Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-11-16

CIR IL was n balloon or n new doll. So
she skipped along, the happiest baby in
Paris that day.
The Grand Opera House was in n
blaze of electricity as we went up its
massive stone steps and into the daz-
cling hall at the foot of the great mar
bic staircase. The man at the foot de-
INJURED at the smalness OF our comradc,
but IL was so nominated in the bond,
and growing n little he let us pass. Up
the marble stair we went, under the
great pendant giobe Of fire, whose burn
ing RAYS were shot back in n million
scintillatiOns by mirrors, pillars and pol
ishcd floor. The massive stair balus-
trade seemed made of ONYX or some
such precious stone. Marble of every
color formed the walls, with splendid
mirrors extending from the lofty ceiling
To the gathering floor 10 was a daZ-
zling palace of light. n picture Of the
most lavish splcndUr. When we reached
our altitude we found ourselves outside
of the amphitheatcr of closed doors.
each door having number and little
window ON il. On benches around this
scmicircle sat women with white caps
and white aprons. gave our numbers
tO one and she called for the proper
person. who. selecting thin KEY from
her gir,llc thrust IL into the little slat
and opened the door.
,Oh. papa cried Tot. "what a nice
little room"
70 =. Yes. dear, hut YOU mustn't shout
so luud.n
"Will we sleep here. papa?'i was the
next inquiry, In n stage whisper.
Perhaps You will. There's a nice
sofa to sleep on"
| arranged three of the chairs at the
front OF the long. narrow box. and set
the other three back. ont Of the way.
while the little woman held up her chin
10 have her bonnet united, and when
bonnet and cloak were hung up she
took her place on the middle chair and
folded her hands demurcly on her lap.
the model of propriety.
The opera was To be Robert lc
Diablc.' The immense auditorium
was in that mysterious half light which
to thcatcr-loyers is SO pleasant and sug-
gcstivc of enjoyment TO come. The
scmi-gloOm always adds TO the APP
| parent size of the thcatcr, and the sud-
den flash up into nOon-day light. TO-
gcthcr with the crash of the orchestra.
that generally accompanies IL, is as eN-
hiIarating as wine 60 the confirmed
upcra-gocr. The interior Of the Paris
| Opcra-Houso is not the largest in the
world, but IL is certainly the most
! splendid. The sweeping curves that
rise tier above tier are very beautiful.
and the decorations, il n trilc gaudy.
are bcwildcring i'm their richness.
Us the light flashed up the Tourist
gave a scream of delight, which she in
stantlly checked by placing both hands
over her mouth, looking up at me with
roguish laughter in her eyes, and then
seeing me look serious said:
III be good, papa"
" MI right l replied, "see that
you are. If you notice anything un-
usual. whisper about It. Don't
scream
In soft voice she answered: "Tu
be real quiet and not - with a
shriek( oh papa : OH. mamma
The curtain was going up. and / sup.
/ pose she thought the whole side of :he
house was disappearing.
4" This IS getting embarrassing" |
said. 81 didn't count on enthusiasm.
] thought il was only crying we had to
/ guard against
! "Oh, she's excited now. She'll soon
quiet down; besides. there's SO much
talking and noise that they don't notice
/ her. .........
! Yes, and she screams in English,
too. hadn't thought of that"
Looking over the red, plush brink OF
the prccipicc ] could sec down the av-
iul chaSm, the bottom of which was
| paved with heads red, black, yellow
| white, gray, and here and there "A shin
ing oasis. AS the opera proceeded |
noticed feature thatI often had read
about but never quite bclicved-thc
/ claJuc. On the division next to H.. in
what would be called the pit i'm an En-
/ ghSh theater. sat an energetic. bald
| headed little man. At special times
chosen with great Judgment this little
man would raise his hands 20 the level
Ot his face and give n couple of pats.
Instantly the twelve or fourteen men
on each side of him, occupying part of
the row he was on and part of the next
one back, would vigorously applaud.
AMI n sort Of echo composed of the
same number on the other side of the
house but without n leader took up the
noise and continued Il till the other
gang stopped There was nothing un-
dcrhand about IT, The leader quite
ostcntatiOusly waved his hand on this
side and on that when he wanted
silence, Just as the leader of an orches-
ira would do. and the stopping of the
applause was immediate. During all
the evening no one else npplauded but
that little mob. People seemed To be
afraid Of being taken for claquers. II
was most stupid way of doing things.
When / go into that business | will
scatter my men around the house, rive
them their cues and have the applause
come up spontaneously from all sec
tions.
At the end of the first act nearly
everybody rose and went out.
There is something remarkable
about this. They can't be all going for
drink. Let's adjourn, too"
Downstairs ON the first or second
story was an immense room extending
the whole front of the building. Great
windows from ceiling to floor lined one
side and equally great mirrors lined the
Other. Along the slippery polished
floor Paris was promenading under an
inverted mountain of light. The chatter
was inceSsant, laughter almost univer-
sal, and gaiety unbounded. There was
u sound of revolry by night, and
Frances capital S-id gathered then her
beauty and her chivalry, and bright the
lamps shOne DER fair women and brave
men. A thousand hearts beat happily,
and when music arose with its vofuptu-
Gus swell. soft eyes looked love TO eyes
that spake again, and all went merry as
marriage bell. till harkl hushl Ii is, it
Is the ringing theater belll / doubt if
ever younger American girl trod the
shining floor than the one whose plump
little hand nestled in mine. She at
tracted considerable more attention
than did as we paraded up and down.
We stepped through n swinging win
dow into the cool night and looked for
q few moments at the most unriyaled