Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-24
HOW SHAW WHISTLED
A Splendid Audience Goes to Wei
Come the Musical Company Of
THE FAMOUS WHISTLING WOMAN.
Mrs. Shaw Delights Everybody, Including
Her Former Hubby.
SOME INNOVATIONS THAT CAUGHT ON.

There was large and evidently clever
audience in Lafayette Hall last night to
greet the famous whistling prima donna,
Mrs. Alice Shaw, with her concert company.
She was brought here by the Press Club,
! and as all of their attractions have been of
uniform high order, so the audience has
always presented the uniform appearance of
well-dressed, interested and bright people.
Of those who were there, however, prob
ably not half dozen knew there was little
drama being enacted not down on the bills,
little side show that was not advertised.
The large gentleman in the front row of
the balcony; the large gentleman with white
side whiskers and forid face, in fact, the
large gentleman who looked the perfect
type of hale and hearty English landlord
was the divorced husband of Mrs. Shaw,
and he had come to see her for the first time
since the sad event. He was as nervous as
girl.
ALITTLE NATURAL VANITY.
He laughed and joked with companion,
though now and then, in spite of his as
sumed carelessness, hand would OCCASION
ally wander up to primp his white hair, or
more neatly to adjust his side-whiskers. He
held an opera-glass in his hand, and how he
did polish that glass up, and adjust the TO
Gus, the more perfectly to see the handsome
Mrs. Shaw, that used to have been.
After Mr.. f. V. Downey pleased the
audience with tarantelle, Miss Ollie Tor
bett, $Seautiful blonde vision in white.
with the base of a sweet violin comfortably
tucked under her chin, delighted all by her
clever melodious playing, and especially by
the unlocked for vim with which she
handled the bow; then, too, she had master
accompanist. The young lady also had such
pleased welcoming smile every time she was
called be ore the curtain that caught her
hearers at once, and assured them the
pleasure was certainly mutual.
Gustave Thalberg, in most beautiful
tenor, sang "Les Romaux," and in response
to hearty encore, gave "Forever Thine"
: Now this was eitherkthe purestairony of
fate or circumstance, or it was premeditated.
No matter which, the effect was the same,
and Mr.. Shaw's face turned from forid to
crimson. for the wife, who was not forever
his, was to appear next.
Mrs. Alice Shaw, tall, stately, magnif-
cent. One of those large, and probably
English women, who look their best dressed
as she was. A very low necked dress,
sleeveless waist and handsome black silk
beaded dress with train. Everybody but
one man applauded the splendid, famous
creature, and all listened carefully for the
first notes OF the unique concert, and had
she dared to essay the tune of ooh whistle
and I'll come to you my love-" every man
in the audience would have crawled up over
the footlights.
JUST HOW SHE LOOKED.
There was momentary, hesitating puck
ering of the red lips, just as if she were
going to kiss some lucky other fellow, and
then, in place of the usual soul-searching
smack, there pealed forth a thrill of most
delightful melody. She glanced but once
at the man from whom she had procured
divorce, and then it was glance suggestive
OF fatirons and broken dishes. while he, on
the contrary, held the glasses so long to his
eyes it must have made his arm, if not his
heart, ache, and when she struck the
andante piano regret plainly struggled
with admiration in his face. However, he
evidently solaced himself with the adage,
"a whistling woman and Growing hen,"
etc., and really sat the evening out like
major.
As to Mrs Shaw's whistling, well, it was
suggestive of everything airy and fairy.
There was the trilling OF the canary, the
golden tones of the blackbird' and robin,
and the shivering, silvery splendid melody
of the English lark, though it might seem
funny to associate all this with a very
womanly woman who weighs 200 if she
weighs pound.
Another unique point in the programme
was Miss Edith Ponds musical reading.
She was a superbly costumed woman in yel-
low lowered silk and purple train. Her
readings were rather an innovation, and if
she had known her audience, and how shy
they are of innovations, she would not have
attempted what she did. However she did
attempt it, and won.
Her readings were accompanied on the
piano, and the sympathy between her tones
and the instrument was at times so perfect
that even a cold Pittsburg audience warmed
up, and the brave girl was rewarded by ap-
plause and hearty recalls that were both
fattering and sincere.
His Collar Bone Broken.