The sun., 1897-11-07
centuries of transmission, should have suddenly
stopped short, or nearly short, in the fourth Z"

To see Mrs. Ormiston Chant advertised as an
attraction on the boards q, the Oxford Music
purity crusade and waged bitter warfare
against the music halls when they wanted their
promenade to be abolished %. since she in
Weighed against the living pictures Mt the Pal,
ace thHt good lady has been the 6tte no,re Of all
could be relied on always to call forth q storm
Of boots, yells; hisses. and istling. All Lon
wires from the seat Of the Greco-Turkish war
that Mrs. Chant. who had gone out to comfort
herself in smoking the pernicious cigarette.
True, she afterward contradicted It. but the lie
beng B to
Mrs Chant on music hall stage was indeed
sight mt, fSr Mr gods bm and men. Gia NJ. n.o l., ux,n
picture. rs n skirt dancer. or even as the singer
Of coon song"-terrole limitations of which
hall programmes. No. the enterprising man
agement of the Oxford resolved upon the ex-
The first was great success. and for the second
Mrs. Chant WAS persuaded to make her first ap-
pesrance as music hall artistic.
On Sunday afternoon the Oxford wore an un-
WON'T ed air OF decorum 1t was full, as usual;
but there was no smoking and the drinking bars
military band played sacred music. and on tho
stage dancers danIcers' acro6S,ts,: and ions Ions %eomIgMss
wSo sons % the sab
herself could not object.
But though these received their need OF ap-
plause, Mrs. Chant was the success of the after
noon. w hen the manager led her on the audi
ence received her almost in silence; even a Sun.
welcome Mrs Chant warmly. But this only
marked the contrast to the storm of applause
s Chant % that hap Ssd
and learned; And she attributed her enlighten.
to p ths H9ted hs
her dreams In fact. Mrs. Chant 'iessed tho
Sunday concerts with all her heart, and pleaded
that he London Sunday should be made brighter
y" Now public entertainment which has been
blessed by Mrs OrmstOn Chant might be ac-
cepted. one would think. as reasonably innocent.
But alas for London! Stiggins is power In the
perforce let W the Grafton Supper Club alone. can
successfully Interfere with the harmless amuse-
| Committee OF the London County Council met
the Chairman was bombarded with questions
about the oxford Music Hall. Col. Rotton was
| out that the music hall had only six days
| license. and OF course proceeded to dig up tho
oi"Sse old act Of deorro " any one selling or performs
1 ing for money Is rendered liable to penalties.
or course, the act is broken with immunity all
eper eo@ehody t"E"s advantage Of the fact that Il
still remains on tho statute book, and lays in
formation against some obscure and generally
ment which may offend their "unctuous recti-
tH tsement f OF anytRng which contrsvenes % en- tSis
absurd law is liable TO a fine OF $3.50. and tho
common informer gets = share In the spoil.
ment to the prudish Colonel and his backcrs
The County Counci have nothing 10 do with
| making or unmaking the law OF the land.
understand it. and they could easily leave the
common informers and other equally disin-
before Judge and jury. But the law Is on the
statute books, and the hypocrite abounds. Con.
sequently, hearing In mind the success of re::
the Oxford Music Hall are afraid 10 repeat
| their successful attempt at tightening tho
| gloom OF the London Sunday. and once more. as
| so often happens here. the miserable hypocrisy
| OF narrow inded bigots trumphs over com.
| mon sense. We hear much lately Of missionaries
from France who are coming to convert England
, TO Roman Catholicism. II would be better to
preach to II the doctrine that amusement 10 not
| necessarily Woe. II. Il q