Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-06

Jenny Lind sang there. Parodi. Patti. and
atraf osh held forth at the old African
church This was before the BUILDING o,
the Mechanics Institute. Our first hM,
was In the old 0odoin building ss,'
we then moved TO the Mechanics lnsu-
'''S APPEARED IN OPERA.
Only once did we go outside Of the
beaten path. Miss Caroline Rschings was
she did not attempt full opera In those
dnvs but sang in some delightful operct..
tas. One was the Maid Queen but u
was In the Magic Bridal we figured.
sne wanted chorus; George hu ~ he
"Old Sexton" was lessee, and had Ioahca
US some OF his orchestra to fill up ours az
our concert. We could not so as pouy.
S Sr.. we ADJOURNED ,1 the over Theae and
nad delightful time. We h Ha
a famous stock company here then. , Eu-
win Adams WAS our leading man. M .ha
Mary Devine. who afterwards became ,nc
wife OF Edwin Booth. our leading ,auy'
and Joe Jefferson. the great comedian.
j. wilkes Booth was also ihehlppSI' 40.
d time. Mrs DeBarr was the ola W.
man, and a good one. too. me fa,u nii.
ton girls the danseuses. We used 10 tnil M
q pas seuI" BIZ one OF them could not De
enualled This war our first experlence
behind the scenes. and we TOOK IN et ut
thing. especially the lud.cr9us. one NY ~,
dent will Illustrate ting: Inc nam TO-
lures OF the Magic Bridal" were poor
soldier lover a richly endowed oipna'
sweetheart under the guardianship o! d
cruel uncle. a high functionary IN ne ne
then dominant Church. who wanteo ms
ward's money for himself and the CnuiSh,
and was endeavoring TO marry ner 10 .nd
villain OF the piece. who reaoiiy 49,
10 surrender a large portion Oh one r1 Nv a
faithful servitor Of the lover, VINO nad
been called away TO ,he wars. To &C,
cornpl.sn his ends this sorvitor assumed
many DISCUSSES. among others the FORM
OF HIS Satanic Majesty. Finally, IL seem
ed as though might would prevail, ana the
unwilling bride Is forced TO. the altar
And, now, behold the bridal ar
ray; high dignitaries OF the Ihurcm;
in gorgeous vestments. mobiles ana others s,,s,
enter the chapel. chanting beau au
wedding hymn The white cowled. piach-
robed monk is within the altar raiis, ,ns
bridal couple before II, the latal VoN : :
are about TO be uttered. when-presto;.
the cowI and gown disappear, and out
among the affrighted assemblage leap'
The Devil, clothed in flaming fed--hoIis'
tan. and all. We all fan back mo ,, a I'd
ieau. A wire with a hook on the emu
attached TO a rope and windlass above.
had been concealed behind one or tne
side scenes. and some one was 10 nav
hooked il into a ring In Delt arouhu
the Devils waist, hut SO eager were al,
that the "s,lpe" forgot ". The Devil
pranced around, exclaimlng, sotto s voce:
bo1v hooj, me up" Mrs. DeBarr. who
plaved the part of Muse and Duenna. and
was kneeiing near one OF the side scenes.
telling her beads. slipped out. rushed TO
the spot. seized the wire, and stepped out
jus, as the Devil made feroclouS iullse
backward. and with Characteristic AN
guage exclaimed again: Hook me up;
an it, why doesn't somebody hook me
up." They met. Mrs. DeBarr went back
DOWN with a thumb, turned n somersault,
and lodged against the back scene. But
She had hooked him up. and ne went
sailing above us. splitting fire and smoke
and the curtain fell amid roars OF lauSh-
ter ter for the audience thought it all in
the play.