Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-03-20
ABBEY'S ITALIANS.
But Fifteen Persons in the Conn
pany Who Speak English.
How tho Italian Chorus Manages to
Find Board and Lodginx---A
SAse OF Intentionally
COndu uct~
rCincfnnati Times.Star Interview.l

C1nC1nnatl IlmeS-SCar lntervloW.
During the past week a representative Of
this paper called on Miss Keenan,, chorus
singer stopping at the Queen City hotel
Aftor few preliminary remarks the reporter
began the pumping business, Of which the
following is a condensed account:
"Mss keenan,, how many people Of Abbeys
company do you think are conversant in the
English tonguel"
"Well, should judge about fifteen. There
are others, natives Of European countries,
who speak English with difficulty, but the
fifteen have mentioned are from New York,
and, Of course, speak fuently."
'-But what about the Italian chorus girls"
ut is most remarkable with these people,"
responded Miss Keenan,, with a smile which
at first puzzled the scribe very much, but
soon discovered that it was justifable. 1They
always manage to find a home, and a very
cheap one, too When we arrived here Mon
day morning at 8 o'clock, it was raining
very hard, and Mr.. De Rialp tthe chorus
MASTER you know was down in his rubber
coat awaiting US at the depot for be is &C
quainted with the 'wanderings' Of the
Italians, and advised US 10 remain in the cars
till morning.
"Some of the American singers won't to the
hotels, but the Italians stayed in the train.
Early in the morning the wandering expedi-
ton commenced, and in pairs or groups they
left the depot. don't know where all settled
at last, but two of them were walking around
the entire day from street to street. and
visited every house where rooms for
rent was visible. They do not speak Eng
lish at all, but can say, however, How
muchf and when asked moro than they wish
to give, they can easily answer TOO much
When the Italian enters such house, his
greetings, introduction and his final
business are all in the single shape Of how
muchr Three dollars per week. Is
tho reply. NO, no: too much, too
much, and the statement is seconded by the
shaking of the head. Two and half, and
again the same acting is being transacted.
Unless they can get the room for IS per
week for two Of them they make their way
toward a different house. And thus the
whole blessed day is spent in pricing rooms.
Some, however, on their first arrival in a
city form tho acquaintance Of some Italian
--'bananas good cheap bananas man-or
some Italian restaurant keeper and are thus
facilitated in finding home for week"
"What about their meals"
"They cook themselves, but eat dinner at
some restaurant. They are very fond Of
chickons and when they provide themselves
with food for travelling each one Is sure to
have a chicken or two, aud few bottles OF
wine besides. They drink wine very much
and like it. They are used to it at home,
and it seems that they could not do with
out it,"
"Have you any idea where most Of them
are stoppingP
"A great many of them are at Vogols, op.
posite the Music hall, and very many are on
Grant street, near the Music hail.
care they social amongst the. .nselves"
"To great extent, But they are mostly
in groups, so to speak. The men, however,
are so different from the American. They
are not all obliging. This reminds me of
little incident that occurred on our trip from
St Louis to Cincinnati The chorus has two
cars, one for the men and the other for the
women. As soon as the men arrived at the
depot they will enter the cars and examine
the best seats, and will make themselves Us
comfortable as possible, irrespective whether
the car be for them or the women. Some of
them 10 in one cor, and some in tho other.
The first thing they do then, is to light their
pipes, which fill the apartment with
smoke and heavy atmosphere. OF
course the ladies complained, and asked
them if they would not go into tho other car,
as they could not stand the smoke But no
attention was paid to either request. At
last Mr.. Matthews, the t! !easurer, entered,
and said that all those who desired to smoke
should go into the other car Let the women
70 out was the unanimous response. He
threatened to fire them, but that availed
nothing"
MIR. Matthews then went into the other car,
where the same was going on, and requested
those smokers to go into the next car, rs those
already there will not so into this ono.
ave don't want to leave, lot them come to us"
was spoken in their Italian dialect by dozen
men, who kept on putting their pipes to their
hearts content, not caring a straw for their
lady comrades"
DO you associate much with them1'
"To some e1tcnt. l often make inquiries for
them beforehand at some Of tho boarding
houses have been on the stage now for
some time, and, of course, had some expert
ence"