Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-20
As Witness in Court Between Two
Lovers-Ihe Effective Use OF Legs
by q Chorus,
Bush's Beginning at the Grand Duke
Theater-The Retiring Editor Of the
"World" and Jay Gould.

and that she forthwith gave hun an
affirmative reply. He Gays that he never
did any such thing. 1t would be ones word
against the others, for there are no rings or
letters 10 assist the jury, If 1t were not Tor
the fact that sister of the prospective plain
tiff was present at the time when the engage
ment is claimed to have been made. This
girl is deaf mute. She has never in her
life heard The sound of the human voice,
but she has learned the art OF lip-resding,
az taught In our Institution Tor
the Instruction of the Deaf and
Dumb. By that method apt pupils
are able to learn to talk, If their organs oil
speech have simply remained unused through
deafness. That is accomplished by labo-
riously teaching them the movements and
positions OF the lips in articulation. The
girl in the present instance ceased to be a
mute about year ago, and is now capable
of sufficient speech TO make herself under
stood. OF course, she has gained no use OF
her ears, else she probably would not have
been tolerated in the parlor while her older
sisters sentimental caller was there. She
AYERS that, in the case of persons whose
mouths are mobile and expressive, she can
discern every word they speak. Therefore,
she knew all that Was said by the lovers on
the occasion in dispute. But what will be
the ruling of the court when her testimony
Is offered? II she is declared a competent
witness, incoustant<Nooers will no longer be
reckless in the presence Of deaf observers.
Or, they might acquire the habit OF saying,
"WilI you marry mel" while their lips take
Z the shape of ats pleasant evening"
PRACTICING CHORUS.
Speaking of expressive dumb chow, at a
rehearsal of a comic opera at the Casino,
, saw more than twenty men run scross the
stage in manner that was no less puzzline
than comical. Each went by himself from
a front corner to an opposite rear one, cut
ting up the queerest of capers on the way,
aud interPolatiug hasty and grotesque pam
temime and grimaces. The stage manager
sat in an orchestra chair, critically watched
this exaggerated pedestrianism and tersely
commented on it. "That will do" he said,
when one of the runners circled about like a
hen with its head cut off and then huttered
wildly away. "That won't do" he said TO
chap who showed an uneventful gait. "Tfy
that again." he said to the one who stumbled
and fell. After the pretended mishsp had
been repeated several times, with careful
/ elaboration and establishment, he replied,
sYou may try that tonight and we'll see how
| it does" / asked him what it was all about.
sIps a competitive examination" he re-
piled. "We're applying the civil service re-
form principle. These men are members OF
our chorus We are playing the opera OF
| The Princess of 1rebizonde in which there is
| a sceae where a carefully gu arded prince es-
capss from his tutor, while they are out with
| hunting party. The king and tia house,
hold officers search everywhere Tor the
/ truaut. following him one after another, and
we let some of ouf chorus singers, who ap-
pear as huntsmen, trail separately across the
| stage, too. What you see is trail OF these
men-on solid merit, you understand, with
| out political influence or any other Interior
| considerations. Those who are funny in
| their running are allowed to do it before an
| audience, and then, if it raises laugh, they
| enjoy the distinction of an individuality in
| the show, instead of being an indistinct por-
ton of it. Why this superciious smile?
Don't you go to belittliDg the Importance
of man passing this examination cue.
cessfully. You've seen Dixey, the burlesque
comedian? He is good for $500 week.
Well, he made his debut, few years ago, as
the hind legs Of the heifer in EUongeline, snd
| % ade those limits &c frisky that they kicked
him into prosperity"
BUsR's BEGINNING.
He named others OF distinction on The
stage who, he said, had made their starts by
| as small q feat rs that of the huutmen,s
ambliug and among them was Frank Bush,
| lately a star in a piece presenting a Jewish
| clothing dealer as the principal character.
"Bush began as two minute feature in q
| San Francisco variety show SKETCH" he told
| me.
