Evening star., 1896-12-16

fines her ability as a singer. She has a re-
markahiy sweet voice and has abundant
opportunity to display her talent and the
culture of her voice in, the Thirty Minutes
Around the Operas" which includes such
ticana," Robin Hood" "Misere." 'Tar and
Tartar and III Trovatore" in which the
sweet soprano Is well supported by the
phenomenal baritone: Fred ?. Piper. Other
Hyer Sisters, otherwise known as The
California Songbirds:" Tom Brown. char
acter fmpersonatOr and comedian; Mallory
Brothers, musical entertainers; Furber and
May. comedians and acrobats. The opening
skit Is entitled The Blackville Derby, )" and
then follows an olio Of pleasing features
the program ending with Thirty Minutes
only been wide awake in the furnishing of
a nrst-class program and an excellent COM
pany but has been lavish in expenditure of
money for stage accessories, costumes and
scenery, which latter are rich and hand
some.
Inc Bfjou Theater.-To lovers of melo-
drama the story of The Midnight Flood
at the Bijou is recommended. The story
is one of intense interest and full of stir
ring tableaux. While the plot is an original
one and the play constructed on new lines
there Is. nevertheless. all the old-.ime
Characters en- necessary to a melodrama
There Is the strange murder mystery the
innocent accused. the designing villains and
the comedians who happen in while II e
audience Is ready to cry. and the wronged
woman whose presence always provokes
sympathy. Considerable credit is due the
company, which is perhaps, the most even
~ balanced one ever seen at the Bijou.
The company is strong in every particular
ana the performance is even throughout.
Nor should the stage setting be overlooked
Every act is beautiful picture and our
ing the fourth act the acme of stage real
ism was reached. when the hero was res
cued from the floating Jail. The company
mas an extensive repertoire. and beginning
thursday matinee will present for the re-
mainder of the week Grit" another thrill
ling drama. One of the features of the
company Is the band which travels with
the show. During the performance it rem
derS In clever style the popular selections
Of the day.
new, and one of the very best variety en-
tertainments that have been seen at Ker-
mans this season. is this week drawing good
houses. The company comprises a hest
OF clever entertainers and score of pret-
ty girls. all of them new to Washington
audiences, and dressed in comely style. The
many and varied features of the enterr ain
ment are embraced under the name of the
curtain raiser shows the interior Of the
New York Yacht Club room. and after
the magic hour of midnight is passed, the
entire strength of the company is intro
duced. There is singing and dancing, and
new bundle of jokes opened. This Is fol-
lowed by the olio. which includes such
well-known artists as the Weston sisters,
who have long since made a reputation fer
themselves. Then comes a startling per
formance by Mile. Velesca on the high
trapeze. Hanley and Jarvis prove clever
comedians and Lena La Couvier contributes
several popular songs of the day in salts
factory manner. Mullen and Dunn, in the
ten minutes devoted to their act. crowd in
a world of fun and Emma Carus. lew
female baritone, has no trouble installing
herself favorite A new European spe-
cialty Is presented in those musical kings,
Deltorelli and Clssando. The show closes
with scene at Coney Island.
Mr.. Dunbar's Readings.-An entertain
ment was given at the Fifteenth Street
Presbyterian Church last night for the
benefit of the Manassas Industrial School
by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, the negro poet.
Mr.. Dunbar assisted by the New Selika
Quartet. and notwithstanding the bad state
of the weather a handsome sum was taken
in from the sale of tickets at the door,
which will help materially in the assist
ance of the charity for which the enter
ta1nment was given. Mr.. Dunbar was
greeted with loud applause. He read
number of his dialect verses, which were
received enthusiastically and which were
ra ther more noteworthy than his work
outside of this sphere. The New Seika
Quartet consists of Mrs. S. J. Ball, Mrs.
Lulu L. Brooks. Mrs. Lena Mckinney and
Miss Lue Hommer, and each gave a solo
during the evening, besides the several
concerted selections contributed. Mrs.
and accompanied the quartet and SOLO
lists. Rev. F. ]. Grimke, pastor of the
church, read vigorous protest against
the action of the Church of Our Father
Dunbar's committee. The paper was lis
tened to attentively by the large audience
and at its close was appla uded emphat-
icaly.
THE ssah.''-FolloWing the custom of
former years, the Choral Society will pre-
ing Christmas week. The orltorio will be
given on two evenings, December % and 30,
at the Congregational Church, the size of
the auditorium making two concerts neces-
sary to accommodate all those who desire
to hear the beautiful music so appropriate
at this season. The Messiah is one of the
most beautiful oratorios that have ever been
written. and the Choral Society in putting
1t before the public each year at this time,
when the spirit Of the music is so much in
harmony with the season, deserves the
most generous kind of patronage The
principal Soloist of the oratorio this season
will be Ericsson Bushnell, who stands un-
rivaled as an oratorio basso. Mr. Bush
nells work IN both the Messiah and the
Elijah have shown him to be the peer
OF any cratorio singer of the day. and ii
is possible that he is the best cne that has
ever been heard in either of these works.
The other soloists will be Mrs. Shir-Cliff,
MISS ddll ana Mr. Mcfarland. The same
scloists will sing at both concerts.
MIR. Curtis Lecture.-Mr. VIM. E. Curtis
delivered lecture on Spain at the Nation
Ak Rifles Armory last night before a large
and appreciative audience. Tne fitness of
the lecture to the time, of course made the
subject all the more Interesting, and Mr.
Curtis dealt with his topic in a capable,
comprehensive and eminently intelligent
manner. The lecture was for the benefit
of Grace p. E. Church, and was hand
somely illustrated by stereopticon views.
Holiday Observation-Disclosures the
bad weather a goody company gathered
last night at the Church of Our Father at
the opening of the annual Holiday Festival
The church was tastefully decorated, and
the different booths well filled and attrac-
tive. A delightful entertainment, consist
ing of the reading of Dickens Christmas
carol. 'Marley's Ghost by Rev. DR..
Rogers illustrated by lantern slides, was
feature of the program.
New System Of Ventilation.
The new system of ventilation for the
Senate, planned and put in operation by
Mr.. Woodbridge, is daily the subject of
examination on the part of the contractor