Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-11-09
AFTER THEIR MONEYS WORTH.
What Three America Travellers Saw In q
Partisan pI., ria House.

w
Partisan oE, ria House.
American travellers abroad come upon
many sights and customs that are
strange to their American senses. Here
IS an incident of al opening night nc
the Chatolct thcatcr. Paris. that will
not soon he forgotten hy certain party
Of there New Workers who witnessed it,
The presentation was Of BerlioZ's
Faust " in accordance with popular
request II had been given i'll the clos
ing spring nights, and in the fall was
put on again, with the same artists in
the various roles. Certain numbers
notably "Marchc Hongroise" and Meph-
isto's sone-had captivated Paris, and
an overwhelming crowd was at tho
doors on the opening night to hear their
favoritcS.
Now, there is a peculiar custom in
vogue at the Chatclet 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
jcct. but on this particular night the
this slow way. And the curtain went
up, and the movement of the opera, I'M
der the direction of VI. Cologne, pro-
cccdcd when no more than two-thirds
of the audience had been seated.
In the first balcony sat three New
Yorkers-a married couple, with u 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 mako it.
self heard above the tones of the orches-
ira. Ii muttered. rolled, vibrated. grew
and conveyed feeling of danger from
some unknown peril. Tho young Amer
lean matron, nervous as American wo-
men are, took fright.
1T is fire, ;" she whispered TO her
husband THE theater is ON fire. You
must take me out quick, or we shall
be crushed as we'll rs 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 ono of the sights of Paris, and
| wouldn't miss it for q lot ON Broad
way"
BY this time the menacing attitude
of the audience had forced itself upon
the attention of NJ Cologne. His must
clans ceased playing; he looked at them
imploringly, glared at the bowling au-
dience defian.ly, rolled ont 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,
overran the orchestra. and some 40 men
clambered upon the stage itself. They
silenced the musicians, shouted, danced
back and forth i'll an apparently uncon-
trollablo rage, shook their fists under
the noses of every one in authority and
introduced sudden and unwelcome ell
ement Of anarchy into the evening s
spectacle.
what is the matter? Can you make
out what they're saying:' the young
lady asked.
why. yes, the escort replied
"They couldn't get into the theater in
| season to hear the favorite numbers,
and they feel cheated. This is the pop
ular Partisan expression of outraged
feelings.
But what are they going to do about
| it, asked his wife. will they tear
the house down? Do let us go away at
once -
"No. they'll hurt no one but NJ. Co
| lognc and not him if he does what they
are demanding"
Whatever is that"
"As near rs can make ont. it is TO
go back to the beginning and play the
entire score again. That means an ex.
ira hour. and no wonder he objects"
But the objection proved futile Aft
er ten minutes of charges and counter
charges. of negative shakes of the head
and affirmative shakes of many fists,
Mr.. Cologne turned back the pages of
his score and again raised his baton.
The excited audience was Gained in n
moment and became seated and atten-
tive. The movement proceeded smooth
ly, triumphantly, with appreciative ap-
plause. Feelings of the most perfect
harmony existed. And the Chatelet
scored great success.
Now. i'll New York, said the Amer
lean rs he took the two ladies to their
hotel, I'VE wouldn't have done it so. Z"
II should think not, ;" said his wife
in earnest patriotism.
NO" he went on. there we would
have talked about our hard luck be-
tween the acts, and the next morning
would have fought the thing all over in
the newspapers. And we wouldn't have
seen the opera either. 1t seems to me,
my dear. that the French character has
a feature or two which tho American
would do well to initiate.
Very WELL" said madam. I'm
glad l saw the opera twice over in ono
evening. I'm very much obliged to
those Frenchmen. But, Nil the same,
I'm quite content TO be and remain
American. New York Times.