The Portland daily press., 1886-11-25
NOVELTY IN THE CHORUS.
Delightful Surprise for one OF the
Boston Ideals.

Col. William II. Foster, the manager Of
the Boston Ideals, tells us, says the Chicago
News, that his principals do not cost him so
much worry and yexation as his chorus girls
do. 1T is admitted" said he, that my
chorus girls are the prettiest on the operate
stage this year. 1 selected them with great
care, and made these three conditions the
basis upon which that selection was made /:
First. each candidate had to be under 10
years Of age; second, each had 10 weigh
over 100 pounds and less than 100 pounds /:
third, each had to agree to subslst on the
diet prescribed by me. / have eleven girls
In my chorus, and | venture 10 say they are
the cream and flower Of New England
beauty. suffer them TO eat but three
meals day; their breakfasts consist Of
hulled corn or oatmeal, rare beefsteak and
graham bread. For dinner they eat boiled
mutton with boiled potatoes and Hubbard
squash. or corned beef and cabbage, or pork
and beans, and their only dessert Is pump
KIN pie or apple pie. Their suppers consist
Of smoked halibut, dried beef, graham
bread, dried apple sauce, cold doughnuts
and cookies. | watch them all the time, lest
some foolish admirer sends them candy
or fruit, two goddess luxuTies which never
cOuntenance. The consequence Of my jeal-
Gus care Is that my chorus girls are plump,
rosy and vigorous, the paragons of girlsh
beauty. shall never forget the scene that
took place the night we opened the season In
Syracuse, n. Y. Barnabee came of the
stage after the first act, looking like boy Of
19; his eyes we're afire, his cheeks were
flashed. his step was bounding, and Joyous
smile wreathed his face.
"ln heavens name, Foster" said he. show
can ever thank y0u-hOw can / express to
you my gratitude for the inestimable boon
you have conferred upon me?"
What do you mean P" asked, aghast, for
his unusual excitement alarmed me.
Look at me-" said he; "scrutinize me
closely and search me we'll | am an old
man; age has frosted my sparse locks chilled
my blood and traced furr0ws IN my cheeks.
For twenty.three years | have been identi-
fed with this Boston Ideal Company, and
for twenty-three years have / groped INV
way. around among the sphinxes, the
obelisks, the iyy-mantled towers and the
grand old ruins of ancient female history.
so Injured had become TO this hardship that
1t came like second nature to me to weave
my arms about relics and to sing impassioned
sonnets In the dull cold ears of survivors of
the sllurlan epoch. Tonight, however, when
L clasped in my embrace, in view of an en-
thusiastic public, the female to whom my
serenade had been addressed, found her
not the messy "Reminiscences 1 expected, but
living, breathing, palpitating girl, with rose
bud lips and peachy cheeks. Instantly /
experienced a blissfHl change percolating
through my being. For twenty-three years
l had felt like government mule hauling
load of pig iron. but now feel like a two
year-old colt behind a band Of music. Don't
you think, Foster. that Mcdonald needs
rest? l believe would like to sing his roles
forthe balance of the season."
Dnli<i~ al I,e<xn-<tox L. &L1 e~L~~a-