutting amt natural They don't
mean it. You can see from the start it's
all funny business, but the opera now
there's where you get it There's trade
from the time they haul the goods down
till they put up the shutters. 1t reminds
me of home, that does"
"What opera did you hear!' asked a
bystsnder.
"The one they sing in, but you bet the
music didn't get any the best of the crowd,
for dust. tell you, gentlemen, it was the
prettiest fight you ever looked at. Excit-
| ing? Well, just held myself down to bed
rock and watched that show to the finish.
Once or twice thought they'd down the
actors, and between the rounds, while the
music was getting little breathed, felt
scared, but just as soon as they scratched l
knowed the men and women was ahead,
and helped it all could, you betl"
"How was it," asked one of the mysti-
fed group. "Tell us about it.
Its Just here, they had lot of fiddles
and horns and drums and squeakers on one
side, and a gang of men and women on the
other. In the toss-up the actors got the
rising ground, and the music took the low
level. The hacker Of the music was there
with a stick, and when time was called he
was quick enough to get start for his
side. But one Of the women was on to his
racket, and she just turned loose a belch
that twisted hair, now you hear me. The
music hacker got mad, and the fiddlers
broke out, but it was no use the woman
had the wind, and she belted that slow
music like mule. You bet she was
good one Then the hacker hollered at
| the boss drummer, and he took a lick. That
seemed to worry the woman, for she spoke
to fat fellow with wen on his leg. and he
slid for the drummer, while the dame took
another whirl at the fiddlers Funl Well,
strangers, you can smile right out. The
music. hacker seen he was getting the worst
of it, and so he unclaimed the back fiddle.
It wasn't fair, and was just going to ad-
dress the referee, but Just then out popped
the doggonnedest crowd you ever seen.
More'n a million Of 'em, and they went
right into business. The fellows with the
horns almost split the backs of their necks,
but it was no use. The women screeched
and the men howled, and / says-says
How are you, music? The back fiddler
and the drummer held out the longest, but
it was no use for the crowd on the plateau
won the round and drove the music out of
the ring You ought to see them fiddlers
hunt their holes p
"Was that the end of it ~ asked lis.
ener.
Well, not much. Dog my cats il that
music didn't fight five rounds | tell you
their backer was game, but he had no
show. In second round, him and a
squeak pipe worried couple of women
some, and one of the men was just getting
an under grip when they fired a lot of
triangles at him, but the fat fellow seen
how things were going on and he lifted in.
They had an adjustable horn ready for
him, but he wore it out in four toots. Then
the drummer took another shy at him, but
| by that time the women had got their
breath, and they came for the drummer.
l saw the hacker grinning, and / knew
there was some deviltry, and all of a sud-
den he just damned out with all his
strength. 1t was the best rally
he made, but the crowd was on
the look out for him, and in ten min
utes he was square on his back. just head
one double, somebody Hold me down
When think OF that difficulty, strangers,
it just makes me bleed at the lungs.
:" How did it end ~ queried one of the
crowd.
"Well, the next two rounds wasn't very
interesting. The actors found they had to
kill one of their gang, cause he was lit
| tie light wasted and one of the women
was Knocked out of time. But she was
sickly and was trained badly. She had no
business in that fight anyway. The fat
man was good and the other woman was
regular old he The fiddle backer
got some fair work in while they
was killing the man and the
woman, but the big mob come in on time,
and when the fourth round closed the
music was pretty well done up. 1t was
on the fifth that l put up most money
on. 1 tell you, gentlemen, that music
hacker was good wood. Not a
flaw nor speck ? He went for them
people from the word. knowed he was
in no condition to force the fighting
but liked his game. Fiddles and horns,
and pipes, and drums, and triangles all 60
ing it, and then the fat men and women,
what was left, ripped square at 'em. Over
and under Rough and tumble. 1t was
the prettiest thing l ever seen. I'll be
dogged if there was ever such another
piece of work cut out. But the actors
drowned 'em. The buck fiddler and
the squeak piper held out longest, but they
had no show, and when the show closed
I'd have been S400 winner if the man
I'd been betting with right in front of me
hadn't slipped out with couple of women.
Yes, sir, you can talk what you please, but
when it comes to genuine fun give me the
opera. Strangers, will you come around
the corner and join me in the doxology ,"
brooklyn Eagle.