The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-24

were only booked for ono night. was
very much gratifcd when eight miisi-
clans turned up promptly at rchcarsaL a.
l recoloct IL, there were two Nlollnists,
trombonst, clarinotist, druniihor,
who manipulated the bass drum snare
drum and cynbals; cornetist, pianist
and stout German, who played the tuHl;
They did very well, and was wei pieaseu
with them.
- Il had expected dozen musicians
said to the first violin, but the boys
have done first rate.
We are not all here. The boys like To
play for n show of this sort, and the others
will be round this eycning-thero are
several.
Glad to hear it, / saoid. Bring as
many as you can If they are up In inc
music
" There will be enough, he answered,
impressively ,,..,, =,
"Enoughl Suffering Caesar! viii |
ever forget that mob Why, every loaler
i'm town was rung in ON mo. Al twenty
minutes of eight the first brigade struck
the theatre and ten minutes later the resi-
came. | counted fifty-s and then gave
il up. We had To put them In the ilrst
three rows Of the orchestra stalls.
"Ihc joke of IL was that not one OF
the extras knew the first rudimenis OF
music They had begged, borrowed and
stolen, for all / know, the craziest lot OF
old musical instruments you ever saw
All bluff. | checked off eleven tubas
seven bass drums sixteen pairs of
cymbals, nine flutes and three pairs OF
| castancts You would have thought that
| Bedlam itself had broken loose when we
struck up the overture. Talk about
| boiler factory Ii was the mere cooing
| of little babe alongside of us. Three OF
the chorus girls werS made permanently
| deaf by the racket and the principal
| comedian lost his voice in an effort To be
| heard.
"In contrast to this was an experience we
| had in an unimportant river town IN
| Ohio. Our train was late, ana ala not
| reach the theatre until seven O'Clock III
tho evening. Not musician of any kind
to be had for love or money, not even my
| old standby, the piano, was in the theatre.
! | was at my wits end, when the barber
| told me that the only musician In the VII
! lage was Miss -, the Baptist minis
! ter's daughter | called upon her in haste
and begged her to help me out. would
| play the violin. Could she play the
| piano il one was to be obtainedY
| no I'm afraid not, she replied
sweetly, as she beamed on me through
| her spoctaclcs. In fact i don't believe
| there is piano I'm town, but-would II
dove have parlor organ ana I'm n, tnH
| organist at papa's church. III you Will
send up for the organ think | would be
| willing to play for you. OF course L un--
dorstand that it Is perfectly moral
| drama that your company gives.
Il assured her that 1t was-nothinR
more moral on the road, in its line.
We'll, played at the theator twice
before, she continued. Once for East
! Lynne, and the other time for "Unclo
| Toms Cabin" L guess l can get along
all right with sim. lie music. T"
did she playY
"Oh yes, she played. 1t was the weirdest
music ever introduced into burlesquo
show. Violin and organ All that was,
! indeed, rare occasion.
"What became Of the young ladyy'
"When she tainted during tho skirt
| dance in the first part, kind friends bore
her from the theater.
"No, il is not all life of unadulteratcd
| Joy. this burlesque business 1t has It's
I pHthUtir Sirtr;- too, ffkc other cuffings.
! Tho musical director secs every phase Of
1t and is consistently and uninterruptedly
roasted by one and all. "