The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-29
MINOR MENTION.

case is reported from North Carolina. man
was indicted in that State for disturbing re-
lieious worship because he persisted in singing,
Notwithstanding the fact that he put every body
else out He was q member OF the church, and
insisted on his right to sing. On the trial in the
lower court it was shown that his singing made
about one-half the congregation laugh and the
other half angry. It was also shown that che
pastor was so vexed that he declined to give out
any hymns, and that the presiding elder had de-
clined to conduct services in the church at all.
The defendant, when put upon the stand in his
own behalf said he was q conscientious singer,
and that. although he knew his voice WAS not
musical his conscience reprovsd him if he did
not sing every time a church song was raised.
The judge, nevertheless, charged the jury that
it was disturbance of religious services in the
meaning of the act, and the defendant was con-
victed He took an appeal to the Supreme
Court. which has rendered the opinion that,
though conscientious" singer may disturb
others, such disturbance is not indictable Of
tense. The action of the lower court was re-
versed, and the defendants right to sing is guar
anteed by the highest court in the State.
The incident recalls an anecdote concerning
the late Bishop Ames, of the M. E. Church, who
had no ear for music, and could hardly tell one
tune from another. He was. however. con-
scisntiously in favor of singing as part of pub
lie worship and generally tried to keep up with
the tune. On one occasion, when he was doing
his best, with very poor results, there happened
to be in the pulpit with him brother preacher
who was something OF musician and
knew what good singing was After listening
few moments to the Bishops painfully dis
cordant efforts, he leaned over and whispered
Brother Ames, don't think the Lord will hold
you responsible if you don't try to sing"
DURING a recent engagement Of Booth and
Barrett at Baltimore theater their company
reinforced by remarkably intelligent set
Of superb Inquiry elected the fact that
jority of the ine-looking young men appearing
warriors. court attendants, etc. were stu
dents of the Johns Hopkins University Instead
of each paying dollar or two night to see the
play they were paid dollar each for participat-
ing in it. This must have been a great relief to
the audiences. AS general rule the supers
who assume the parts of noble Romans, soldiers
and citizens, look as if they had be captured in
some neighboring coal bin. and dragged onto
the stage without opportunity TO wash their
faces They invariably pigeon-toe and
the puny proportions of their lower limbs be-
token hard fare and little Of 1t Their hands
seem to be in their way, and their
Their helmets generally awry, and
they do not their clothes with classic grace.
If they carry spear they handle it like pitch
fork, and if they bear a lighted torch confa-
grafton is always imminent. They move when
they should stand still, turn to the right when
they should go to the left, and dumb as
oysters when they ought to shout "Long live
the Republic" "Down with tyrants," and things
of that kind These are the characteristics OF
the ordinary super, and it must have been
great relief to see their places filled. as was
done in Baltimore. by young men fresh from
the halls of learning. II great tragedians could
always draw on the colleges for their supers the
work Of elevating the drama would be compare
lively easy. The super is the key to the situa
ton.
WoRsHIPERs of Wagner who live In New
York. or can get to New York. ought to be happy
now. Several of that composers operas are a
continuous series OF in great
mythical drama, and it has hitherto been
the misfortune of the Wagnerian peo-
Pile that they could have the privi-
lege of observing this drama only in de-
tached portions. They made the most of their
opportunities but were not altogether satisfied.
Siegfried," for instance. has been presented dur
in the season at the Metropolitan Opera-house,
but sBrunhiide," the heroine and leading soprano,
does not appear until the final scene Of The
last act, which begins at about Has p NJ, and
the audience feels that it hardly gets its moneys
worth of high notes. This difficulty has, at
last, been overcome to some extent by the pro-
duction on the succeeding evening of ''Dle
Getterd@mmeruug," which begins at that point
in the tragedy where Siegfried leaves off. In it
die G9tterdam," etc., Brunhilde is the cen
trail figure, and is on the stage the most of the
time during the evening. Naturally the Wag-
nerians, who can have their favorite composers
work in connected chapters ON successive
evenings instead of listening to one this
year and another next season. filed with
Joy. Their pleasure, however, viii perhaps only
be complete when arrangement il made for
production of the series in continuous session.
"Siegfried" say. to end at midnight and "Goet-
terdammerung" to begin after an intsrmission
of half an hour for refreshments A relay of
prima donnas would, OF course. have to be pro-
vided. This might be exhaussing to tho ordi-
nary individual, but as the musical enthusiast is
not ordinary, and will never admit that music
tires him, the experiment OF q night of Wagner
which will last till morning is not an impossi-
bility.
MnLBANK, D. T., is in q bad way Not only
is fuel scarce, but there is not pound Of sugar
to be had in the town. The calamitous nature
of this deprivation cannot be realized at once by
the masculine mind. which will pause az the I'M
sweetened matutinal coffee as If that were the
limit; only the housekeeper's imagination can
picture the annoyance. not to say the actual suf-
fering, which would ensue through the elimina-
ton of sugar from the culinary department.
Those persons who fondly fancy that they are
not addicted to sweets because they take no
sugar in their Coffee and eschew cake, would
be the first TO grumole over the unwonted
favor of pies and buildings, fruits and sauces.
and long list Of dishes, including certain veg
etabIes, that go to make up their daily bills OF
fare. If those articles were prepared without the
saccharine Ingredient Civilized man-and