The Sussex Republican., 1894-11-10
AFTER THEIR MONEYS WORTH.
What Three American Travellers Saw In
Partisan Op.ra House.

Ar TEN lHEih MONef'S WORTH.
what Three American Travellers Saw In 8
Partisan Opera House.
American travellers abroad come upor
many sights and customs that are
strange to their American senses. Here
is an incident of an opening night at
the Chatelet theater, Paris, that will
not soon be forgotten by certain party
OF there New Workers. who witnessed it.
The presentation was of Berlioz's Is
Faust, in accordance with popular
request 1t had been given in the clos
ing spring nights, and in the fall was
put on again, with the same artists in
the various roles. Certain numbers
notably "Marche Hongrs..se'' and Meph-
isto's song-had captivated Paris, and
an overwhelming crowd was at the
doors ON the opening night to hear their
favorites.
Now, there is peculiar custom in
vogue at the Chatelet for admitting and
seating the audience. They enter in
squads, and each squad must be seated
before another can get in. OF course
this is admirable when time is no OBJ
ject, but ON this particular night the
crowd was too great 10 be handled in
this slow way. And 1.-THE curtain went
up. and the movement of the opera, un-
der the direction of M. Cologne, pro-
eeeded when no more than two-thirds
of the audience had been seated
In the first balcony sat three New
Yorkers--a married couple, with young
lady acquaintance. The opera proceeded
over the heads of the moving, restless
audience for an hour, when an ominous
murmuring of voices began to make it.
self heard above the tones of the orches-
ira. II muttered, rolled, vibrated, grew
and conveyed a feeling of danger from
some unknown peril. The young Amer
lean matron, nervous as American wo-
men are, took fright.
''It is fire" she whispered to her
husband. 1.-THE theater is on fire. You
must take me out quick, or we shall
be crushed as well as burned"
But the husband was obdurate, and
as the noise of voices increased in vol
ume and angriness he turned to reassure
his wife and her friend.
"Be easy. 1t isn't fire. This is GO
ing to be one of the sights of Paris, and
/ wouldn't miss it for lot ON Broad
way"
BY this time the menacing attitude
of tho audience had forced itself upon
the attention of NJ Cologne. His musi-
clans ceased playing; he looked at them
imploringly glared at the bowling au-
dience defiantly, rolled out command
cracking with RS, waved his baton and
went ON.
Then the audience passed from fret
ful repining to offensive action. With
a common impulse it swarmed forward,
overTan the orchestra, and some 40 men
clambered upon the stage itself. They
silenced the musicians, shouted, danced |
back and forth in an apparently uncon-
trollable rage, shook their fists under |
the noses of every one i'll authority and
introduced sudden and unwelcome ell !
ement of anarchy into the evenings |
spectacle.
what is the matter? Can you make
out whist they're saying?" the young
lady asked.
'"They couldn't get into the theater in
season to hear the favorite numbers,
and they feel cheated. This is the pop
ulm Parisian expression of outraged |
feelings. 2
But what are they going to do about }
lt?' asked his wife ''Will they tear
the house down? Do let us go away at
onoe. %
mo, they'll hurt no one but NJ. Co
ogne, and not him if he does what they
ire demanding"
Whatever is that?'
"As near as can make out, it is to
90 back to the beginning and play the
,ntire score again. That means an ex-
IA hour, and no wonder he Objects -
But the objection proved futile Aft.
n ten minutes of charges and counter
'harges, of negative shakes of the head
md affirmative shakes of many fists,
Mr. Cologne turned back the pages of
lis score and again raised his baton.
The excited audience was calmed in
moment and became seated and atten-
i've. The movement proceeded smooth
y, triumphantly, with appreciatiye ap-
lause. Feelings of the most perfect
armony existed And the Chatelet
cored great success.
"Now, in New York, said the Amer
san as he took the two ladies to their
otel, I'VE wouldn't have done it so. p"
II should think not, " said his wife
4 earnest patriotism.
mo " he went on, there we would
ave talked about our hard luck be.
ween the acts, and the next morning
'ould have fought the thing all over in
le newspapers And we wouldn't have
zen the opera either. 1t seems to me,
" dear, that the French character has
feature Or two which the American
ould do well to initiate. g"
''Very well, said madam. 'I'm :
lad | saw the opera twice over in one
yauipU Pm yprv tnrab obliua1 fo |