Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-03-24


The sackcloth and ashes of Lent are not
such hard wearing after all that is, if one
may judge by the theatres, which are crowd
cd every night and where the attractions
arc on the whole stronger than they have
been at any other time this season. The
Museum, with its inimitablo company, is do
ing bright comedy from the French, "The
Butterfly Fever" Willie Edouin's jolly
"Sparks," the brightest of whom are Alice
Atherton the bewitching wife of Mr.. Edouin,
and Maria Elmore, the most mischievous
tantalizing little soubrette in the world, are
at the Gaiety comic opera has taken pos.
session of the Boston and the Globe At the
former the "Ideals" are receiving their friends
after their long winters trip, and at the latter
there is a revival of Pirates of Penzanoe,"
and "Pinafore." Perhaps you wont believe
it, but it is quite true, that the evenings on
which the last named opera is given sees the
theatre crowded. 1t does not seem to have
lost one bit of its oldtime popularity, and
people laugh at II and applaud it as much as
ever they did when the Pinafore craze was at
its height. Lectures flourish, as they always
do in this New England soil, TO which they
seem indigenous. l don't believe there is an
other section of the whole civilized world
which would bear such continuous talking to
as does this little corner of our own. Has
any one anything to say on any subject no
matter how startling or how commonplace,
he is always sure Of listeners. The lecture
goers who go for the sake of going are found
at Lowell Institute, and there seems TO be a
totally different set of listeners for each course
There are some faces that one always Sees no
matter what subject the course is upon they
are equally devoted to science and to litera-
ture, and they show a wonderful impartality
to either history, religion or natural philoso-
ply. They are never late, the green baze
door never shuts together refusing to open to
them; one is almost ready TO believe they
have taken lodgings in the Institute for the
lecture season and do their cooking in the
laboratory; that is to be sure, if they need
anything more substantial than the men,
tai food with which they are so generously
fed. The most interesting and attractive of
the present courses there, are Mr.. Hjalman
Hjorth Brgesers lectures on tho Icelandic
Saga Literature. These treat of the old
Northern mythology and legends, and con-
tain a great deal that is quite new The
course closes this week, much to the regret OF
all who are attending it. Mr.. John L.
Stoddard began his second Boston course of
the season last week. The committee for
preserving the Old South are hard at work,
quietly, it must be said, but none the less ef-
fectively, to reduce the debt on the building
to one hundred thousand dollars, the interest
of which sum they can easily carry. There is
little doubt that they will succeed in their en-
deavors They, too, are having a course of
afternoon lectures in the old meeting house
in aid of the preservation fund, the first of
which was given over a week ago by DR..
Storrs of Brooklyn. Prof. II. r. Raymond
is giving course of Saturday morning
Shakespeare readings at the Boston School OF
Oratory, and repeating them on Wednesdays
at Laselle Seminary. Mr. Levi Tha1ter is
also giving morning readings from Robert
Browning. There are hosts of miscellaneous
lectures and concerts, so the penitential sea-
son is not very severe one may get a good
deal Of mild entertainment out Of it.
Madame Ermmie Rudersdorf, one of the
best singing teachers America has ever seen,
and an artist with a fame that was world
wide, died at her residence at Hotel La
Grange few days since She will be great
loss to the world Of music Her method,
which should be called the natural method,
so entirely is it in unison with common sense
and natural laws, has produced almost q rev.
olution in our art Of singing. Her friendship
oh lxr oil h.
Gerster was with her almost constantly in her
Boston visits. Even Patti recognized and
acknowledged the value of her criticism, and
it is fact that previous to her appearance in
oratorio, last winter, she looked over her
principal Rrras with Madame Rudersdorf and
moulded her work on the lstter's suggestions.
Among her best known pupils in this country
are Emma Thursby, Emily Winant and Fanny
Kellogg. She was most charming companion
and a loyal friend where once she gave her
friendship. lean speak from the heart and from
the most intimate knowledge on that point. She
had heart overflowing with kindness and
keen sympathy for all in distress Her memory
extended over many years, and she was never
tired of giving "reminiscences of her associa-
tions with distinguished people. Her home
was filed with souvenirs of past triumphs,
and every picture Or rare bit of china or glass
had itS history. But few were admitted to
her friendship and those will miss her sadly.
There is still a long time before the spring
will really come and the out of door life act
ually begin, and this is just the time when
people in both town and country depend on
local entertainment. can't tell how many
amateur representatives of patience" are in
preparation in the vicinity of Boston. There
is no better or more harmless amusement than
these amateur operate and dramatic enter
tainments The getting ready is such fun !;
there is always someone who wants benefting,
and plenty willing to assist. Since "Pina-
fore" the rage for opera has increased con-
stantly, and it seems to have eliminated with
patience" Oliver Ditson & Co. have done
a good thing in publishing so many works
suitable for such entertainments. OF course
there are the two just mentioned, with others
that are simple and less ambitious. One of
these, called "a Winters Evening Entertain
ment," is just as rollicking and jolly and
brim full of fun as can'be, and is not difficult
to do. ''The Sleeping Queen" is lovely and
romantic; and very amusing bit for two
people is called Cups and Saucers," " and is a
charming satire on the bric-a-brac craze.
can recommend any of these to an amateur
company who want something new and pret-
ty and in which they wont have to be con-
trasted with professionals.
SALLIE JOY WHITE.
"