St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-12
AN OPERATIC SUCCESS.
The Great Festival at Chicago At
tracing Large Audiences and Ex-
citing Great Enthusiasm.
The Hard Lot Of the Newspaper Men Who Sill
Up Nights Waiting for the Death Of
Gen. Grant.
The Peculiar Superstitions Of Gamblers in
Regard to Money Won at Times Of
Public Calamity.

CHICAGO, April 1O.-The one absorbing
topic OF interest is the opera festival
Although the seating capacity of th'
hall is but 6,200, the attendance at TIT
four performances thus far given ha
aggregated $31, 900 paid admissions. no les
than 5000 persons being present to hear th,
wonderful Patti last night. The usual troubl,
with his stars and Mapleson is VIGOROUSLY
at swords points with every person to whom
he pays asalary-commenced early in thu
season, and the public do not know how
nearly they missed seeing Nevada on We'd
nesday night. The curtain did not ring W
until $50, and when asked as to the cause
of the delay Col. Maplesou murmured some
thing about the sudden illness of Mile. Nevada
But Miss Nevada appeared on the scene
shortly after, announcing herself in first-rate
voice and excellent spirits, anG
her instantaneous success and hearty
reception from the monster audience proved
the truth of the assertion. Nevadas eyes
cleaned triumphantly, but the colonel seemed
depressed. The fact was that he had beer
worsted in dispute over money matters
with his junior star. When Mapleson coaxeG
Mile. Nevada from Paris he agreed to pay
her 81. 900 for every performance. Aftel
singing in New York for some time and no
making the furore that he had expected
Mapleson coolly informed Miss Nevada that
he would pay her only $500 night. Owing
TO the impossibility of getting another en-
gagement at the time, Mile. Nevada sub
mitted to the colonePs dictum for the time
But on arriving at San Francisco and
MAKING SUCH MARKED SUCCESS,
the young lady demanded that her contrac
be fulfilled. Mapleson demurred, and Ne
vada refused to sing. The public declined
to swallow the stories about the prims
donna's illness, and denounced the colone
for failing to bring Nevada to the footlights
Mapleson, obliged to give in, restored thu
salary of $1,000 night, and Nevada de
lighted large audiences. On her arrival a
Chicago she was given to understand tha
she was to receive but $500 night. Sht
neither accepted nor demurred. But few
hours before the time she was to make he
debut before Chicago audience, she sen
word to Col. Mapleson that she desired to SET
him, aud
WHEN HE STOOD IN HER PRESENCE
she quietly but very firmly told hin
that she expected $1,000 a night spot
cash, before she would dress for the perform
ance. He pleaded poverty and other subter
fuges, but the singer was firm. The oper.
festival committee was sent for, but its mem
| bers declined to interfere, also refusing Il
make Miss Nevada sick on paper ant
change the BILL So the colonel had to civ,
in and Miss Nevada received $1,000 befor,
she went to the theater.
Nevada had trouble too at the Palme
house. Because she couldn't have room sh,
wanted she 1ounced over to the Crane
Pacific, where she occupies a suite of rooms
on the floor above Patti. You never hear O
such frills on the part of Patti. She's tn,
greatest little woman in the world She's a
happy as lark, always contented, gets tn,
best that is to be had and says that is good
enough for me- She is liberal to fault. AL
the hotel people, from landlord to porter,
ADMIRE HER WITHOUT STINT,
and she is the most welcome of all their pub
lie guests We all know that Patti is
genius and that she is clever in every rela
ton in life, and that's why people pay goo(
money so freely whenever she is announced
She is pre-eminently the prima donna WHIT
never disappoints.
Gen. Grants prolonged illness has beer
very wearing on one class of citizens, anC
without wishing the old commander an,
harm one and all most heartily desire ter
mination of the long agony of suspense.
refer to the newspaper men. For more thar
two weeks every morning daily IN the cit,
has held a force Of printers, telegraph ope
rators and an editor or so OH hand. awaitin!
possible emergency, until the early edi
tons of the afternoon papers make their ap
pearance on the streets. | know one nigh
editor who has not left bis Office before II
O'Clock in the morning since Gen. Grant
illness,
ASSUMED SUCH An ALARMING TURN.
The waiting, knowing the patient canno
recover, the long suspense, has not had
soothing effect on the late watchers nerves
| and they one and all heartily wish that deatl
would come and end all. This sounds rathe
cold-blooded, but it is not, and If Gen Gran
should regain his strength none would re
joice more heartily than these same hard
worked boys who are now anxiously expect
ing his death. And they will feel amply re
warded if when death does come it will b,
too late for the evening papers to handle.
''Does the condition of Gen. Grant hav,
any effect on the sporting fraternityi" wa
/ asked of q well-known sporting man th,
other day: He said 1t did 'sGam blers. ,
said he, ''sre always superstitious any way
The other night while a game was going or
in Clark street house somebody came in anC
said there was report that Grant was dead
/ You ought to have seen some of them droI
their chips, push back their chairs and
REFUSE TO BET ANOTHER DOLLAR
until they knew whether there was any trutl
in the report. l don't suppose you would
believe it, but there are some of the boy,
who wouldn't play bank during Passion week
and know few who never play during
Lent. believe if We should get the new:
here some night that Grant was dead tn,
door wouldn't be big enough for some O.
them to get out at.
Ibid you ever hear of Jew Nose, gam bic
who died at the Walton house a few year:
ag0i His weakness was horse-racing. anC
there are few courses in the country that b:
was not familiar with. Talk about gambler
being superstitious-wellh he took the cake
when Lincoln was shot Nose was down Souti
at horse-race, and when the news came h,
had just won $500 on q favorite he
took that winning and made
present OF it TO Sisters OF Charity school
They didn't know where 1t came from. O.
from whom, but Nose used to say wher
talking about it afterward that he woulS
have been stricken blind, or some other ter
rible visitation sent upon him, if he haC
kept money won on day when such deeC
was done.n
COMING MUSICAL EVENTS.
Chicago Is to have plenty of good musi
this summer. c. d. Hess and Manage
Hamlin of the Grand opera house are (,
conduct q series of spectacular operas in tn
mammoth hall now used BY the opera fes
tivsl. McCsul's Opera company open at tn,
Columbia for 3 six weeks season about III
middle Of MAY. The Princess Opera com
pany, = pew organization, has already com
menced q long summer season in Englisl
opera OF the higher class, Will
the Bijuu company VIII continue presentin!
light opera throughout the summer months
Theodore Thomas viii spend at least 81,
Hnaks IL, The ctr. nneuinr atcS.rt the 1 = q