The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-11-14
"OH, ISN'T HE DARLING.
Paderewski, the Pianist, Drives Women
into Mysteries i'm New York.


New York, Nov. 13-Hero- worship
is a. thing easily understood after you
have been at a Paderewiski matinee.
You will be surrounded by hundreds of
women all turned toward the long hair
ed Pole in attitude of such intense ad-
Grafton that you might suppose they
were fanatics listening to the teachdng
of the leader of a new religion. Indeed
Paderewski is almost a religion to many
Of them. They give to him species of
admiration as humble, not to say abb
ject, as if he were a being Of superior
race.
When he appears on the stage there is
hysterical pandemonium. The one
thing the women don't do is to grovel
on the floor and invite the great pianist
TO come down off the stage and do a
juggernaut act.
1t is the matinees that particularly
appeal to the women, and one Of the few
men at today's performance was a re-
porter, who went there primarily to see
the women perform.
In the lobby a group of a half dozen
women were exchaning greetings. They
did not say How do you do" or Good
afternoon" or any of the usual things
They rolled up their eyes estatically
and murmured: HAS he come yet?"
Not yet" would be the answer. but
he will soon. You know he never keeps
lis waiting"
''Oh, it seems so long since I've heard
him." murmured a petite blonde. 'Tve
been out Of town ever since he landed
and this is the first chance I've had"
ooh. Heleni" exclaimed the others in
Mortified chorus. You have not heard
him yet?'
Hes more divine than ever" MUIR
INJURED tall pOrtly woman in anguish
ing tones that contrasted strangely
with her size.
AT 2:S0 O'Clock. the pianist, clad in a
frock coat. white waistcoat and dark
trousers, took three steps out from the
right entrance of the stage. put his
heels together. bowed once. twice and
again. and marched over 10 the piano.
Renewed rustling marked his move
ment 1t was caused by the women get
ting their opera glasses into position
Evidently nearly as many had come TO
see the pianist as TO hear him, for
every other woman seemd TO have ope-
ra glasses of some kind. varying in size
from the tiny Swiss toys to enormous
binocular field glasses.
oh, / would not think of coming TO
hear the master without my opera
glasses, declared A young girl. who
sat near the reporter. You lose half
the performance unless you watch ey-
cry movement
At the conclusion of the first selection
the reporter had an opportunity 10 look
a bout the audience. Apparently ii was
almost entirely female IN its make up.
The orchestra was filled with women;
'there was hardly a man in the boxes:
me dress circle was a mass OF bonnets
and here the fair devotees not only fill
ed the seats but ensconced themselves
sitting with what comfort they might
on the broad steps and even oa the floor
IN the rear Of the seats. using the wall
Tor back So little time elapsed be
tween the selections that the women
were rather choked OF in their enthu-
Slas:rl. and before they had half finish |
cd clapping the artist had risen. made
ms queer little bows and resumed his |
seat again.
After the first selections Paderewslxi |
was constantly coming back and bow |
ing right and left in Acknowledging /
ot the ioog-enduring applause. Twice |
ne was compelled - repeat selections.
and once he could not get ssisncS to he
sin a number and was forced 10 play for
some Ettle time 70 an accompaniment
II hand clapptng
The Chopin Nocturne, with its drea-
NY delzcacy, sroused the deepest enshu-
'iasm. and. al its conclusion. the ~
1oretr saw TWO girls who were stand
ng IN the aisle fan upon each others
lecks and weep IN their excess Of emo
ion.
oh, isn't he darling" they both
,Tled wilen coherent speech returned 10
hem
At the conclusion % the program
mere was Wild outbreak OF erthusi-
Ism and handkerchiefs. and the ar
Isl was obliged 70 come o6t and plav
,Ss1g1, a:;er which he had TO bow. ard
ls-s'e seemed TO be great likelihood |
= MS breaking IN two IN the middle |
'snally they let him on.