The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-04-12

BROADBRIM'S n. Y. LETTER

into the frosty air of Broadway, TO say-BY
lingo; had the worth Of my money any
how. She has been the fashionable furor
of the week. And what made IL more re-
markable was that It was just before Pas
sion week. the most sorrowful religious
holiday of the year. Most of the singers are
deyout members of the Catholic Church,
and In the boxes l saw plenty orthodox
churchmen and churchwomen, who had
not the slightest affinity for sackcloth and
ashes.
Italian opera has had an inning this
week for the FIRST time in three years, and
IL lovers have made the most of it. One
hundred and fiity-six thousand dollars in
hard cash was planked down before the
doors were opened, and good many
dollars were taken in besides. 1t was a
golden harvest for the ticket spectators.
Seats In the parquette was fixed at seven
dollars. On PATHS first night they jump
ed up to twenty-five, and there were not
many could be got at that Unhappy the
Young man who had promised to take his
girl TO see the DlYa when it came to get
ting the tickets; he had calculated on
fourteen dollars for the seats, five for the
carriage, two-hfty for kids, five for
bouquet, six dollars and seYenty-five cents
for little blow off at the Hoffman, the
Brunswick or Delmonico's, and two-fifty
for incidentals-total thirtY-siX seventy
five; but when you add the extra thirty-siX
dollars for the premium 1t put the young
man in a rather tight place; his watch
went to MY UNCLE's; his diamond stud
followed suit, and when Henrietta asked
him what had become of It, he assured her
that It wasn't in good form for gentlemen
to wear jewelry on opera nights.
But we are not dependent on Patti alone
Oh my, mol We had two prima donnas be-
side; either one of whom was musical
miracle--Albani and Nordica. Then there
was Tamagno the tenor, and such tenor;
filing the eye as well as the ear, and just
driving the women crazy. Oh, that high
CT thought heard it in Germany years
ago when Herr Wachtel was at his best.
Again Mario's grand voice and imperial
presence floats by me like dream of the
past. Campanini, though row ruin, is
not forgotten-but Tamagno on his first
appearance in Otello, on Monday night,
wiped out ali previous records, and as my
old friend Woodruff would say, "Passed
under the string in 2-10" and "neveT
turned hair" The whole house rose at
him, cheer after cheer, and recall after re-
call, threatened to put q stop to the opera.
Everybody went home satisfied that they
had seen not only the greatest tenor of the
age, but the greatest living operatic actor,
who has no rival on the tragic stage, ex-
cept TOmasa SalVini.
But the enthusiasm of Monday night
was tre5led and intensified on Wednesday
when Patti appeared in Somnambuia. The
old opera had been worn TO rags; but what
of that, Patti was there, and that was
enough; the thousands there had come to
see her and hear her. At first they were
not sure that they would like her in her
new fleece of golden hair, but l believe il
she had been baldheaded, or had no head
at all, it would not have made the slightest
difference. Yet strange, most strange, in
that grand acknowledgement the best
music of Verdi, or Bellini, or Rossinl
could have moved them as they were
moved by John Howard Payne's dear oil
song of Home, Sweet Home" The opera
was over and the musicians in the orches
ira had started for home. Patti had full
filled her contract to the letter. but the
audience demanded "Home, Sweet Home.''
They called her out, then she bowed and
retired, but the audience refused to leave
the house. The Diva came out and raised
her hands despairingly, there was no or
chestra to, accompany her. Some one
rushed 10 the side of the stage and rolled
out a grand piaho, and as the last notes oil
the sweet old song melted into silence the
house fairly trembled with the thunders oil
applause.
One wild foreigner, who sat in the right
hand box, with an immense boquet, threw
with 1t handful of bills and gold. Patt
could have taken his hat and all he had on
II she had wanted it. 1t was quite refresh
ing once more to hear the old familiar
BTavol Bravissamol Encore, encorel S
BON Tres magnifiquel Brayol The week
before when Wagner reigned supreme the
applause rang out, Zare goote! Goo
n aUEnN IL.
On Monday when Tamagno struck his higl
@, one of the irreverent gods in the tOI
gallery roaIed out-Bully for you. An en-
thusiastic Frenchman who was next to him
seized him by the hand and screamed out
so you could have heard him block off
Oul, Monsieur, ouil Tres bullaY, tres bul
laYl Eat is re biggest bullaY / effer heal
wis my ear Tres magnifque! Tres bullay
tres bullay!
No such Opera Company has eyer beer
seen here before. No manager now alive
but Henry A. Abbey, would attempt TO ge
such company Of musicians and singers
together. That an expense of ten or twelve
thousand dollars night can be undertaken
simply for amusement, is itself astonishing
but when In addition TO this, it is remem
bered that the baeRers of the Ferman Opers
will have to assess themselves, at least
three thousand dollars head, in addition
70 their expenses during the season, ant
that Italian opera simply by good manage
ment alone, has paid handsomely from the
start, satisfying a salary list the like o.
which has never before been undertaken
one may judge If Italian Opera is eithel
dead or sleeping.
Quite a sensation ruffied the Methodist,
Of Brooklyn last week when it became
known that the Reverend Duncan McGreg
or, Of the HoYt Street Methodist Church
had announced his determination to re
nounce Methodism and Join the Baptis
Church. Doctor McGTegor is an able anC
eloquent divine who has stood in high favoi
With his congregation, and this makes hi.
apOstaey the more greYious. The announce
ment fell like thunderclap on his associ
atess for he appears to have kept his secret
up TO the very last moment. He was i'm
mediately accepted by the Baptists here
and after his Immersion will at once be in
stalled in the Baptist ministry. This re
calls the conversion TO the Baptist fold
few years ago of the Rev. Emory Haynes
Of the Hanson Place Methodist Church
Mr.. Haynes was one Of the most brlllian
pulpit orators In Brooklyn city famoa
for good preaching. he was installed pas
tor Of the Hanson Place Church, whosi
congregation has always occupied placu
In the foremost ranks of Brooklyn Meth
odism. Mr.. Haynes was not thirty wheI
he was called to Brooklyn. He was hand
some, talented, beloved by his congregation
which esteemed itself blessed in having sucl
q pastor. The fame of his eloquence soor
spread abroad, and 1t was not long till tn,
church grew too small to hold the people
During the summer recess the church wa
remOdelled and enlarged, but still 1t was to,
small, for every Sabbath 1t was crammed Il
the doors. The youthful pastor had
Vounq and lOVaiV Vifes ona of tha sWaatas
little creatures than eyer held a man in tn,
chains Of love. just IN the zenith Of hi
success, In the high noOntide of his power
his young wife sickened and died. For
time his reason tottered; it seemed as 1
God had forsaken him. IL shook his belle
n the justice and goodness of Providence
for he could not bow his head 10 the roc
that smOte him. Anxious friends WATCHED
him for months and tried TO win him back