The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-28
A BIAS L'AMERICAINE!
MILE. VAN ZANDT'S ADVENTURE Is
THE FRENCH CAPITAL.
fhe American Sonsssreis Submitted %
Outrageous Treatment-- Scenes in and
About the Opera Comiaue- Tie
Prima D0nRa's Grit.

fARlS, MarcdE lit disturbances which
have marked Mile. Van zendrs engagement
at the Opera Comiqua during the mast week
reached climax Thursday night. when the
trouble almost reached the importance of a
riot The principal mover against the
American songstress is the newspaper Gil
Bias, which has declared its resolve TO hiss
her off the Partisan stage.
The first indication Of what was 10 follow
was the congregation of several hundred
students who forme | in line ana marched to
The theatre, gathering strength as they
went When they roacSed their destination
they first announced themselves by shout
ing, singing and hooting, their principal OBJ
lects of attack being NM. Carvalho aud
Gommeux, who are in the directory and who
have endeayored to step the Kissing and
dsher signs Of disapprobaation given during
lh3 performance.
Frequent shouts of "Resiynl Down with
Carvaiho! Down with the Gommeux, Down
With Van Zandtl' rent the air and set the
windows rafting. Growing weary of this.
the students presently formed serried
line, pushed way through the place
and made a determined rush at tie
theatre door, hoping to take the house by
storm. They were met and repulsed by q
eommissaira lie police, backed by detach-
meat Of armored guards, who were soon re-
iR;orced by a body of police. The hand-ta-
hand struggle lasted some minutes, but the
rioters wore acknowledgement back
Meanwhile Nile. Van Zandt, who had
driven up to the side door, had dressed and
was just stepping on the stage to sing the
opening prayer OF "Lakme." The house
was fun in every corner. The CoIntesse
de Pourtales sat in stage box
facing MN. Dumas and Carvalho, who
occupied Il baignoire. The orchestra was
filed with critics and musicians, while the
wealth anil beauty Of Paris adorned the
boxes. The general feeling was strongly IA
vorable 10 Mile. Van Zandt but it soon be-
came evident that a desperate attempt
would be made to crush her. A small
but determined gang had come provided
with whistles. AS soon as Lakme's prayer
died away there was a yolley of
catcallS and Kisses The manifestations
were replied to by counter manifestations.
The cieors soon downed the Kisses, but they
began again whenever Mile. Van Eandt sang,
and the theatre at moments was more like
Clarendon mad house than a temple OF
music. The gentlemen in the boxes shouted
defiance at the gentlemen in stalls and the
gentlemen in the pnrterre defed the gallery.
In several case, words LED to blows
A woman who afterwards said she was gu
actress from the varieties was so beside her.
self with Indignation at the cruelty shown t.
the prlma donna that sho cried:
at is an infamous cabal, gotten up by The
Gil Blas"
who said that37 shriaked back a fronzied
member Of The Gil Bias staff.
81 did, 'repiied tie lady, amid roars of ap
| pla,lsa 1t looked for an instant as if She
would have challenged the cahaler,
All this time the students outside were
| choruSing "Le VOLTA Cary aiho o, O, or
Snatcass of their song were waftod in every
! now and then, and intensified the frenzy O
he cabaL
Mile Van zandt's attitude throughout tht
| ordeal was dauntless. Except for momen
at the first Kisses she never ilnched, trem
| bled or broke down Her voice was stead,
and purar than pernnws it had ever been
| and she sang tine love duo in the first act :,
| fauItiessly that she wCs Obliged to repeat it
| She was called before the curtain after
| every act, the whole audience rising re
| peatediy and cheering till it was hoarse. A
5he close Of the opera she was twice recalled
and was SO overcome with pleasure and ez
element that she could hardly totter fer
ward On Gerald's arm to bow her thanks
As she was driven away with her mother
crowd got round the carriage and mobile,
her. z she managed to escape bodily violence
| however.
Att late hour at night the boulevard
were still thronged with rioters and student
masking night hiieous to the tune Of "Fsi
dodo CaTvalho" ard ether irreverent song.
| The police have made a number Of arrests.
Miss Van Xandt has written a letter t. to
Irectr Of tie Opera Conique saying ST.
Will not sing in Paris any more.