New-York tribune., 1890-05-04
HARVARD STUDENTS AS"SUPESn
HOW THEY BROUGHT DOWN THE HOUSE.

MIscHIEvoUs FRESHMEN TUMBLE CAMpANINI
DOWN THE sTAGE-RBALIsTIC CAPTURE OF
LEADING MAN BY FOoTBALL.PLAY.
ING BARBAR.ANs."
Colonel asked Colonel Dudley Of his friend
Harry, lyon are Boston man, | know. Were you
not at Cambridge when | was. back in the sixties ~
on yes,' replied Colonel Harry, 81 am Boston
man. but the only time that Harvard student
was In the way the youngster here has been telling
us about. You Harvard men need not think that yOu
enjoyed the sole privilege Of 'suping' at the Boston
'hcatres' Eh! 'Dud! Give light My cigars
gone ont. Thanks Now I'll explain. Boston Latin
school boys IN my days liked to supe' at the theatres
as well as the Harvard freshmen did because in that
way thcy saw the best theatrical and operate per
iormahces at trifing Generally the freshmen
! outbid us. Bnt they didn't once, eh Dude Grand
opera was holding the boards at the Boston Theatre
and my class was crazy to hear the Italian
tenor ana the famous soprano to frt with the ballet
girls, ana get peep at that strange world behind
| the scenes
My class appointed me committee of one to
negotiate with old Garibahi, the chief 'supe' remem-
Der him for fifty tickets at 10 cents each But. by
Jove he had already promised you fellows seventy
five tickets at - cents apiece Well, stirred around
| among my classmates, raised the money and at q
o'clock that night had the boys at the back entrance
to the theatre and put the money old CARTS hands.
| He did not know the difference and when the real
| freshmen appeared hour later, why, they simply
disappeared. But they got the benefit Of per-
formance because Of the papers the next morning
called US 'iiowlinG laryardcs' because we insisted
on joining in with the chorus in a grand finale
"Oh that could not have been my class" said
Colonel Dudley, laughing. 8" You could not beat
ont Of anything Just listen to what did he added
in mock, heroic strain. CLARA Lonse Kellogg was
then in her youthful days and my classmates con-
sidcred it great treat to 'supe' with her l was
particularly fond Of hearing her sing a certain solo
In which she appeared in rowboat and pulled across
! the back Of the stage l sighted and could
| never get near enough to Kellogg to the play Of
| her features and enjoy every bit Of her work. ON
| this particular occasion Kellogg slowly cmerg
ing from the misty background, to mysterious music
| | acted impulse and strobe from the ranks Of
| 'supes' way up the stage and calmly seated myself
In the boat at her feet. Everybody the stage
paralyzed and the manager behind the scenes nearly
had fits Kellogg supcrbly Indifferent TO this
break. She sang her solo cXquscly and was so
tran sporcd that forgot that hid behind the
scene to pipe in after she closed her solo. so
| picked up the paddle and began to work as If
we're old Charon himself. 70 my disgust. however.
! the boat did not move. had interrupted the flow
Of the opera and had tried to shut or the ductt.