"You're wrong" responded. 81 remsm-
Der about Bush. He was performer In the
Grand Duke Theater. Where was that?
| Right here in New York. Never heard OF
| it? Why, sir, it was the most remarkable
| theater / ever went into"
The Grand Duke Theater indeed was
| unique temple of the drama. If an unwsry
| pedestrian walked too close to an old rookery
| at 10 Baxter street, on dark night, he
might tumble into a cellsrway. III he knew
| of the opening, and desired TO descend with
| out bruises, he climbed down ladder-like
| stairway, being careful not 10 put his feet
where the steps re missing. did this,
| one evening, and found myself in the vesti-
| bule of the Grand Duke Thester. "Ticket
Office" was scrawled over little hole in the
| rough boards, and frowsy newsboy behind
| il sold me for five cents 3 ticket, which a
| second urchin took at the door. The room
which l entered was entirely underground,
shout twenty-five by forty feet in size, and
with a ceiling SO low thst / had TO take my
hat off or stoop. The walla had been rudely
papered, the light wss from Kerosene lsmpp,
rough board seats were arranged in circus
| style, and a proscenium was covered with
old minstrel pictures and borders cut from
l COiOrcu ptrtcts. 4utc paaSc
was q paradise for the Sixth ward boys.
They crowded it on the occasion OF my Welt.
| The performance, on a small stage furnished
with queerly daubed scenery, was by lads
who had taken popular variety actors as
models, and / recollect thst the INIT atIons
were clever enough 10 be Immediately
| recognized. This was true, especially,
| as to counterparts of Ned Harri-
gan and Bobby Newcomb. What has be-
| come of these bright little fellows l do not
know, but have been told that they are on
the regular stage. There was one original
| artist, however, bigger than most OF bis
playfsllows, who gave a sketch OF the
Chatham street clothier-s character that
had already been nearly exlermiDated from
that branch of retail trade in New York,
| but which had evidently served for this
| chap's study from life. The portraiturs was
| rough and exaggerated, but il had striking
| merit as caricature, 30 much go that the
| name of Frank Busb, the personator, is the
| only one that i remember as being on the
| misspelled, clumsily -written programme that
| was tackled on the wall. The Grand Duke
| theater had dim and brief career, in spite
| of its unique attractiveness and succession
| of crowded audiences. We have in this city
law imposing license of $500 year on
every place of public amusement, and
| Society for the Reform of Juvenile Delin-
| quents to collect it. This organization il as
diligent as it is philauihropic. Its agent
| appalled, the Grand Duke management by
demanding the usual fee. That closed the
| house.
The socIety's agent believed that be was
| doing good thing in shutting The Grand
Duke Theatsr, and perhsps be wac; but
arouud in the Bowery we have just roS
| place of amusement almost as cheap, tn re-
- Il L. h,u AL
hundred times more vicious. 1t Is in the
| immediate neighborhood of the infamous
Bill McGlory's Hall, OWney Geoghegan's
Old House al Home, Andy Kelly's lately
closed saloon, and other noted resorts. ii is
a combination OF variety show and pretty
walters girl garden, with an admission price
Of only ten cent?, ard all the conditions
favorable to the decentralization of youths.
HURLBERr, LATE OF THE WORLD.
William Henry Hurlbert, the retiring edi-
tor OF the World, is the handsomest and
courtliesi journalist ia New York. He was
educated for the clergy, and several OF the
hymns in common use are from his pen, but
be found ID at mis- religious belief, or unbelief
did not square with Uuita lsBIsm, and be
never put on the robes Of rector. Nor has he
ever permitted the duties OF an editor TO pre-
clude social diversion. He taGes the time 10
frequent club, he goes 10 the most fashion,
able dinners and receptions, he mainisins
sump.uous bachelor quarter, and he devotes
some of bis extensive acqusintanceshiP TO
stage PEOPLE. Good stories are told OF his
varied social popularity. Here is one: Dion
RoucIcauIt when in this city, lives on q Dor
over Pipard's restaurant in Fifteenth street.
The rooms are extravsgsntly decorated and
furnished, and the food and drink consumed
therein are sept up in the most skillful N an
| ner possibly by the caterer below. One
evening, the ACTOR was 10 have dlned here
with a well-kuown and beautiful actress.
She was informed, on her arrival, that ne
had been pereuptoriIy called out on
busne bat would moi be Dore
than an hour later than the sp
pointed time in returning. She was TO wait
| for him. Nov, she had been told that be
was 10 take dinner siseshere- at the same