The Wilmingtonian., 1884-08-02
THE READING sRNGERFEsT.
FOR THE wILMINeToNIAN

l -
lares and penates around him, when the
WILMiNeToNIAN musical critic called in to
ask for an item about the Sengerfest to be
held ON the following Tuesday. 1t was
Sunday afternoon, and the professor was
due at Grace Church Sunday school in hall
an hour.
"You will go of course" said the genial
leader, as he Strengthened himself up and,
metaphorically speaking, took flying leap
from the land of dreams Into the land OF
pretzels and kartoffeline. 81 shall see you in
Reading, and we can talk it all over. at
will be big thing-quite a big ing
The visitor hesitated moment, rejecting
whether twenty-five paragraph or a two
column special would meet the case. Fin
ally he decided on the SPECIAL.
Tuesday in Reading in the rain; the nim-
bus clouds fringing Mount Penn and the
heights of Neversink. Damp, dripping BAN
ners, a forest of umbrellas making the
stree 8 look from above like vast mushroom
bed ; perspiring bandsmen, husky voices
maledictions against Devoe and weather
prophets generally. Such were the entries in
the note book of the critic twenty minutes
after his arrival. The prospects on the
opening day were gloomy.
But nothing could damp the enthusiasm
of the music loving Dutchman who crowded
the halls and corridors of the hotels Pro-
fessor Rhoads was soon found at the Union
House, with his deputation from the Sanger-
bund of Wilmington gathered around him.
One or two members had yet to put in an
appearance, but tue double -quartette was
represented as follows First tenors-
George B. Metzner and Gus. H. Georgi /;
second tenors Peter Elmer and FL. Zimmer-
man first basses Anthon Hauber and
Charles Yetter second BASES Fred We'll Jr
and Raymond Beyerline. Messrs E. P. Freye
and J. D. Kurtz (accompanist) were to
| arrive on the morrow.
The Wilmington delegation were not
booked for part in the concert, but respond
ed to complimentary invitation. During
the afternoon they gave an impromptu
performance, which was strongly COM
mended by the leader of the New York
delegation, special praise being bestowed on
the slight and shade" and the good articu-
lation displayed by the singers.
The afternoon rehearsal closed about
8 p. m and the sweet singers from Lancas-
ter, Wilksbarre, Philadelphia, Baltimore
and New York, Joined their breth ren of
Reading in libations to the god Gambrinus,
| for simple candor compels the fair confess
sion that lager beer reigns supreme in the
Berkshire town. Not to drink lager beer
| is not to appreciate the joys of existence.
The children drink it the women drink it
the men regard it as the summum bonum
of earthly happiness. And so the singers
made merry after their own fashion no
noise, no quarreling, no drunkenness-fo
had not these men, one and all mighty task
before them 10 the evening?
There are different ideas of what consti-
tutes agreeable relaxation or amusement.
In Reading the Germans have given the sub
iaot tha a4f
devote to a state issue. They very properly
despise the childish surprise party and the
thinly disguised gambling device known as
| a church fair. To them the essentials are
good music, perfect sociabiity and liberty
to go dressed as they please Every road
out of Reading passes a pleasure garden,
tastefully laid out, where the citi zens con-
gregate, week day and Sunday alike, to
inhale the cool breeze from the mountains
and-well, to imbibe lager beer. The City
Park Hotel on Perkiomen Avenue is an
example of this class of resorts, and we may
be assured it was not forgotten by the visi-
| tors.
Another spot, much favored by all visitors
is the Tropical Garden on Penn street above
| Eighth. 1t is most respectfully conducted
is open summer and winter, it is lighted by
\ eight electric lamps and cost over $50, 600.
| In effect it is a gigantic ice cream saloon,
and visitors can enjoy the music of the band
| and the beauties of the conservatory for
| ten cent plate of ice cream-no more.
The supper BELLS began to ring merriy in
the hotels at p. m. and the singers speed
lily disappeared into the back room, from
which clattering of knives, forks and
plates Immediately issued. The meal dis
patched, there was brief appeal to the su-
perior court of pipes and cigars, and then
rush to the Academy of Music where the
performance was to take place at p m.
The writer sat on the piazza of the Keystone
Hotel and watched the spectacle The
rain began to fall quite sharply, but the
musicians needed it not. The seventy seven
electric lamps furnished by the city of
Reading lit up the splashy streets, putting
| the best possible complexion on thinps "a