The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-19

The "Sedson's" Dance Before Cesar.
made their inevitable true impression and
evolved a hearty and honest interest IN the
entire affair.
In addition to this the wide social interest
has spread in all quarters, for the lady
patronesses and the large company Of
pretty women and girls VINO run the beau
tiful emblematic booths represent San
Francisco society as q whole. and lena the
requisite tone of feminine refinement to the
occasion.
Dressed in Greek and Roman costumes,
they await the coming of the vct0rs of the
arena. and sell their various wares to the
pOpulace as it passes
Many who went the first night went again
last night, and will probably be going
every night that the fair lasts. The show
would easily bear a dozen visits. there is so
much of it that is interesting, aud the be-
wilderiEg variety provided renders many
other inspections almost necessary to the
complete enloymentof all the good features.
As q fashionable meeting place for friends
IL is considered unTiYaled.
1t has been so widely talked about that
the country hereabout seems to have caught
the Roman circus craze.
Trainoads of people came in from out
lying districts last night The audience
was by no means made up solely of this
eity's people. Far and wide the justified
belief is being acted upon That 1t Will be a
q iUi6 llHlGs II ever again, D6IOT6 kile Odii-
fornla public will have the chance to wit
ness such a spectacle
II every seat and standing room besides
were occupied Monday night there was an
uncomfortable gain last night During the
afternoon hours the number OF spectators
reached up to hundreds upon hundreds, but
in The evening before half past at least
1000 people were in their places waiting for
the splendid show to begin.
Those who had little tOrethought went
~ L.
seats. By o'clock every seat was taken,
aises were filed up by those who satisfied
themselves with squat upon a board step,
the entrance ways that led down to the
tiers of seats both upstairs and down
were crowded by dense mass of
human beings, and at the rear ladies
and men stood upon chairs so as to look
over the heads of those who stood in front
OF them. With such a throng the usheFs
were unable to keep the aisles clear. There
were many people walking around outside
the tiers OF seats who were in the Pavilion,
but who could not catch glimpse of the
arena on account of the impenerable mass
OF human beings that were packed around
the entire circuit OF the great ampbtheater.
The programme of events in the arena
was precisely the same as on the opening
night, with the exception of the Olympic
Pentathlon. This number, which repre-
scented Grecian games, ameiy, foot races.
leaping, wrestling, throwing the discus and
tile JHV6liU, was Omitted ana IN It's
place was given contests of purely Roman
character, namely, the C8stus, the Paner-
atium and the tug-of-war. The music also
was entirely different. as indeed 1t will be
changed every night during the week.
CRsaTs court assembled in the beauteous
canOped imperial booth just before the
mounted herald entered and blew the pierre
Ing trumpet blast announcing Caesars COM
ing in state.
Casassa's band had beguiled the waiting
moments of the assemblage with Beetho-
VEINS grand overture, "Fidelio." Then
came the grand march and triumphal i'm
perial entry. First in order, as on Monday,
came the mounted aqullfer, followed by the
beFalds, musicians, soldiers and captain,
standard bearers, the black Egyptian pris-
oners in chains, the laureled victor proudly
home from successful war. stately pI2tor
with bis wand, and the lictors.
at this point the glt-hOrned sacrifcial OK
appeared in prOpria persona and was cheered
10 the echo by the excited crowd. He had
ObstTeperOuSly played the mule act when
called upon TO march in the procession Mon
day. but Sacred Ok Manager Adam had con-
quered the bull meanwhile. and he took his
proper place last evening in a docie man
ner. The sacriicants came next to the OK
and then the noble Senators (nearly all we'll
known men bout town. in their bright ued
tORas.
Caesar. standing with appropriate dignity
in the Emperor's car, drawn by four white
horses, was applauded as he passed around
10 front of the thousands Of beholders. A
row OF dancing girls in white kept time TO
the music with their castanets. The others
eountermarched as on came the gladiators
tnendani, retiaTii and myrmillones), the
magister areue (Willam Greer Harrison)
the runners, wrestlers, boxers, leapers,
dlseus-thrOwers, 1avelin men, the director
OF games. mounted horsemen, and lastly the
fouT-hoIse chariots, one of which ran
smuck of some of the gladiators and
mounted horsemen, causing some confusion.
which was soon straightened out by the
master Of the arena.
All stood still and listened to Caesar u. B.
Sehroeder) deliver the Emperor's address
II was remarkable how his voice filled the
amphltheater.. Every syllable uttered was
perfectly audible to the furthermost corner
OF the great open space.
Twenty-six vestai virgins sang the seeu-
lar hymn as it was sung by the vestals B. C.
II, and then they formed in line in front of
CeSars booth and sang one OF Horace's
Does to the Emperor.
Next was given the Roman sports in .be
olympic Pantathlon. The cestus came first
Inc master Of The arena called out the
boxers who did the cestus act, which con-
slsts OIL knocking each other down with
olacK WOOL rings around their hands ana
wrists. In Roman days these wristIets
were IRON. The Paucratium was contest
OF catch-as-catch-can wrestling, with plenty
OF Shaping and bare handed pounding
soOGb w. II - tbb ola roman combination
OF boxing and wrestling. A tug-of.war he
tween tue participants of the sluggtng
matches and the wrestlers resulted In a
victory for the sluggers in minutes and 10
seconds.
The dancing was changed from the first
night and was the next event after the
arena had been cleared. Four sets of girls.
thirteen in each set. advanced in graceful
movements, one set at time, to the be-
witching SO nsuous ballet music. First came
the girls in green. then those in yellow,
next those in pale drab. and lastly those In
white. Those In white waved and swung
flower hoops over their heads as they danced,
and The others waived ribbons about
In wild abandon. The = Imnsic
was sweet and the dancing graceful
The costumes were split up the side a little
way 10 show the ankles as they twinkled.
Then came the gledatOrial contests, the
same as upon the first evening. the gladia-
tors singing the salutation ode TO Cesar
before the contests began.
In the last gladiatorial fight to a finish 1t
was so realistic that when the warrior fell
and theatrical blood was seen on his body
woman screamed, and Mr.. Harrison had