The record-union., 1897-05-02

tainment-the artists sang romances
and arias, the orchestra played dance
pieces, the public was pleased to nave
been present on such notable occa
sion. and the manager was happy pe-
cause he had not been compelled TO re-
fund the money paid for tickets. bu'
the public feeling towards Mascagnl
naturally not very amiable.
Harry Montague, the leading man II
False Shame" was playing in the
California Theater, San Francisco, IN
August, 1878. when death stopped his
career. He was so i'll that during the
first act he asked the audience to ex-
cuse him. The curtain was lowered
Montague at that moment was selzeo
with a violent hemorrhage of the lungs
He was taken to the Palace Hotel anC
died in a few hours.
Betterton fell unconscious While play
ing Melantius in Beaumont and Fetch
er's Maids Tragedy and died IN
few hours.
Harry Murdoch was burned to death
in the Brooklyn Theater fire December
3, 1876.
Anna Kemp Bowles, while playing in
the BLACK Crook" in Philadelphia a
few years ago, was killed by a fall.
New York World: Henry Miller keeps
bachelors hall in the neighborhood OF
the Garden Theater, New York. His
apartments are conventionally bache-
loresque; a few good etchings, some
int a
photographs adorn the walls and give
the necessary touch of human interest
to rooms otherwise ascetic in char
acter.
During a recent interview a reporter
tried to inveigle him into giving some
reliable data regarding the matinee
girl, but without success. He says the
matinee girl is too intangible a creature
to discuss. That she is a mythical
goddess, popularity supposed to haunt
the stage entrance of theaters, but that
in reality she is as fabulous as the
mermaid
Then you are not showed in by per-
fumed missives ?"
Not one flake OF course, all actors
live in a sort of reflected glory when on
the stage-but so do drum majors
any one, in fact, who has little space
to himself; but it's all too ephemeral
and unsubstantial to depend on
Mr.. Millers hobby is the collection of
old plays, Of which he has a large and
interesting number. Among them is
the copy Of Macbeth from which Henry
Irving studied shakespeare great
tragedy. 1t is covered with Irving's
screwy handwriting, that is more like
Greek than English, and is most inter-
esting in showing Sir Henry's method
OF studying play.
Washington Post: Whistlfng about
a theater is not only regarded as a null
sance, but is also held to be unlucky
as Manager F'ynes, of Keiths, testifes.
The continuous vaudeville business
is fairly fertile field for superstition. ,"
ne said. we arrange the programme
by numbers, and there is an occasional
protest from the performer who is thir-
teenth on the bill. Many Of the people
appearing here couldn't be made to
walk under ladder, and most Of them
mold to the theory that it is unlucky
to whistle in the dressing
Here is version of superstition from
a different standpoint:
A boy raped at the door of Will
liam Gillette's dressing-room and called
out fifteen minutes" last night when
/ asked the actor-author, who had this
brief period of time left before he went
on the Garrick Theater stage as the
nero IN Secret Service" what his the
cries were in regard to superstitions.
To be entirely frank" he replied. as
his dresser buckled on his sword. II am
not superstitious man. 1t lust hap
pens so. 1t is my aim in life to get
room - at the hotels / visit, provided
that room is a good one. | walk under
ladder every night coming into the
theater. and have always tried to have
the initial production of my plays on q
Friday-the thirteenth of the month if
possible. This was the case with Sc
cret Service There is one thing that
upsets me-you would hardly call it su-
perstltion-but if my friends tell me at
the preliminary rehearsals that my
play is bound to be a big success T feel
superstitious that the reverse will be
the case
OF course, 1 have plenty of friends
L
down the Strand with one of them the
last time ! was in London, and limo
Gently walked under a ladder. He
turned white and trembled.
For heavens sake, Gillette. do YOU
realize what you have done?' he asked
in broken voice. l was alarmed. but
could think of nothing that would war
rant such display of emotion.
Why, no, old man. | replied. What
is it-murder?'
" No; not that. You have walked
under ladder" he whispered.
Well, do you know continued Mr..
Gillette, Il talked that chan ont of his
superstition in less than minnie and
actually persuaded him to walk under
that ladder He was still alive and
happy at the last accounts"
Mascagni has agreed to write a sym
phonic poem. to be performed under his
direction in connection with the centen-
airy celebrations next year of the poet
Giacomo Leopard.
The Swedish Government is about to
abolish the vile music halls" through
out the country in the fond hope that in
their place will spring up, like mush-
rooms, concert halls filled with audi
ences eagerly applauding fugues and
symphonies. Optimism is a harmless
virtue
At a recent meeting of the ROYAL Col
lege of Organists, F. j. Sawyer delivered
lecture on the provocative title. why
do we teach harmony so bad" He CON