The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-09-20

Jack Rafael and Ferris Hartman and
Carl Martens took Martin Pache out
hunting on the railroad track above Sau-
salito the other day. The first bit OF
game they sighted was an English spar
row warming his feet on a telegraph
wire.
"See IL you can kill that dove, Mar
tin" said Hartman, pointing out the
chippie.
"Oh, I kill 'im," declared the tenor
confidently as he leveled his gun. He
shut both eyes and pulled the trigger.
The bird didn't even flutter feather.
Hartman and Rafael gave Pache the
laugh.
'Oh, dots all right; yoost wait und
see," and he cooked the other barrel. He
took careful and deliberate aim, closed
his eyes again, jiggled the gun around
in the direction of Belvedere and yank-
ed on the trigger. The bird chirped
and pulled it's feathers a little closer
around it. Hartman and Rafael roared.
We'll, all I hat got to say" declared
Pache as he reloaded his gun, lis dat
dot bird hat got lots of patience"
And now comes story of Mr.. Raj
fael himself which he but seldom re-
lates. 1t happened years ago, when, as
Lorenzo Mr.. Rafael made his first en-
Sheridan in the Merchant of Venice.
The musical director of the company
had some time before composed bara-
cole for the production, which was sung
before Shylock's house by Lorenzo, just
before Jessica's flight. This barcarolle
was written originally for Mark Smith,
who made a great hit with it. When
Smith left the company Sheridan
became DESTROYS of securing Lorenzo
who could sing this song. He heard of
Rafael and sent for him, Offering him
the part as soon as he had heard him
sing. Rafael said he was afraid he
could not do justice to the part as he
finally he accepted. He studied the
part carefully, and all went we'll until
his opening night. He got through the
barcarole and the accompanying scene
beautifully, but in his next act he met
with disaster. He appeared, forgot for
the moment the right lines, and, seeing
the company waiting, he boldly dashed
into the first lines of the part that came
into his head. AS he finished up Sher-
idan wheeled straight around and faced
him, saying in a calm voice, but with a
terrible look in his eye, THAT was
id good but it occurs in the next
act" The next morning Rafael re-
ceived a rating from Sheridan that
stung him many a long day. So much
so that in years after, when the bari
tone was making great hit in the
Gypsy Baron, and word was brought
him that Sheridan was in a box in front
him on the stage that Sheridan was in
a box in front, he became Immediately
infiamed with the desire of showing the
tragedian how we'll he could do. and
in that nights performance he fairly
outshone himself, all for Sheridan's
benefit. OF course he was anxious to
learn what effect he had produced, and
seeing the advance man of the COM
pany, Walter Lamb. he breathlessly
IT,. IL. IL Il rA.1
and how did he like my singing?" "Oh,
yes; he's in front all right" replied
Walter, calmly. but you see he was a
little drunk when he came in, and as
he fell asleep during the first act, and
slept all through the performance,
guess he didn't see much of it." "And
that" concludes the popular sweet
voiced baritone, was the maddest mo-
ment of my life!"
The fact that Los Angeles people are
quick to recognize talent and give it due
need of praise has been demonstrated
in the reception accorded Signor Maui
rice de Vries, who fairly took his audi
ence by storm on the evenings when
they were privileged to hear him. His
work here with the Hinrichs Opera COM
pany was a revelation, more especially
is this true Of his Rigoletto. the popular
sentiment in regard to which was voiced
by one woman, who was heard to say:
II never enjoyed Rigoletto until I
heard De Vries in the title role"
Miss Berenice Holmes has ably dem
onstrated Los Angeles pluck and enter
prise in the courageous way in which
she has assumed the responsibilities OF
contralto with the Hinrichs Opera COM
pany. With the training that associa-
ton with well versed artists will give
her, Miss Holmes friends have every
IN hal hot =, f,,k
era will be very bright one.
Orpheum audiences have been finding
much pleasure in the character singing
of Miss Nellie Mcguire. Miss Ma
CURES makeup and her representations
are both true to nature Her Rowery
song was particularly good, yet her cos
ter songs were perhaps a shade more
pleasing, as, while the Bowery imper-
sonations show close study of the types
of character presented. there is a GER
tain something in Miss Maguire's ac-
cent, such as, for instance, the careful
pronunciation of the letter "I'' which
betrays the fact that in the delineation
of English characteristics she would be,
as it were, on her native heath.
Another attraction at the Orpheum
the past week has been the performance
of Richard Pitrot, who gives some cley-
er character limitations, as well as i'm
presentations of celebrated men, the lat
ter being accomplished by the use of
wigs and careful adjustment of the
facial muscles. That the American peo-
pie are prone to see the ridiculous in ev-
erything was demonstrated during Pi-
trot's turn by the laughter which greet
ed his choice of the music of the muscle
dance as an accompaniment to his i'm
personation of Dr. Parkhurst. The
house Caught on" in a moment. and
loud and long was the laughter in conse-
quence.
The success Of the Burbank under it's
new management and in consequence of
the engagement of such sterling come
dams as the two Growers and their ex-
cellent company, goes to show that the
Los Angeles people are very appreciat-
i've when their Judgment tells them thew
are witnessing a performance of some
merit No better guarantee of the ex-
cellence of production can be given
than that it is being presented under
the careful surveillance OF Leonard
Grover and his son. both of whom are
clever and painstaking and require that
their company should possess the same
excellent attributes.
THE UNDERWRITERS SATISFIED
The fight between the CITY Health
OFFICER and the undertakers is ended