The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-10
NEWS TOPICS In LONDON
The Death of Sims Reeves Attracts
Little Attention.
Greatest Singer England Has Ever
known Ends His Existence in
Poverty-Lost "a Fortune by Break
ing EnSnEemeRts-<A Celebrated
Physicians Book on Longevity.

| LONDON, Oct. S0.-The death OF Sims
Reeves, the greatest singer England has
| ever known" as he has been termed af-
! fects the present generation scarcely at
! all. True. he appeared on the concert
platform little more than two years ago,
| but it was only by favor of an induIgent
/ public for the sake of other days His
/ lavish expenditure in the days of his pop
! ularity resulted in an almost poverty
stricken old age. When at the height
of his power Reeves employed a special
/ train, sumptuously fitted, III which he
J Travelled everywhere, on ono occasion
even taking it to ireland with him He
/ was always a valetudinarian, almost to
! the point of excess. It was this that led
/ to the circulation of Macy ealumnious
stories regarding his personal habits.
/ which, however, we're entirely without
/ foundation
Sims Reeves would never sing IL he
/ were not feeling exactly in the mood.
/ and it has been said that he lost in the
| course of his life no less than ESQ, 900 in
! fees through his fastidiousness- There is
I a story concerning his friendship with
/ Charles Dickens, when the novelist was
! called upon to apologize for the indisposi-
/ known and worth repeating.
! Dickens on one occasion was presiding
at dinner at which the tenor had been
announced to sing. when a message vas
| brought to him asking him to make the
! familiar announcement that Mr.. Reeves
was indispGsed and would not be able 10
/ appear. After he had announced the fact
a ripple of laughter went round the room.
( Dickens looked round in disgust 1T is
within my knowledge" he said, in his Sc
yerest tones. that my friend. Mr.. Sims
/ Reeves. is suffering from an unfortunately
amusing and highly facetious cold, which
| prevents his coming tonight" The laugh
/ ter was heard no more.
| Among the many cities al which Reeves
! scored successes perhaps Birmingham
/ claimed first place. Il was here that en-
/ thusiesm reached its highest pitch, while
: it was here. also that he achieved somesof
| the most notable Of his triumphs, princi-
/ paIly those IN the oTatorios OF Eli and
/ -Naaman" on the occasion of the pTOduc-
/ ton Of the first work. which was expressly
written for Reeves by his friend and ad
IniTer, Michael Costa, the great NeapOiitan
musician went round to the singers hotel
after the concert was over and scrtbbled
! The following words on his card: IN Para
[ disc Ron 81 canta megliO'' Tin Paradise they
do net sing better, which ne left for
/ Reeves.
/ singing and confined his attention entirely
/ to oratorios and ballads. He once ascribed
/ his marvellous success not to his voice but
10 the fact that he never sang a line unless
/ lie had studied it Werd for word for months
beforehand Success, he said. comes
only after the hardest work and the most
tedious practice.
How to ProIoHE Life.
A small book has just been published
here which has attracted a good deal of
attention. ii view not only Of the author
reputa ion. but also OF the subject he has
| enSGe1-- The book deals with the proionga-
C%ya 81 life. and the writer is the we'll
| known DR.. R. E. Dudgeon- Exercise. he
/ thinks, for the aged is an excellent thing
in some forms and with care and r,odera-
ton, but n favor OF cycling he has little
| to say. As a sole exercise it is contempt
! ibls. Il incline. he says TO the opinion
OF the red Indian. who. when he first saw
a man on a bicycle, exclaimed: What a
! lag fellow, He sits down to walk The
weight Of the body is borne by the ma
chine; the legs alone are in active move
ment. but the arms and trunk are doing
nothing; they are in q state nj cataIeptic
Tigidity- The cycle Is 10 doubt an excellent
means Of getting quickly and cheagIy to
any place We desire to goa golf link, for
example, where We can get real exercise.
but 10 regard 1t as substitute for other
exercise is a mistake
In chapter on food Dr.. Dudgeon urges
a warning against the consumption Of too
much calt and gives ether hints. The best
rules for preserving health. and thereby
prOlcEgins life with comfort ii TO eat spar
ingiy and rarely and to masticate sufici-
entity Most people eat too much and too
often. he says. As regards drinking. the
doctor advises those in later years TO alb
stain vigorously from alcohol
1T is a mistake to suppose that old PEG
pie require alcoholic stimulants. Alcohol
Is poison Tea and coffee are not SO
innocent IN their properties as most peo-
pie suppose, says this book. and advises
moderation in their use. Of course. to-
bacco comes In for a word Tobacco is
not food; 1t IS not necessary and il is
poison. In a health point Of view. it would
be best TO do without it altogether; but as
many would refuse to act on this counsel of
perfection. I can only advise mild Zobacco. /
whether in cigar or pipe; very Moderate
quantity, very clean and not too short !
pipe and an avoidance OF the seductive but
pernicioCs cigarette
ROthschiId on American jockeys.
Following Lord Durham's recent speech
and letter in regard to the turf scandals !
here and especially to the charges made |
against certain American trainers here.
which matter was reported by cable. Mr..
Leopold de RothschiId. who is a member |
of the Jockey Club sends a letter to the
Times" He says. speaking of the admin |
istration OF drugs, that there is at pres
ent no positive proof that II mas been prac-
ticeo here, but the extraordinary improve |
ment made by horses trained by Americans |
has led 10 the supp5sition that some I'M !
known and mysterious treatment has been |
adopted to effect this rapid change in the |
form Of certain horses.
1T remains TO be seen whether it |
pass rule similar to the one in force |
in America. It may be difficult to deal /
with cases that require investigation and |
that rest on evidence which is more or I
less. always of a peculiar character, but |
there ought to be no difficulty in dea Ing |
with Jockeys who disregard the rules Of |
racing. They should be punished att
onee- and with the greatest severity. |
American jockeys. as regards doing thar /
best to win, may be quite as honest as /
the most upright English jockeys, but .
they certainly are very lax in other ways. !
last week one of the Americans add /
ed certain articles of clothing after he /
had been weighed out, and on returning /
to scale he was two pounds heavier than |
when he was weighed out. This meant |
disqualification if the horse had won or |
was placed Whilst the English jockeys /
conceal any wagers they may have /
made. the Americans make no secrets of |
their bets, made in very large sums; exc
cute commissions aud can be seen daily |
in the paddocks talking to bookmakeTs.
and in the race cross and joStIo and ia e I