Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-19
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
A Solemn Day at the Polls-John Gilbert's
Death-Gossip on small Matters.

A Solemn Day at the Polls-John Gilbert's
Death-Gossip on small Matters.
IF all elections were as tame and featureless
affairs as yesterdays there would be a much
larger stay-at-home vote than there is now. At
the time this is written what vote has been cast
is not known. 1t is not safe to say that the
vote generally was light although in such dis
tricts came under my observation it seemed
to be the extreme reverse of heavy. BUTT was
enough to make hustling ward politician weep
to see how calm was the atmosphere around
the polls. No shouting, no pulling and hauling
of voters, no strong breaths to speak OF, and
still less strong language.
All day long, even at some OF the city polling
places, an almost religious quiet reigned.
When it came to the suburban neighborhoods,
the assemblage of voters around the school
house or blacksmiths shop had all the appear
ance of . funeral without the corpse and the
carriages. The only excitement afforded was
when some unfortunate voter, whose name
was not on the register appeared and was put
through more or less enjoyable half-hour of
torture.
Altogether, while this election possessed some
features which insured an expression of the
voters unbiased and untrammeled opinion the
great game of politics would soon cease to
have players If it were governed by such
somniferous conditions.
%x<
THE death of old John Gilbert, the greatest
comedian in old-men parts that America has
produced, will seriously interfere with the plans
of Messrs. Joe jefferson and Billy Florence for
next season. John Gilbert was under contract
to play in the great comedy company which in.
cluded Messrs. Jefferson and Florence. He
was to have taken his famous round of char
acters in "The Rivals" 1.-THE School for
Goo n aud 9TH ra1o ol
1t will be very dificult to find anyone to re-
store the balance of the company, impossible
to absolutely fill Mr.. Gilbert's place. The death
of so esteemed a brother in the profession may
draw Mr.. Jefferson and Mr.. Florence to Boston
on Monday next, when Mr.. Gilbert will be
buried. But it is hardly possible for MIR. Flor
ence to reach Boston in time from his salmon
fishing in Canada. Where Mr.. Jefferson is,
don't know, but probably either at his place, at
Hohokus, N. j., or at his salmon reserve, at
Sklff Lake, Nova Scotia.
xxs
EXPERIMENTS on the phonograph are being
made to a considerable extent in this city, and
some of the results are amusing.
The other night small girl dictated poem
to her brother, and he in turn gave it to the
phonograph. At the end of each line he asked
his small sister: sis that right?' and when the
poem was completed handed the transmitter to
the child. 1t sounded very ludlcrous when she
said "Yes' to the instrument as it repeated the
poem line by line, together with the question,
"ls that r1ghtT'
POEMS on the Johnstown disaster are pro-
lific-Alleged poems, that is to say. As far as
those that have appeared in print up to this
date are concerned the subject seems to have
been above and beyond the poets reach.
1t is the opportunity for new poet of virility
and tragic power to make name for himself
1t has also been the pit into which several
clever poets of the lighter order have unmer-
cifully thrown themselves.
So
IF, as Superintendent Hamilton, of the
Allegheny Parks, has said, the roses Of this
season are phenomenally abundant, 1t has been
my experience also that seldom have these ex-
quisite flowers so soon rotted on their stalks.
The perpetual rain, in one garden that has
been grateful sight to me night and morning,
has destroyed fully 4oper cent of the roses
days before they would have faded and fallen
in reasonably fair weather.