The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-13

opened his eyes very wide, and looking
hard at me. he asked: Where the
devil did you hear that?" "At one of
your rehearsals," / replied. He could
hardly believe his ears.
Most of the critics in London have
treated Miss Olga Nethersoles Car
men in the manner it deserves. There
seems to be no doubt that she has
toned down some of the most objection
able features, but the general effect Is
still inartistic and offensive. To say
that thing is realistic Is no valid ex-
cuse for its public presentation, says
the New York Evening Post. Such an
argument, if allowed, would lay the
stage open to every kind of unspeak-
able abomination No doubt Miss
NetherSole's Carmen is realistic" 1t
is also vulgar, and, being vulgar, has
no artistic merit. There are some good
points in her performances, but they
are not those to which her managers
have sought industriously to direct at
tention.
The sensational suit of David Belasco
against N. X. Fairbank, of Chicago,
ILL.,, was decided in favor OF the plain
tiff on June %. Mr.. Belasco sued the
Chicago millionaire for $65, 900 compen-
sation for making Mrs. Leslie Carter a
star The testimony in the case, most
of which was contributed by Mr.. Belas-
co, was very voluminous, and afforded
very entertaining reading. According
to this testimony Mrs. Carter was sub
Jected to a course Of physical training
which, while effective in producing the
desired result, was so extremely
onerous that her perseverance and en-
durance were but little, short of mar
VG1OIIG f1n w..
Clipper, that the enormous volume of
this testimony prohibits its publication
In our columns, for we should be glad
to present 1t for the careful considera-
ton of the horde of ambitious anna
teurs who think they can win success
upon the stage by reason Of supposed
natural talent, and who fondly but
vainly imagine that they can practice
an art without knowledge Of it's rudi-
ments. and without any preliminary
training. Mr.. Belasco succeeded in I'M
pressing the jury with the Importance
of his labors In behalf Of the fair
aspirant for stellar honors, and also
1mbued them with realizing sense of
the engrossing nature Of his work, for
the twelve good men and true, al
though they refused him the small
fortune for which he sued, awarded
him $16,000 sum by no means con-
temptible. Upon application Of Mr..
Belasco's counsel the judge added five
per cent, $500, to the amount. Mr.. Fair
bank will also have very heavy bill
of costs.
There will be no lack of opera next
season in New York. Abbey Schoeffel
& Grau will bring back to us old and
tried favorites. Damrosch will do like
wise in his German season, and in the
way Of operas all the impresarios have
promised several novelties, says the
New York Herald. But the greatest OF
all novelties to their generation, though
1T has a somewhat chestnutty flavor
to the old stagers is the return to New
York of the veteran Colonel Mapleson.
The Gallant colonel has never been
anything but original, and his present
venture is no whit behind his previous
efforts. Besides promising three new
operas, one Of which, by the way, he
has not yet secured, he talks Of taking
America by storm with a company
never yet seen in London, Paris or New
York, which is, nevertheless, an "alI
star troupe, If the colonels accounts
can be relied upon.
The Imperial Opera Company Is
booked to open at the Academy of
Music on Monday, October 26, with
for four weeks. After that 1t will go
to Boston and make the grand tour"
The colonel declares that he has
heard from four hundred to five hun
dred singers within the last six months,
and having survived the ordeal has
picked out few who he believes will
startle American music lovers in the
right sort Of way. He has two finds
whom he declares to be only a little
Ice lou 4.
sidered. These are Signor Ruggero
Randacio, a tenor, who has been MAX
Ing a positively sensational success
for the past five years, he says, in
Bologna, Pisa and Rome, but who has
never yet sung out Of Italy. Then there
is Nine. Bonnaplata-Bau, a dramatic
soprano, the finest. says the veteran
impresario, ever heard in Italy She
has been doing. very unusual thing
namely, singing "star" engagements in
Milan and Barcelona.
A writer who Is interested in slang
says that BARLEY Campbell, the play
wright. was responsible for the express
sion Seer" He explained this state
ment by saying that Campbell had long
bony fingers, and when he was inter
ested he would tap his auditor on the
coat with them and exclaim "See?" in
a persuasive way that was very effec-
tive.
One explanation Is as good as an
other when 1T comes to the origin of
slang. Seer" as it is now used, didn't
become popular until several years
after the death Of BARLEY Campbell,
and the natural conclusion is that he
doesn't deserve either the credit or
odium of 1t. AS a matter of fact. how
ever, many Of the popular expressions
of this sort may be safely credited to
actors or piaywrights, who devote their
time to writing laugh provokers. One
fat comedian with nimble feet and
concert hall voice, who has appeared
only in the broadcast kind of farces for
the past half dozen years, has coined
score Of slang expressions that are
popular. Some which arouse his
audiences and are repeated as his own
gags. he has admitted, were expressions
that were popular when he was a boy
in the old Ninth ward, and their tnti-
guilty Is beyond the memory of the
oldest citizen.
While slang expressions may have
as many lives as a cat if they are re-
surrected at the right time in the right
way, punning seems to have had its
day. When "Evangeline'' was first pro
duced Its lines were applauded. The
audience laughed at them. The opera
has been revived this summer and the
puns with which 1t Is filled are not
worth the effort Of speaking. This Kind
of humor isn't popular now. ~ 1885,
80 1859 sasos
We. will not cross swords with a
player, singer, dancer or public per-
former Of any kind, says the New York
Press. What would be the use? Ac-
tors and their kind are emotional folk.
not brainy folk. They have no sense
of lAQio If 1rc11