The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-12
LipE 1OP.C, ABOUr TOWN.

After the third net OF "Robespierre" on Tues
day night, one of the men In the audience who
went with the crowd into the lobby uhcon-
sciously began to sing some Of the notes OF the
music which the orchestra played rs the curthin
fell He checked himself In moment and the
others In the lobby who had suddenly turned
ntthe sound Of his voice probably die not recoG-
ni2o Albert Saleza, who had been inspired by
the "Marsclllaiso" to the point OF singing
in public free OF charge. But there was
not enough OF the performance to
make 1t 80 unpro'essional as It an
psnred n Saleza has been preparing himself
by n summer OF hard work for the coming
battle OF the tenors. which promises to he II
heroic struggle lie passed his vacation In his
homo at Bruges. in tho Lower Pyrenees. and
boasts that he was in he omen air during the
greater part of every day. He worked on his
farm, dressed In the customary rig Ofthe peas
ants OF the region. ami. attributes hit. in-
crense in weight to the cnp-tte which
FErsntsd from ,ht sScreise when d ne Sss snmr
for three years. aud might have anccnmbed in
q competition rs fierce ns that expected
with his recup"ration OF the past summer he
eypec's to make even n better impression In
anT rn %S ar n" "nnon as " him MN pac.
among the singers at tho orera. His recsnt
appearances in Paris were gratifying in their
result az they settled the question Of hi. emil
nenc- In his own country. An engaRcment for
the next three years Mt Covsnt Garden as lead
satsfying evidence Of The nlace he has gained
IN another canital. New York. with the group
nt singers wa ting to MI the chair OF one wSo
IN the nature OF things Ia not likely To appear
here Tor navy more seasons. 10 the present obs
jsct OF his am billions.
The fitness OF certain races among New
Yorks population to do certain things better
than any others. II recognized to such an ex
tent that some OF the more mo lest branches OF
endravor are practically handed over exclus-
lively to certain OF the city's foreign born resi-
dents. 1t 10 not alone In New York, however.
but all over the country. that the Italians have
the reputation Of being pre- eminent at the task
OF shoe backing. They are practically in .o'e
possession OF the field In New York the pref
crehce for them has been carried further than
In any other city. Evidence OF this Is to be
found In the Easements o. seyernl hotels %
Ti'th avenue. Tho services NJ the porters who
have looked after the condition Of the guests
boots ar" no mora In demand Recognizing
81 the largest hotel. have engaged srecimens
OF the eHr ricnced Italian. who alone can sat-
The negro boo,bacns hsvs dI in % al:
most entirely. and the few ~ them surviving
do NOT cnlIy the, proSr.rity Of their Italian
usurp'ng the o"curation 40 long reserved for
tho hotel porter's moments OF leisure.
The defeat Of Columbia on Manhattan Field
on Tuesday, was more depressing to the
Column bia men than a defeat would ordinarily
have b-en to any college. Co'umhla's success
in athletics has never hitherto heen Of so
enduring kind to make her men hcleve hat
thrv were really establ shed on the hasiS that
meant permanent success. Sporadic trnmrhs
have been followed usually by a drop hack into
tho colleges usual state OF unimportance as n
figure In university ath' stics. The career Of
the football team, this year. gave good ground
tor hsl II that the success was to
continue and that a Last nR ability tn maintain
n D. 'gh standard in athle les had he.n est3ih-
lsh"i. Tu.sday'S defeat was. for that r"asnl
disappointment to Co'umh ~ an acute
nature such \. few colleges experience. No
body - inclined 10 accent the result as finally
signif ant. and The next game ~ the team Is
ava ted with an interest moro enGroS- ng
than the certainty Of trlumIh that mOst
~ the CouN,hia students carried w'h
them to Manhattan Field on Tuesday.
II Is certain that the confidence OF
Coum bin men In the beginning NJ hetter dsvs
for athletics there Ia not founded entirely on
N. success or IN lnr" % owe crew or one foot
ball team The luGnc al phases ut tn branch
OF university fe are more sa'is'nctor ~ ar
ever the result NJ the too bail teams work this
year mrv he, there IL little probability that the
future history Of athletics at Columbia will
show The marked contrasts ~ success and fail
urs typ'cal ~ the G il-ge In the past That con-
sidera'inn does not serve. however. IN Il min sh
the acute interest 81 hin men Nv the out
come o! the next game their team plays.