The times., 1899-07-30
GOTHAM is DEADLY DULL
The Big Village Suffers From a
Dearth of Amusement.
Two Extrnvaganzns, n Brief Line OF
Wearisome Vaudeville Combtnn-
Constitute the Present theatrical
Attractions of "Gny New York"

| New York. July eff / were a brown
bear and nature had planted me in Man
haitian town 1 should endeavor to cuIti-
yate such an attack OF insomnia for cold
weather as would enable me to sleep COM
fortably without a break from June to
September. For this metropolis Is worthy
of habitation only in the winter When
Old Sol turns white with rage and one be-
gins to meet his most fashionable friends
promenading Broadway with damp kerr
chiefs tied about their necks, the time
has come for answering the letters ones
country relatives iudited some ten months
back. The man who will remain in the
city during dog days either has important
business to keep him or none TO take him
away.
Just now the unpleasantness of summer
in Gotham is made more emphatic by
the dearth of amusement from which we
are suffering. a fortnight back His Ex-
cellency the Governor suspended opera
tions here and vacated the Empire for the
period between now and the first Frost
in which His Exeellency" was very sensi-
BILE. But the departure has left US with
the scantiest possibilities for being enter
tanned l have ever seen in New York To
be sure. We have the roof gardens, but
most Of US have drunk so much under
brewed and over-eharged beer recently
that the very mention OF a chimney pot
is like to upset US. There are several
vaudeville houses still running, but as an
Englishman would remark Vaudeville
gets on my nerves." An Individual gifted
with an ordinary memory can carry away
SO many antiquated jokes. suggestive
songs. and reminiscent sketches that he
has only to use his imagination and a
warm room for the purpose Of introducing
continuous show into his home at any
time. There are two frothy but reason
ably clever extravaganzas going here. Of
which more later. and Sixth Avenue di-
vides with Union Square on four museums
II there is really anything deiighting and
instructive in this life IL Is a dime muse
um. The performances given few days
back at Huber's were especially educating.
AS preliminary TO entrance there one
paid his fee at the door and, upon climbing
long fight OF stairs. found himself in a
large hall-like room. Upon arriving here
the visitor was privileged TO roam about
at will. additional liberty being allowed
for the purchase of photographs No one
ever seems to buy pictures in a snuseum
but they are always on sale and their pro-
prietors do not appear to lose hope. About
the walls there were various relies to take
cnes attention-some OF them looking ex-
traordinarily new. BY the time one had
examined everything in sight the lecture
began. The speaker was a tall, spare feI-
low with an acrobatic method OF climbing
platforms and voice that should tell to
advantage in reading riot act. PERSONAL
lV 4 have hot could
drown it.
The curios at Huber's are Invariably in
teresting. On the day in question they
were especially interesting. Primarily there
was Captain Msnzero, the human ostrich
The captain partook OF large variety Of
nails. with sundry other delieacies as en-
trees and dessert, while an astouished
crowd looked on One stern-faeed woman
asked If the diet did Captain Menzero no
injury. l think she was boarding-ho house
keeper. There was also a dwarf on exhi-
bition and one or two other things but the
captain was the star attraction. After We
had got through with him the assembly
filed down stairs TO be regaled vith-a yau-
deville bill New York and vaudeville are
inseparable- If variety performers cannot
be saved Gothams $ colony on the other
side OF the Styx Will be most unhappy one.
This particular entertainment was rather
fair, but it couldn't be mentioned in the
SAINT DItdNu Wllu q NOW Dtlus
enacted at a Sixth Avenue museum. This
piece is called Bloody Dick and its far
cical possibilities are unlimited.
The Rounders' has been frightened
great deal since its opening night and is
proving so satisfactory that Harry B.
Smith may be engaged to write exclusive
ly for the Casino hereafter The evening
performances have been well attended
from the first, but the matineeS were given
to half houses until Manager Lederer hit
upon the bright idea of inviting the chorus
of his THE Man in the Moon to witness
the entertainment on Saturday afternoons.
Now the beauty show at the Casino is not
confined TO the stage, and the business
we'll a downtown clothier complained to
. me yesterday that If the mortality record
was not decreased soon he would be Obliged
to close his establishment. He said that
within week his force OF clerks had suf-
fered the loss of nine grandmothers. three
: / cousins, twelve aunts. and no less than
| seven and twenty little nephews.
Manager Lederer. by the way. has de-
eided the aIl-important. question re attns
, to the sex of the indivl-ial in the orb
: | of night" and the new burlesque fox the
|, roof of the Casino is to be entitled The
Maid in the Moon" The piecs is tie work
! | of Richard Carle. and. unless Manager Led
erer has not been broken OF the postpone
ment habit, il will be done on Monday
In the cast which is not of the strongest,
will be seen John C. Slavin, Harry Kelly.
> Lee Harrison, Richard Garlic. William
Gould Ruth White, Olive Wallace, and
/ perhaps Odell Williams. Edward Ever
= green Rice has had the selecting OF the
/ lchorus. which may, therefore, be expected
: | to be statuesque. picturesque. and thirsty.
7 Way down at Manhattan Beach, where i
: majority of New Workers go every night,
: Jefferson de Angels has been making
80 much merriment in ''The jolly Mus
ksteer'' that even the waves roar Hilda
! Clark is acting-or rather singing-as Mr..
De Angels leading woman. Miss Clark
has a good voice, speaks her lines well.
, and is pretty so long as she keeps out OF
, tights 1t is said that Manager Ben Stew
, | ems. OF this organization. has perpstuated
Frank Daniels injunction against his chO-
; rus going in bathing This must be very
, hard on the more cleanly members of the
| troupe But perhaps the girls share the
advantages of Manhattan, and are swept
, by ocean breeZes."
| Sousa-while we are speaking OF Man
, hattan-is doing the business of his life
/, | at this resort and will probably be more
familiar with bank notes than he is with
the other kind when the season closes.
Crowds hear his admirable band every
evening, crowds press about him when he
; walks to his hotel, and crowds follow him
along the beach The March King" Is
literally monarch OF all he surveys and
can do anything he wishes-except make
Hands Across the Sea- popular Moth
ing but miracle could no that
Let us return to New YorlS-everyone
else will be doing so soon. But yesterday
| was deceived into taking Marie DressIer
| Fr.. NTayr Trur nsbn fa al Ia