Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-20
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
The Fate of a Butterfiy-The Great May
Festival ChOrus-A Howl and Flshy

The Fate of a Butterfy-The Great May
Festival ChOrus-A Howl and a Flshy
Excuse.
A LEADING photographer showed me yes
terday portrait of the Englishman, Sydney
Walters. who committed suicide in-Chicago on
Wednesday last. The face looked very familiar,
for Walters was fond of exhibiting himself in
prominent public places. He was rather
handsome man, with a blonde mustache, and
what hair he had was of the same color. He
affected an air of terrific swellishness; wore
clothing Just on the border OF loudness by day
and donned clawhammer and corrugated
dress shirt at the smallest provocation in the
evening. He was also fond of button-hole bou-
quets; and those who knew him when he was
here say that his appetite for champagne was
amazing.
The character of the man is clear enough in
the photograph of him that was shown to me
yesterday. The picture presents the man in
flamboyant, full dress; the immense expanse of
shirt bosom dotted over with small knobs and
the low cut vest of some light material. The
bouquet and the swell swagger are also notice.
able. In just such guise he was the cynosure
of Bijou Theatre audiences eyes one night
last winter when he occupied box with a re-
markably pretty woman in quaint lowered
gown.
1t is sad end to such butterfly career, but
what else could be expected?
So
The weather may be oddly hot,
But we who stay at home are
Still free to thank our stars we're not
In torrid Oklahoma!
~
THE chorus which is to sing in the May Fes-
tival is making nice progress, so Mr.. Carl Ret
ter, Mr. Locke and others competent to judge
declare. The rehearsals of this chorus which
originally reached the somewhat unwieldy total
of 45O, but is not likely to number more than
$50 voices by the time the festival comes of,
have been taking place on Thursday evenings
at the Fifth Avenue Methodist Church. Hence
forth the rehearsals will be held bi-weekly, on
Monday and Thursday nights.
A chorus as large as this at the COM
mencement always needs pruning before it can
acquire its proper value. The singers who
drop off because they are not competent or find
the work of rehearsals more onerous than they
had bargaiDed for, are usually many in number.
1t seems altogether likely that Mr.. Carl Retter
Will have a very fine chorus in shape before
May 21 comes around.
By the way, some people seem to have doubts
of the exposition building being ready tor the
May festival. There is no need for any fears
on this score / am informed by Secretary
baDcnelor OF the EXpOSltlon Society,"
80
The blossoms frost the orchard trees,
The streams contract their channels
And husbands doubt their wives DEGREES
To keep on winter lannels.
*x*
CONCERNING the chorus rehearsals in the
Fifth Avenue Methodist Church, queer little
incident occurred shortly after they had been
begun.
young man who has to labor on certain nights
in the week in a building nightly close the
"Old Home" as the First Methodist Protestant
Church is often called, happened to be talking
to a young woman who goes in good deal for
singing and the young man said: Choral sing
ing is all very well in its way, but do wish some
energetic singers, several hundred Of them I
judge, would not howl in my hearing every
Thursday night of the week. They bother all
of u.s."
Where do they howl?' asked the fair
singer.
"Oh, in the Methodist church Just back of
us-you ought to hear themI
81 do hear them," replied the young woman,
with grim smile, "Im one of the howlers?'
#x#
When lovely woman-no, not that!
'Tis not to folly that she stopped
But just to stroke a friendly cat
We knew her dress was ''hooped.r
-"
A WORTHY priest in a suburban neighbor.
hood met one of his parishioners early yester-
day morning walking toward the church.
''Pm glad to see you're going to church this
morning, Michael" said the good man.
"Sorra' a bit, yer reverence" replied Michael
honestly "rm goin' a 6shin."
Don't you know what day it is, Michael?'
That's it, yer reverence, and me ould woman
says we must have fish for dinner or we'll never
get to the good placer