, 1889-06-25
TO HISS, OR NOT?
This Is a Question That Has
Lately Agitated Some.
IN ENGLAND KISSING GOES"

In America. However. the Theatrical Ar
tist. No Matter How Inco~nsequential
Amusement Matters.
To hiss or not to hissf That is the question;
Whether It's better for our nerves To suffer
The blatant rants Of most outrageous players,
Or TO shrek out at their exceeding badness,
And, Kissing. end themf
The question is now agitating all the large
cities Of the United States. The rumor has
often floated over the sea that in England Il
Is the prerogative OF an audience in a theatre
to very distinctly express its disapproval Of
execrahle acting. Why should not the same
rule apply in Amcricai
II you pay for a coat or a beefsteak you
expect 1t TO be worth the price asked for it,
and sentimental considerations will not make
you dainty m your language TO the tailor or
butcher II you are dissatisfied. II you pay
Cor n seat In a theatre and arc tortured all
the evening by the gyratings and mouthlngs
of a company of pulp headed players, is there
any law that compels you TO sit in writhing
agony and allow the meritless play butchers
to imagine that their efforts are making you
delirious with joyI
Not much
Have you not an incontestable right to
give vent to your ~warrantable ire and let
those nerve executioners know that their
proper sphere Is pounding sand or shoveling
fogl
Well, rather.
When a disagreeable man talks frenetically
to you for three hours at n stretch, b~erating
the universe and all its creatures, don't you
feel like taking him by tho scruf Of the neck
and depositing him in an ash barrel-in fact,
hive you not at some time In your life done
tbtu - gnunafbfpU gfuutnF1 II n hnxa not
you should have.
1t is what your natural inclinntions lei
you to do.
Now what right has n theatrical company
TO demand n tribute Of money from you, and
then make a total wreck OF you between
S and II oclockl
None.
And II you are caught in such a position rs
this, 1t is your privilege to work on the
exuberance of your rightful Indignation by
Kissing long and loud in the most grating
and grewsome minor key you can command.
There should be an equality of Justice In all
things II a performance pleases you, II is
your invariable custom to ruin your gloves
and smash tho ferule OF your cane in
expressing your unbounded delight. Why
should not the thing work both waysi
A sroRY OF DEN THOMPSON.
Tho following little story may give some
lnlnH OF m insight mIO Denulhn luOu1pSOnS
character:
Some years ago there was a beautiful
woman and n charming actress. She trav-
eled with Chanfrnu; in fact, she was the at
traction. In California they separated, and
Miss Albertine went to Australia, where,
after appearing for many seasons, she became
blind. Her friends sent her home to Boston,
her birthplace. Ono day Albertine, being
led by an old friend, was on Washington
street, when she was met by Thompson, who
recognized her, and, stepping up to her, saidi
sis Lot this Albortiner'
"Yes, sir; all that Is left Of her. l think l
know that voice; is it not Den Thompson
that l am talking tor
at is said Den.
After n few remarks the actor said to her,
"Give me your address and l will come and
80 you,n at the same time pressing In her
hand n ten dollar bill, which was all he had
with him.
In "A few moments he met John Mccullough
and told him OF the condition OF the poor
blind actress. John instantly said, ~ anr
very busy today, Den; but go and sec her,
and whatever you do 10 assist her | will stand
half
Den called upon Albertine and gave her
800 for present necessities. Next day he
met Mccullough and told him what he had
done, Mccullough drew from his pocket a
$50 bill and handed IL to Den, saying;
Here is my half"
NO" said Den; you go and give her n
hundred.n
II is almost needless to add that John com
piled with ~Thompson's request.
OTTO HEGNER PRODIGY.
Otto Hegner, the musical youth, who is to
be in America from November, 1889, to May,
1890, is nearly a year older than Holman
Q9 and slightly smaller, though more
~rqdhrely set. He Is dressed TO perfection.
Sometimes his concert room behavior is so
. demurely d~ignihed that it is almost comical.
1t is generally stated that Otto Hegner is
Swiss by birth. He was born in Germany.
His parents were E
very poor. When hsA
the boy was O years W
old some visitor to fS
!. |. |. !. |. !. !. !. !. ]. F. |. . !. !. :. !. ]. !. :. . /. :. !. |: !. |. !. J. !. !. !. !. |. !. !. /. . 1
the German village ASSN
discovered his tai + BY
ent for music. He l~ NN
was put under the $N@@
tuition of Franz @ E
Fricker, n pianist In
of local repute, and ~ "
made wonderfully D., n IN
rapid progress- Wlnd, In WM.
When he was s WnHS /N
years old Hans HUI WAEE--
Der, a celebrated Tp4fYH
Swiss p H%
living at Bale, took NANS
charge Of him and "a -
gave him a good
musical education. OTTO HEoNER.
he made him master of techniuue The mo