Kellogg gnashcd her teeth with anger, but instantly
scared OF into divine strains with the imprisoned
! tenor When they had the last word Of the ductt
bravcly picked up the paddle again. feeling sure that
It was all over Hut. no: Kellogg nearly scorched
me with an angry look The orchestra had to have
/ It's say. / folded my arms in despair and did not
unfold them even when the boat at last slowly eldcd
OF the stage pulled by supc- behind the scene, and
mpcllcd by the Of laughter from the audience
who lad been watching my performance with great
/ Interest
The plot thiclIcns as down to recent
years observed the youngscr of the trio Ny class
entered college about 80 strong We began our
theatrical operate by attending in body per
ormancc of spectacular play at the Boston Theatre
We had solid section Of orchestra chairs in front OF
the stage. The show began when Napier Lothian,
the old orchestra leader attempted TO have his
! chcstra sing song. instead Of PLAYING IL. The
! freshmen had never heard the music before, but
that little difficulty did not cmbarra>s them They
sang something. every for himself. The effect
wa, startling. Lothian perccptiby aged five years
that night
Encouraged by our operate debut we next sought
the stage shortly after this Mapleson came to
Boston. bringing with him superb Italian opera
company. lie needed immense company Of
,upcrnumcrarc-. and the freshman cla>, at cam
bridge proved to be fruitful source for supplying
that need About 100 Of my cla-- euIoycd tn opera
for a week without making "A serious break The
experience wa, fascinating AZ first. IN interesting
world WAS opened to uS The great stage Win I's
many trapplng, seemed like mysterious cavern
put when the lights were turned on. and the curtain
raised and "A world % light and sea of faces dis
closed the transition an experience never u DC
forgotten Chatting familay with Campanni' VINO
was a ftyortc with us. AID other great
singers, was great fun to Ms But appearing
on the stage Of course. the most interesting oi
all our npcratc experiences: that is 10 u~, nof 10
the audience. The Hood of light. the s'1 of f''c'
tazcd u, and We inclined 10 wander around thc
stage like sheep until brought up sharp by inc pro-
fo.on,l .,uic.' distributed in our ranks. Eut the
novelty wore OH IN a f'w day and m''he'o'' iFc'"
men instincts began to show thcm,cvc-. NearST"'Pu
freshmen ,mugglcd their glasses on the stage III
.utc Of stlcr orders fo iddng the use OF sHch arr"
o,cs and the audience was treated To- tle sp'''''i.
of seeing "A phal,nN Of Roman soldiers ot , ocicrHi ~
caesars army wearing eye glasses Wdluta,t4', ,, 49,
,,, j., ,i,nit the wear I--i The recitation, began
To- bore us and dozen Of my iriends am . g, n
-elvr, bv drinking mp some Hhhc "iic M 'It p.,
,cr,.od for the drinking scene in 'Luciein EorsIi'
When the banquet scene on the attGndlnts i"nnd
only some dirty water m bottles ""'" VIC "'"
lahcllcd choice Maclrruni Io,lon vine. , ,,
The following night we Ini'cn s,olt' ,I t,u @
den,ait hall the scenes ~ the l'l SO" o ir N'aTc AZ
enter on the stage thron, Hitlc ur wv % oN o,er, rm
ampanini had taken high G. and the hrSt par 81
freshmen had entered the door le n Sr. m
,nc J"o way and tw) ,trappng Roman soldier WIZ
eye g!a,,cs went spTwns a, tn" pnd trnes
II down tied up their legs with c,Na, anu s,' ,hs
sn~ S,'uo Win "A small army Of men on
,",'S ,'rr Who tumhird over ms hcad
ms ,co several scenes fell over and To cap
,lo h iinaX .Ii venerable ballet girl tainted Inc
audience must have thought that ilrr hai nroHer GU"
a", When they discovered the s!tua,on' there was
roar Of laughter. A., o.,,,r ,,o rext night |
w ND nI a,r,nst Coupauini AZ the sam" time IN |
,nc OF The opera the great singer was c'rfra
law, ,he stage on "A royal divan by four 'supe' az
now" ~" % au army uf .,upernunerlrleS' IN" stage |
man,cer plchcd ont Of the h.scs freshmen ig
-, and they happened afcrward TO Distinguish
thls "",f ' a., .Vntsity Eoat Crew rhey carried
nd camp down the stage a. caNlX q, IL H. WSrt M ,ne
DE,no" Uut half way 10 the footllehtN one oi tl'c
., hearers wondered how his companion it'lnT
,I ,dcncc woud feel if he should get KICK III Iic
m NM, n,,-ticuarly 10 Campanin The chap. VINO was
hetcG wa. great whoncd feioW wth @ iaee pao Ic
,1t -, nm infant The kick caused MN acaW Pann
lh' @ m VI made mn fearful flcc yelled. dropped S cnd