The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-12

k.SvySs ~ IT, comic opera. II
SU-Ss-sS'ssdss is fortunate for the
few houses now open that their offerings are
so strong and varied. They have thus been
able 10 attract good audiences. and the char
aoter OF the entertainments seems to have ex-
actlv suited the summer crowds. Wang, at
the Broadway. Is Il profitable venture sun;
The performance retains all the dash ana
droliery that marked the earlier nights OF the
opera and De Wolf Hopper who IS accus-
toned 10 hot weather work, Is not likely TO
hermit his company to lag ut this
time. Hopper declares that ne VIII
enjoy a long rest after next summer. Az
Palmer's The Tar and the Tartar moves
along quite successfully. The Casinos last
nights of Apollo" promise substantial re-
ceipts. and thus the run Of this uniquely PIC
turesoue opera will end almost rs notably as
il began. Tho Grand Duchess revival on
next Monday is eagerly anticpated Dy Lillian
Russells admirers. theodore hO'nas wei
trained body OF musicians have been welcomed
very heartily T. the Madison Square Garden
Amphitheatre. and they arc Justitying their
listeners applause too
Mr.. Mansfelds frequent changes OF plays NJ
the Garden furnish the only dramatic per-
formances in town, but. even with tins lack OF
competition the Ggrdens orchestra chaHs
are not all filled every night.
an INDECENT PERFORMANCE.
bewildering array of excuses, made by
her manager ami those who hired her, did not
atone for the Indecent performance OF
"Omene" the sensational dancer, at Roster Il
Balls the other night. OF course, she had
planned carefully to make q reyelatory exhl-
bition of herself, and she mad naturally ex-
pected that the people who 60 TO Rosters
would encourage her. But she was astTay in
her calculations. Her immOdest posturing
and Wriggling aroused No enthusiasm IN the
beer drinkers who gazed rather stohdiy At
her. The management were disappointed,
and at once they negotiated for release from
their contract. Then too. II is SAID Anthony
ComstOck made threat that he would have
something very plain and unpleasant to say
about the show if it was not at once sup
pressed.
The admission of the actor. Nelson Decker.
TO the Forest Home completes the limited
number of inmates of that worthy institution
and gives relief and comfort 10 deserving
but unfortunate player In his prime Decker
wasa very popular actor among ms associates:
He has been twice married and his second
wife will be readily recalled as the once hand
some English actress, Nard AlnmYne. Matri-
mOnial troubles have not been among the
least OF MIR Decker's woes. 1t has been
widely stated i'll paragraphs announcing his
retirement to the Home that he was the first
and the last actor to speak on the stage of
Booths theatre. But he can hardly claim
either distinction. The first word spoken on
the stage Of Booths came from the lips Of
Edwin Booth himself The final word was
said by Helena Mod eska. and twas approprl-
ately, Farewell"
ORIGIN OF POPULAR SONGS.
A well-informed and generally correct
writer gave an interesting account the other
day of the origin, characteristics and univer-
sal acceptance of many popular songs. Among
the number historically treated was the ever
present Comrades" the sentiment, rhythm,
or tune of which, either or all, seems to Affect
with singing idiocy the whole human family.
1t was stated that TO Bessie Bonehill the Eng
lish concert hall baliadlst. belonged the VIZ
tue or sin of introducing the fascinating
Comrades TO American ears. The true tact
is. il was first brought over to this country by
the farce comedians, Hallen and Hart and
was originally sung on Yankee soil at Asbury
Park by the baritone, John McWade. in
Later ON The date was August 20, 1850.
When these players were in London last sum-
per they heard the song at Gattie's Concert
Han. IL was then unpublished, and sung
with great success by the English vocalist,
Tom Costello. The author was Felix McClel
Ian. Halen and Hart were 50 Impressed with
it that they followed Costello to Brighton
and succeeded in obtaining a copy of the
original song for use on this side III their skit
Later On" John McWade was the first to
sing the song in America, and not Bessie
Bonehill. Later On" was the first enter
tainment here Of which il became stirring
number. Joseph Hart, of Hsllen and Hart.
wrote the first numerous parody Of the song
AQUA1NT AND CURIOUS ALTAR.
The Very Rev. Father Glyrn. prior of the
Irish Church of ST. Patrick in Rome, few
weeks ago bought IA unique and venerable
decoration for tan altar tabernacle which
had been i'll the abandoned Church of 1T.
Stephen, near fIanO Romano. about twelve
miles from Rome 1t is not, strictly speaking,
a tabernacle for the blessed sacrament, but q
canopy supported by four columns. rising
above the high altar Roman archa ologists
consider il a rare specimen. The South Ken
sington Museum was making arrangements TO
buy it when Prior Glynn secured it..
II is the only complete and unaltered speci-
men of It's class in Rome. il IS OF marble,
such as may he seen in the Roman Basicas
Upon the canopy is raised n band in MARBLE
inlad with mOsaics and enamel double
order of colonnettes is over this. They sup
port the marble covering or roof of the whole
construction. which is Of pyramidal form.
Near the summit is another base which sup
ports the other cOlonnettes. Upon them an
other smaller pyramid rises and the whole is
crowned bya marble globe, richly ornanented
with mosaics OF enamel and various colored
marbles.
This tabernacle was built 1928 years ago
Beneath the altar table. over which it stood in
ST. Stephens, wasa clnerary urn of the period
OF the Roman empire, which was receptacle
for relics. 1t had pagan inscription. which
was erased when the Christians obtained it,
They did not place on il any inscription re-
lating 10 relics put into it. In this urn was
found asmall box with sliding lid, all cut
out ont of one piece of wood The hox con
tanned fragments of human bones. shreds of
cloth. small pieces of stones and terra Gotta
and three nude bronze pectoral crosses. Two
of the crosses were whole and had been made
TO contain relics. and the other. which was
broken. was tat and without any arrange
ments for relics. The crosses bear rude
images of saints. with the names of the saints
inscribed in Greek characters These relics
and the box in which they were found are
now in tue Christian Museum in the Vatican
library. They are 10 DO placed under the al
tar IN st. Patrcks church. over which the
tabernacle is 10 be erected.
EUROPEAN TRAVEL.
The rnsh for Switzerland begins in Nav.
Observers on the ground say that of ate wears
the Germans are the first to arrive on the
scene. The German tourists begin 10 pOur
into the mountains about the middle Of Nav
and the early part OF June. The official yaca
lions IN France begin in July, and then the
larger part of the French visitors arrive. II is
not until early in August that the greater part
OF the stream Of English travel pours in
,Some noteworthy efforts to improve the ia
chlt,es Tor seeing the Alps at comparatively
sulan expense have recently been made