Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-14
INCREASING CROWD
The Texas Spring Palace Con-
tinues to Draw Well.
The Attendance Last Evening Was the
Largest at ANY Time
Since the Opening.
The Marvellous Heeker Children-A Musician
in swaddlIng CIothes-GrowIng in
GOrgeousness--Thats What the
Palace is Doing.

Instead of palling on the public, the
Texas Spring Palace is becoming more
popular every day, as evideeced by the
fact that last evening there was present
the largest attendance that has been had
since the gates were opened to the world
on Saturday.
Yesterday was a raw, chilling day,
not such one as would be expected to
be conducive to out-of-door enjoy ments,
and it did not look yesterday morning as
though the day would be profitable
one to the Palace management. But
each train arriving in the city brought
visitors by the scors, and a little thing
like chilly atmosphere would not deter
person from accomplishing so pleasant
q task as visiting the Spring Palace, after
coming many miles to see it.
1t was Ut night that the largest crowd
was present. Then the whole Palace
was swarming with people Every chair
on the ground floor and in the balcony
was occupied by eager listeners to the
music, who leaned forward agape to
catch each harmonious sound.
The peculiar attraction last evening
was the the Heeker children. These are
the family of Professor J. Hecker, con-
ductor of the Elgin military band, and
he had promised the public that these
artists would acqu.t themselves with
credit.
They did it.
Following is the programme they rem
dered:
Sonata Pathetique. Observation-Disclosures. Beethoven
Air de Ballet. Moszkowski
Stella Hecker
Air vaire Blue Bells of Scotland. ..... :. Farmer
Meditation .-................. Fauconier
Carl Hecter, accompanied by his sister
Bertha.
Msrche des Pompiers. .........-...........W Watson
Fantasia, Martha. ....-.................. Flottow
Stella. Bertha, oecile and Carl Hecker.
The eldest of these performers. Miss
Stella, is but ten years of age, the
youngest, Miss Cecile, only four, Miss
Bertha being eight and Master Carl six
years of age.
To those who are familiar with the
numbers set forth on the pro-
gramme it is not necessary to speak
of their difficulty of execution.
But when 1t is considered that these
young people carried them through in
true artistic, even superb, manner the
tale would scarcely be credible. Beetho-
ven IS Sonata Pathetique is a composition
which has proven too difficult for smooth
and artistic execution by many
well versed pianists, but Miss
Stella rendered it exquisitely, though she
did not look physically capable of moving
over the keys of the pianoforte in neces-
sRry manner. So with the Air de Ballet
and Mendelssohn' Spring Song, which
she played charmingly -
Perhaps the most ifiteres ting of the
group is youthful Master Carl. He
doesn Z look much larger than a point,
and he has the tIneiest of violins, which
he e not yet strong enough to tune. But
he can make It sneak when he gets it in
operation. He draws the bow like an
old master, and the way he picked the |
notes of the we'll known Sylvia Pizzicato |
was marvel to any artist, not to speak |
OF one 90 young as Master Carl.
The numbers played IN concert Dy the |
quartette were not less interesting than |
the solos and Duets. In these was in
troduced that dignihed and stnid must
clan, Miss Ceoile, aged four, who played |
n triangle she was hardly able to hold up.
Many G, boquet was showeerd upon the /
youthfUitninstrel while they held tie
banittand. In fact, some of the boquets
we're larger than the artists for whom
they we're intended. They are the pref
test group of children seen IN these parts
for many n day. They have light golden
hair, peculiar TO their German extrac-
ton, and the prettiest blue eyes They
were dressed IN pretty blue last even
ing and looked sweet and charming in
the bright lights as viewed from below
and around.
Many children and youog people were
among the vast audience last night, and
10 say that they were enchanted and
charmed would be putting it very lightly.
President Paddock promises to endeavor
10 have the children appear again before
the Palace closes.
THE RAND