Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-23
The IrrepressibIe Girl at the Opera.


From the Philadelphia Times.
The opera season is just opening and music
loving people are looking forward to their usual
annual delights from this source. Managers
have refurnished and reconstructed their build
ings to attract and render comfortable their pa
irons. They have secured contracts with the
best and most attractive singers and performers
and done all and several the things they could
we'll do to furnish delightful entertainments to
the musical public. But notwithstanding all
their. care, there will be several annoyances
which will mar to no.inconsiderable degree the
pleasure and enjoyment Of the really musical
people in the audiences. The peanut fiend will
never be absent. and the boy in the gallery with
his hideOus whistle, is sure to be on hand in
full force. There will be the usual number of
people who go out to see man between the
acts and come tramping in with squeaking shoes
after the curtain has been rung up and the sue
ceeding act fairly under way.
But no one OF the foregoing sins against the
peace and dignity Of the ordinary concert or
opera-goer. nor in fact all Of them combined,
will prove so annoying to the real lovers Of fine
girl-although she is quite often pretty old
girl-slmply because to call her q young lady
would be misnomer. There is nothing Of the
lady about her, except the form and dress. The
irrepressible girl is always there, although no
one could ever tell what she goes for as she
has no more taste for good music than one Of
Barnum's elephants. Sometimes she is in COM
pany with her young man, who becomes her
partner in annoyance, but quite as often she
has one or more like-minded companions Of her
own sex with her. She distributes herself
pretty generally through the audience, so as
always to be In easy ear-shOt of people who
have come there to enjoy the music. When she
has had time to look round and take her bear
ings, see who Is present that she knows. and
observe all the oddlv or plainly dressed peo-
pie who may happen to be present. she COM
mences to entertain herself at the expense Of
the rest Of the company.
She has evidently stored up all the news and
gossip she has heard for a week for the purpose
OF being well prepared for this occasion. It
must all be told just at this time to her compan-
ions in q buZZing whisper or an exasperating
outspoken chatter. She will occasionally ex-
haust herself for q few moments and the all-
dience settle down to half hope that she win
subside for the evening. But just In one OF the
finest passages of the music, when the audience,
with parted lips and bated breath, are almost
certain they hear again the strains that enrap-
tured the Judean shepherds eighteen centuries
ago, this embodied discord in feminine attire
will suddenly break in with some information
for her companion, which, 1t seems, she could
not keep another minute. and by her senselees
chatter destroy the entire effect Of the very
choicest part OF the entertainment ahd send the
best part Of the audience home praying for some
Herod to issue an edct against the whole race
OF chattering idiots, who simply go to concert
and opera because ite the fashion to 20.
And the most disc0uragtng feature Of the
whole miserable business ID that the dear, stupid
eDul viii read this description of herself and de-
clare = Just 1ta eonebody elno - happens 20
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