The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-11-16

which I forget. The only box he could
let us have was high up and seated six
persons, but by paying for the six we
three were to have a monopoly of it.
He again apd again impressed on me
that the moment the child began to cry
1 was to take her out, which solmenly
promised to do.
..It's all right" 1 said, as 1 came to
my family waiting at the door. ''He is
convinced now that she is older than
she looks"
".How much more elder art thou
than thy looks, Miss Portia? Are you
glad, pet?" asked her mother.
Glad? Well, 1 should say she was!
Something out of the ordinary was in
store for her, and she didn't care wheth-
er it was balloon or new. doll. So
she skipped along, the happiest baby in
Paris that day.
The Grand Opera House was in a
blaze of electricity as we went up its
massive stone steps and into the daz-
zling hall at the foot of the great mar.
BILE staircase. The man at the foot de-
INJURED at the smallness of our cOmrade,
but it was so nominated in the bond,
and growing a little he let US pass. Up
the marble stair we went, under the
great pendant globe of fire. whose burn
ing RAYS were shot back in a million
scintillations by mirrors. pillars and pa
ished 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 giittering floor. 1t was daz.
zling palace of light. picture of the
most lavish splcndor. When we reached
our altitude we found ourselves outside
of the amphitheater of closed doors,
each door having a number and little
window on it. On benches around this
semicircle sat women with white caps
and white aprons. 1 gave our numbers
to one and she called for the proper
person, who, selecting thin key from
her girdle, thrust it into the little stat
and opened the door.
''Oh, papa" cried Tot, "what a nice
little room"
Yes. dear, but you mustn't shout
so loud"
"Will we sleep here, papa?" was the
next inquiry, in stage whisper.
Perhaps you will. There's nice
sofa to sleep on"
l arranged three of the chairs at the
front of the long, narrow box, and SCI
the other three back, out of the way,
while the little woman held up her chin
to have her bonnet united, and when
bonnet and cloak were hung up she
took her place on the middle chair and
folded her hands demurely on her lap,
the model of propriety.
The opera was to be "Robert le
Diable." The immense auditorium
was in that mysterious half light which
to theater-lovers is SO pleasant and sug.
gestive of enjoyment to come. The
semi-gloom always adds to the ap.
parent size of the theater, and the sud
den flash up into MONDAY light, to.
gether with the crash of the orchestra,
that generally accompanies it, is as ex.
hilarating as wine to the confirmed
opera-goer. The interior of the Paris
Opera-House is not the largest in the
world, but it is certainly the most
splendid. The sweeping curves that
rise tier above tier are very beautiful,
and the decorations, if trifie gaudy,
are bewildering in their richness.
As the light flashed up the Tourist
gave a scream of delight, which she in.
stantly checked by placing both hand:
over her mouth, looking up at me with
roguish laughter in her eyes, and ther
seeing me look serious said:
"I'll be good, papa"
"All right" 1 replied, "see thai
you are. If you notice anything un
usual, whisper about it. DOM
scream"
In soft voice she answered: "I'l
be real quiet and not - with s
shriek( "Oh papa!! Oh, mamma
look! look !r'
The curtain was going up, and 1 sup
pose she thought the whole side of .ht
house was disappearing.
This is getting embarrassing"
said. 81 didn't count on enthusiasm
l thought it was only crying we had t.
guard against"
"Oh, she's excited now. She'll sool
quiet down; besides, there's so mucl
talking and noise that they don't notic'
her" $500.
..Yes, and she screams in English
too. l hadn't thought of that"
Looking over the red. plush brink o
the precipice could see down the aw
full chasm, the bottom of which wa
paved with heads-red, black, yellow
white, gray, and here and there shin
ing oasis. As the opera proceeded
noticed feature that l often had rea'
about but never quite believed-th
clague. On the division next to US, il
what would be called the pit in an En-
glish theater, sat an energetic. bald
headed little man. At special times
chosen with great Judgment this littl
man would raise his hands to the leve
of his face and give couple of pats
Instantly the twelve OF fourteen mel
on each side of him, occupying part
the row he was on and part of the mex
one back, would vigorously applaud
and a sort of echo composed of tn
same number on the other side of tn
house but without leader took up tn
noise and continued it till the othe
gang stopped. There was nothing I'M
derhand about it. The leader quit
osteutatiously waved his hand on thi
side and on that when he wante
silence, Just as the leader of an orche:
ira would do, and the stopping of tn
applause was immediate. During a
the evening no one else applauded br
that little mob. People seemed to b
afraid of being taken for claquers.
was most stupid way of doing thing.
When l go into that business wi
scatter my men around the house. Civ
them their cues and have the applaus
come up spontaneously from all SCI
tions.
At the end of the first act nearl