Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-11-07
srAsEKIssEs.
They Arc Sometimes ola Very Realistic
Character.

Love-making on the stage is generally
suppose by The unsophisticated public
to be more or less of Derfunctory bus
mess, make-beiieye affair as dry and
tasteless TO the performers as the pro-
perty food and drink which they affect
TO swallow at their banquets. Romaptic
and sentimental people will be glad to
know that the tender passion, as repre-
sented on the boards, is not all pretense,
and that occasionally, at least, Cupid
gets In his work, without shame or
conjunction right before the
footlights. A case in point is said to
have occurred recently in popular
comic opera troupe in which the prtma
donna and the baritone were the vic
Tins Of the sly little god. How or
where the mutual attraction first be-
gan is not stated, but that 1t had
not only begun, but was we'll advanced,
was made manifest to the audiences
soon after the baritone Joined the COM
pany. 1t was part of the baritone's
duty TO kiss the prima donna, and it
was supposed that he would do it after
the ordinary stage fashion, as man
eats who is not hungry or drinks who
is not thirs ty. But what was the sur
prise OF the spectators and OF the other
members Of the company to see that
be performed the duty as if he liked 1t,
and liked it very much indeed. In
fact he kissed the prima donna with so
much ardor and enthusiasm, and she
apparently reciprocated with so much
earnestness aud vigor that the labil
scene soon became the most prominent
in the opera. A witness in describing
1t said the baritoCe's zeal reminded
him of the realistic manner in which
Rignold, the English actor, discharged
a similar duty in Henry "" Rig
nold's kiss was linked sweetness so
long drawn out, or drawn in,
that when he began the sport
Ing gentlemen In the front rows of
the theater would regularly time
him to see If he would break his pre-
vious records. the baritoh's kisses were
tered them In Philadelphia he created
such a sensation that the gallery
howled and the orchestra chairs faint
ed" The manager rushed behind the
scenes and asked the baritone what he
meant by such a performance. Instead
of modifying the kiss, however, he In
tensified it, until the the composer and
the author were entirely forgotten In
the wild, delirious expency with which
the audience waited for the kiss"
The manager in despair discharged the
baritone, who said he would rath-
er surrender his salary than his
right to kiss the prima donna,
and to kiss her conscientiously and |
with all the elaboration that the scene |
The prima donna declared |
that the interests Of art demanded that |
she should support the position taken
by the baritone, and she promptly re-
signed an engagement worth S23, 900 |
rather than not be kissed<in soulful |
and resoundng style. The manager |
stood firm for few days, but without |
the fervent kiss the opera lost much of
its magnetic power, and he was, it is
said, forced to capitulate and summon !
the prima donna and the baritone back |
to his service. A kiss for which man
Is willing to forego ambition and en-
ploymeEt and woman S23, 900, during
such financial crisis as the present,
must be sweet indeed. Who would not
be baritone or a prima donna with
such delightful perquisities as this?-
Baltimore Sun.