The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-08-02
AUNT SOPHRONIA TABER AT THE
OPERA.
BY MARIE L. MACOMBER.

$50 that is the uproar? Well, isn't
this a master big building? And that
chantileer! It's got q thousand candles
if it's got one! 1t must have taken 8
sight of tallow to have run them alli''
They are only make believe candles,
aunt with little jets of gas inside, to
give the effect of real candles.''
Il want to know! Well, only wish
that your Uncle Peleg was here. Your
sure, Louisa, that this is perfectly
proper and respectable placer"
''Why, aunt, YOU don't suppose that
father would consent to our attending
the opera if it were other than a per-
fectly proper place, do you?'
mo, no, dear, suppose not. But
somehow you city folks look upon such
things differently from what we do who
live in the country. Dear. SUI, Louisa!
Do look way up there in the tip-top of
the house. Did you ever see such sight
of peopleP Why, excursion trains must
have run from all over the state. Mas
sa, child! There's 3 woman forgotten
her bunnet! Do just nudge her, Louisa,
and tell her of it. My Eliza Ann cut
just such caper as that one Sunday last
summer. Got clean into tho meeting
house and half way down the middle
aisle before she discovered it, and the
whul congregation a-@iggling and att
tering. Woodman Harrison shook the
whul pew, and | don't know but what
he'd u haw-hawed right out in meet
ing if his father hadn't given him one of
his looks. AS twas, | was afeared he' d
bust q blOod-vessel. just speak to that
poor creetur, Louisa; she'll feel awfully
cut up when she finds it out, but still,
it's a christian duty to tell herr
why, aunt, don't you know that
she's in full dress, and left her bonnet
at home Intentionally See how beau
tiful her hair is arranged. You don t
suppose she'd want to cover up all that
elegance, do you?'
Game bare-headed purpose! Well,
/ do declare! But, Louisa, where's the
horse-chestnut?
1.-The horse chestnut, aunt?"
Eyes, child. You said something or
other about horse-chostnut playing a
voluntary, or something of that sort,
before the uproar commenced.
''Oh, the orchestra! Yes. l remem-
ber. Don't you see those gentlemen in
front of the staoe?'
"Those men with the fiddles and base
viols?''
eyes. Well, they compose the or
chestra, and the orchestral part of this
opera is particularly fine"
81 want to know! Belong to the first
families, l suppose. They are an un-
common good-looking set of men. Is
Mrs Patti q furrener?''
eyes; she's mixture of Spanish and
Italian. She was born in Madrid, but
came to the United States when only
five years of age and remained here un-
til she was nearly seventeen. She in
herits her musical talents from both
sides of the house. Her mother had
quite a reputation in the diletta'1te
world, under the name of Madame Ba-
rilli, and Salvador Patti, her father, was
a musician of considerable note. When
Adelina was a mere might of thing
she was such musical chatterbox that
even ner indulgent mother would some-
times chide her for her constant sing
ing, but her only reply to these repfi-
mands was as charming as it was naive;
"'What can | do, dear mamma!
Whenever open my. mouth and try tc
talk, little bird inside of me turns ali
of my words to song, and so have to
sing" sE -'3,
..Well, / declare fort! If this ain,t
my Woodman Harrison all over again.
He used to whistle from morning till
night, till sometimes it seemed as if he
would drive me crazy. Still, it sounded
so light-hearted and CHEEKY like, that
couldn't bear to scold him, though
often used to send him off out of doors
I suppose that's just about the way Ad
dies mother felt. Children average
about the same the world over, whether
furren or domestic, if they have any
kind of inheritence.
''There, aunt, there's the bell, anG
the curtain will rise in q minute" Yes
see, there it goes" =.
'L-o-u-i-s-ar'
.'Sh-listen; | want you to hear Sig
nor Monti; he is considered very fine
bass" -
"But, Louisa, oughtn't we to stanc
during prayer time?"'
you forget, aunt; this is only play
not truly temple" se
Dear SUI! l only wish your Uncle
Peleg was here. Somehow it seems
kinder un-christian to be play-actinf
worship"
"Why, aunt, there's no need of you
feeling so conscious stricken; lots o
church people come to the opera. |
isn't like the theatre, you know. 1t
more-more- -er-well, | can't just ex
press it; but anyway, people who dis
aountenance the theatre, especially
through Lent, approve the opera"
That's what Parson Allen calls
distinction without difference, guess
sort of wolf in sleeps clothing. But
Louisa, what's the matter! La sakes
child, let's get out as spry as ever w
can! The theatres $ Ill on fire! Massa
Louisa, which is the way out? Oh
| dear, dear, wish that your Uncle Pc
leg
F.Sh, aunt; do sit down. 1t isn't
fire, it's only the people clapping an
applauding because Patti is on tn
| stage. Don't you see herP'
''Sakes alive, is that itP l though
we were all afire or Wiggins' flood ha'
come. So that is Mrs PattiP Well,
declare fort! She's rs spry as crick
ct, and no mistake. Why, Louisa, hoy
old is sheP She looks scarcely out c
her teensns' -,# s-- tF. -
so, aunt, you mustn't be so practical
and ask such personal questions. Lit
dies dom t always want their ages known
4 but. soto UOce, She 8 over forty"