The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-02

My Dear Hal:
One OF our biggest merchants told
me today that this week was the dull
est Salt Lake had known since the
panic OF July, 1898 Everyone that is
anyone has left town. even though
the weather is as delightful as one
could find at any summer resort in the
world. It's between seasons, the
merchant says, whatever. that may
mean, and he adds that he does not
look for any renewal till the middle of
September. Glorious September! The
month when everything blooms and
revives. The theatre seasons open,
concerts are planned, music classes re-
form, piano lids are busted off and
thrown up again, and society rusheS
back TO town, obliterates the tan of
the mountains from its checks, and
plunges again into the whirlpool Of
pleasure. So till September. dear Hal.
possess your soul in patience. The
town affords nothing whatever now
Of the gossip you most incline
to hear. Net theatre open, not a note
Of music in the air, except what you
hear at Saltair or Garfield. Politics,
which you say interests you now, next
TO theatricals all run one way. You
remember dear cid Pudd nhead VIII
ion, my dear, that makes horse races
Well, there .sn't difference Of opinion
TO be aroused in all the length and
breadth OF Salt Lake. The unanimity
and eye singleness with which every
one il this hitherto jarring, differing
community IS shouting for Bryan is
absolutely beWildering. They do say
0hat there VIII be a Mckinley address
b2ut out, and that it has even been
written some days, but the papers
won't print anonymous communica-
tons, and ne one has yet been found
with the courage to put his name to il.
Wednesday, Midnight.
This being the farewell night of the
Pearson company at the Grand, | felt
maasureably cheerful. and hence ven
tured out to see The Midnight Alarm
1t was great fun. The actors really
did better work than in any of their
1urid preceding efforts; but the play
is a curio. / would not like to say
how many times TN be even with
you yet, It's my turn next You
have triumphed now, but when next
We meet Ha! Would your Release
me, Villain and such dear old IA
miliar kindred speeches did duty. but
they were all in evidence, or some
thing very like them, and every time
they were shot off they brought down
z gallery. The visit Of the Pearson
company has been a feast of reason
and a flow of soul to the gallery boys.
Vie plays and the players are formed
strictly TO their level. with as studied
a contempt for the parquette as if Mr..
Rogers house knew no downstairs.
One of the most glorious bursts OF
appreciation / ever heard from gal
lery was the other night in an exciting
place, when the bafled villain yells,
You herer' and the hero shouts back,
Yes, NET The roar of applause that
followed that TetOrt sent all thoughts
of grammar and criticism headlong
out Of the window. Yet they say that
Mr.. Pearson is a veteran manager, as
shrewd as they make them; that he
once ran the Union Square in New
York. and that he makes more money
than half the shows that travel He
hires a company for figure that even
he wouldn't like to reveal; he procureS
big display Of printing and he bills
his towns like a circus. Then with
plays Of the ultra. 6labolical, sensa-
tional sort. he rings up the curtain.
and the galleries do the rest AS he
counts up his box Office receipts each
night he can afford TO snap his fingers
at high art. newspaper criticism, and
the habitues OF parquette and stalls
alike.
J A farewell glance al the "dikado,"
Switch now goes on merrily and easily
hnder Careless baton as if II had been 1
running q season. Between the acts ,
1 asked the professor how he got over /
his trouble with the music union. "Oh, |
that's all right" he replied. with a
wink. Il am surrounded by union |
men in the orchestra hare, but you'll |
notice I don't touch my violin. If / /
played they wouldn't stand it. But I !
merely wave the baton and sing, - all 4
goes merrily as a marriage bell l |
noticed afterward that it was strictly /
true, but 1 thought how Blake Blake !
more must have cursed the union rules /
on the opening night. Careless violin i
would have been a tower OF strength |
and a rock CT refuge to him that would
have covered up a multitude Of vocal
cartwheels and summersaults.
n