The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-06-12
SELECT STORY.
A GEORGIAN AT TIE OPERA,


est, and by the help of my friend Bob
Tompkins saw all there was to see.
1t will always be Twin, CROWN con-
ISOLATION TO me that thar wasn't mon
key nor none that acted like em land
plenty thar was which for antics aud
foolery you couldn't tell from the fool
blooded animaD that didn't see by
the help of Bob. What's that You
say you bet l didn't see the Opery 7
You bet did.
What Opery did | see ! | see the
Opery cf the Bohemian Gal. How
did like it =? Well, / liked it pretty
tolerblc, not out and out; the fac. is
they spilled it by overdoin' the singln'
part. You know yourself the way to
spile thing is to overdo it, and that's
jest what they does in the Opery. They
overdoes it. The flddin and drum
min is fine. The actin is beautiful,
and the rooms is fixed up splendid; but
the singin' is overdone. But | am
maxim transgression, as the preach
ers say.
You see, l went to New York on a
sight-seein' expcrdlion | had made
fine cotton crop, and my wife said she
would go and stay at her mothers with
the baby, and could go and see the
world; so went right to New York,
and saw it. Bob he stuck to me, and
he put me right through. Well, l
thought must have seen everything
that was to be seen, and | was tired,
and could 90 home with clar con-
science, when Bob come to me and
sez,
ola, Jack l like to let you go
home without seein' the best thing in
New York"
whats that p sez I, surprised, not
to say discouraged.
"Why, it's the Opery of the Bohe-
mian Gal. tell you she's beautiful,
she W sez Bob.
"Now look here, Bob Tompkins,"
sez l, 'I'm married man, and I'm 60
in back to my wife able TO answer any
question she may put without shirkin',
and l amt goin' to see no gal, however
beautiful, be she Bohemian or be she
Dutch"
We'll, Bob at that commenced rollin'
round and laughin' and screechin' like
he had fit of some kind. see l had
made mistake, and l was slightly
afraid ! had looked green, which, on
account of the State of Georgy, which
l was representa-, didn't like to do,
so l thought round in rapid way and
remembered that had heard of op-
cry cap, and l supposed my error was
jest thar, so l said in stra.egem way,
tryin' to laugh like Bob did, and so
make him think l had intended a joke
all the time:
"Well Bob, I'm glad to see You can
take joke; tain't every man can but,
jokin aside, who is this here Bohemian
gal, and what colored Opery has she
got ?"
At that Bob lost his breath laughin
and the tears fairly rolled down his
cheeks. Then got mad, which any
man would have done under like cir
cumstances. Sez l:
"Bob Tompkins, if you don't stop
skirmishin' round thar like a monkey,
and tell me what under heaven you're
maxim fool of yourself about, I'll up
and knock you inter the middle of next
week."
Well, Bob drawed up when he found
my feelins was hurt, and said, while he
was wipin' his eyes
Oh, Jack you blade Of grass, you
Barnum ought to have you for a cir
Gus; you'd dror sure. A Opery is 6
play-actin' thing set to music, and the
Bohemian Gal is the name of the OPP
cry, jest like oh, Susanna and 'My
Mary Ann
"Well, why couldn't you say so al
first" seq I, without maxim a fool o.
yourself p
Bob he apologized, and we shool
hands and made up, and l asked hin
to 60 to the Opery with me and
would stand treat; but he said he hat
an engagement, and | must excuse him
Then | asked him whar | was to go
He said to the Academy of Music. Sc.
[: "Ef this here show is school show
| will not go; have had enough, il
my life, of children exhibitin', and as
haven't got no New York stock in tha
line, neither duty nor pleasure will draw
me-"
Bob like to bust out larfn agin, bu
choked it back with such power tina
he rlsked apoplexy.
''Oh, Jack, sez he, it amt no school
they is Italien men and women, an,
you won't understand what they see
unless you read library before yo'
CO."
"Thar it is agin," sez / 'read Ii
brary Why don't you tell me t.
build house in five minutes ? How
ly big is your library l amt so muc)
al readin', anyhow"
Bob choked agin, but didn't say
word; jest went TO book stall an
bought pamphlet, which il locke
like tract about as big as "Allen'
Alarm to the Unconverted, and he toll
y me to take it home and read it, an
2 that was the story they was goin' I
~ sing at the Opery. And it's well | di
read the American side of it, for of a
the foolish gibberish that Italien take
the lead.
- After l had eat my supper went o.
$ to the Academy of Music, and thar wa
: the ticket man settin up in his stov
box, and he sez, "You want ticke
sir T.
Sez !, "That's about what | com
for" l was very dignified, cause l ha
Georgy on my shoulders, and dete
mined to be honor to my State, an
above all things not to look green.
spose the ticket man thought wa
pretty stuck up, for he sez, as impe
dent as you please,
"Will you have a cheer or box 7"
Ef could have got at him woul
have knocked him down then and tina
but not bein' able, used my sarcast
vain on him and said, 'I'd have yo
for to know, sir, am gentleman fro
the State of Georgy, and we sets c
cheers down thar, and leaves the bol
es to the people from New York