The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-28
AMERICA's FREAK PASSION.


 The American through overwork O
 mind, 1 believe) are an eXcitable race ever in search of novelty and excite.
 ment. It is that absence of repos(
 which most forcibly strikes all the Flu ropeans who pay visit to the great cities of America, New York especially
 and which all American impresarios exploit in providing the Americans l with their pleasures, even their intel 1 lectual ones such as music, literature and the drama,
 | Commenting on Kubelik's perform ance, a New York contemporary says:
 All the old bags of tricks are in his ! ssession--double siXths, octayes tenths, skips, shuddering slides and miraculous speed. But no music! At his age, Sarasate was melting Europe With his ravishing tone At his age Wieniawski was setting people wild by his mad, Witching play. At his age Joachim was famous for his classic repose, superb tone, intellectual inter- pretation. Kubelik is pure and simple the violin virtuoso, the gymnast on four strings and his cerebellum may re- veal the fact that nature intended him for climber of dizzy heights, jug gler, an aeronaut-or a fiddler."
 But who cares? He is extraordinary he is a freak, and the Americans will go mad over him. If he could give his marvellous performance standing on his head all the time, the furore would know no bounds.
 Joseph Hoffman I heard the other 6a1 ioh I wifi, Ji playing; but there was no enthusiasm, he is passe. I remember hearing him was nine years of age then, and played in New York fourteen years ago. He wasnine years of age then, and played very we'll, very well indeed-for boy of nine. He was a freak then, and there was no standing room in the Metropolitan opera house on any of his appearances.
 Now, this is no appreciation of art, it is only the love of the sensational-I had almost said, the morbid,
 Former generations of Americans crowded the largest hall of the United States to hear Wendell Phillips. Ever cit Hale, Emerson, etc. Now such tall ents would only draw university audi ences. The general public would stay at home. But if poor Andree could re- turn from his Polar expedition and show himself and his balloon, I don't suppose any success every recorded would equal the one he would score on the platform,
 The Americans do not now go to hear a lecture to be entertained with the in- treat of the higher order, they go to see a man and have their satisfied The bona fide ar list and lecturer stand no chance with the freak.
 Bull fights are condemned in Aneri- i "a, as they are in England, and Spain $ called a barbarous. savage country 'or allowing that kind of sport; but, l Judging from the number of English | md Americans whom I saw in Paris ! he only time in my life I witnessed a pull fight, I would conclude that the | is not altogether without l lttraction for them.
 I once heard in St. Louis woman | vho was advertised as the loudest | finger in the world The hall was l lacked to the doors. and the business immense. The woman shouted, howled Say au revoir, but not good-by," the uthor of which ought to be hanged. It vas stunning, deafening, as repulsive performance to watch as the freaks f Barnum & Bailey's show
 l remember how once my manager | nd myself were walking over the Sus- ension bridge at Niagara Falls. He old me then how woman, shut up in
 barrel, had let herself fall and shot he Rapids. reaching the other shore afely. I was to appear at Buffalo that fight. My manager sighed.
 Whats the matter?" I said
 "Ah, my dear fellow" he replied, eff | ou could do that there would be tanding room only at the Music Hall o-night."
 Of the same kind is this reminiscence Grand Rapids, Michigan, The local manager called on me at 1 1e hotel in the afternoon and before 1 dying me, insisted on giving me my e. Aren't you afraid?" I said.