The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-25
GLARABELLE'S SUNDAYTALK
Graphic Description of the Ladies' ANA
teur Orchestra in Full Action.
Dr.Dix's Recent Denunciation of the Misdoings
in High Society-After Years Of Neglect
the Plain Girl Comes to Her Own.
IpeeiAl . the 1nalanapolis yo,,rnal


Ladies' Amateur Orchestra, TO which belong
Mayor Hewitt's daughters aad other distinctly
swell bellies. Much speculation was rife as to
the way the girls would handle their instru-
ments, for the rehearsals were strictly private.
and it was only intimate friends who knew who
the players were and what they played. Great
curiosity was manifested as to how a young lady
would operate the slide tronbone, or the bas-
soon, or worse yet. the French horn. But,
lackaday! when q public performance was
given recently it appeared that none of these in
strumsnts was employed in the orchestra It is
essentially string band. but the parts usually
written for the brass and wood wind instruments
are played upon an organ and piano. Another
season will doubtless see the exile of these
commonplace expedients and the substitution Of
clarinets horns, ers.. for several young ladies,
enthusiastic under the influence of the musical
fad, have begun the study of different wind in.
struments. The melodious kettledrums and the
inspiring cymbals now in the practical
repertory of the club, and so far have proved the
main obstacles to professional appearance. It
was indeed interesting to see Miss Janin be-
tween pieces screw up the heads of her big
drums, and rap them gently, and place her she'll
like ear against them to tess the pitch, and then
turn the screws little lower and rap and listen
again; and then turn the screws notch higher
and repeat the experiment. and finally turn her
fair face with discouraged expression towards
Reinhard Schmelz, the conductor and teacher.
who Immediately ran to her aid, and by few
qulcK turns of the screws and hasty tests,
0rlnRs the clumsy instrument to the
desired pitch In playing the drums the girl
had a quite professional air, but she watched
the conductor with unusual eagerness, and
crouched over the drums as she pounded out the
rat-tat-sat in a way that suggested nervous
familiarity with the work. The desired musical
effect, however, was brought every time. The
big bass drum is occasionally brought into play,
and it is a sight worth seeing when fair young
lady, all dressed in white with blue sash, the
uniform of the organization holds the clumsy,
wadded stick poised in air preparatory to a
rythmic thump against t1e much battered
sheepskin And there is unique pictur-
esqusLess in the way Miss f. .Johnstone bangs
the cymbals together. There is especial skill,
even in the of these ancient instruments.
1t is not enough TO bring the surfaces fiat to-
gether they must glide across each other and
the painstaking way IN which the lady rubbed
the discs together showed not only careful in
struction, but painstaking desire TO do exactly
right
In all the orchestra, however, there was no
real awkwardness displayed 1t is recognized
among musicians that only O woman can hold a
violin under her chin with any semblance OF
grace, and while mans bowing is always sug-
gestive OF a lunatic's fit. woman's is snuous
and lovely The players of the stringed instru-
ments, therefore. present very attractive
spectacle as they stand before their racks, for
the amateur orchestra does not deign to use
chairs except in the case OF instruments like
the celos that cannot be played standing. But
when IL comes to an intermisslon when the
inevitable tuning operation 10 resumed, and the
audience is distracted by the discordant scraping
of score of empty ffths the ladies show their
Hewitt and one or two others are fully COM
petent to do their own tuning, but with the
major part of the players tho director has to be
depended upon to take the instrument in hand
and correct the pitch of the strings. This is
not at all derogatory 10 the abilities of tho
organization, for on the whole the critics say
that the ladies play well; but il is bit amusing
to note their earnestness. AS the ladies play
their brows contract. their lips pressed close
together, and their figures sway unconsciousy
in rhythm with their bowing. The young lady
at the bass viol Is perhaps the hardest worker
in the orchestra. Her right arm saws back and
forth with tremendous vigor, and her left
hand goes chasing mp and down the neck
of the big instrument as If clawing
vainly for Jersey skeeter. At the conclusion
of each piece. whether in public performances or
rehearsal the ladies take their volins from
their chins with sigh. and look anxiously at
the conductor to judge from his expression
whether they have done we'll. The liyaliest
kind of discussion ensued after one of the
hearsals just preceding the clubs first public
performance 1t was on very ancient topic
what should they wear2 All kinds of opinions
were ventured from Recommendations that all
appear in full evening dress, to ordinary house
toilets. Expert musical judgment speedily dis
missed the first. because although such dress
exposes more physique than any other, it after
all confines the wearer more forcibly and one
tion. The latter suggestion was dismissed as
altogether too unconventional aud accordingly
a very happy medium was found in the simple
white dress and blue sash which was eventually
adopted.
Real msdoings by ladies ia high society have
just been denounced by the Rev. DR.. Morgan
Dix, the rich and proud rector of fashionable
Trinity Church. and the modish part of town is
in furore about it. In sermon the evils
actly the ladies among whom he associates per-
sonally. His principal accusation, and he
couched it in the strongest imaginable terms,
was that the young daughters of wealth were
trained in softness and luxury, "wth the one
idea of making a figure IN society and a
brilliant marriage; of making the most OF
their physical advantages and alluring the other
sex by acts best adapted for that purpose" He
went so far as to say that low gossip among
these girls WAS enlivened by "broad speeches
aud unclean stories, by which they are prepared
for the final surrender of the last ideas of pro-
priety, and of all faith in the honor and virtue
OF men," He was just as hard as that, too, on
married ladies. whom he accused of inviting
Irritation for themselves. and 'only glad to find
themselves still able to make sentimental con-
quests" His specifications as to improper dress
at balls and the opera and of willful association
with profigates. were astoundingly bold. Had
ell this come from a clergyman who drew five
hun dred dollars year from poor con-
gregation. it would not have been SO astonishing:
but'Dr. Dix is 8 central figure in the very inner
most circles of s'our best society" and he has
shocked all of beyond description. Those
who feel resentful are inclined to ascribe his
aspersions to IN born coldness and asceticism.
Dix remained a bachelor until he was ffty years
old, and was at one time an outspoken advocate
for celibacy for clergyman. He instituted an or
der OF Episeopalian nuns, ami planned ALTHOUGH
he did not organize. an order of bachelor minis
ters. But at length he succumbed 10 usage and
inclination. and took to himself wife from our
Of a rich and respected family. His severe
feminine critics say however, that he remains
bachelor in his instincts; that he has appre-
citation of woman as charming being. and
that he unjustly ascribes the girls innocent en-
deavors toward witchery To g. sinfulness that no
really wide open eyes could possibly discover.
At all events. walk by Dix through Fifth
nue. yesterday afternoon was visibly followed by
reproachful elanees from thu bellies, and by au-
dible remarks OF an uncomplimentary nature.