The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-29
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
NEW YORK, March 28.-Gotham's
high society, always seeking for some
thing novel as a relief from ennui-one
of the penalties of belonging to the
class that tolls not nor spins-has dis
covered a new means of passing an
unconventional evening. Nocturnal Wis
Sts to Chinatown" which until re-
aently were the vogue among all those
who sought the ultra Bohemian, have
given way to the latest craze-a visit
40 the Yiddish theater.
Exactly why the playhouse of the
Ghetto's denizen should suddenly be-
come an object of such great interest
90 his heightened Gentle neighbor, is
. question that is not easily to be an
swered.
Perhaps the problem should rather
be why the Yiddish stage has not long
before this attracted the close atten-
ton of the outside world. There are
few pictures of more strongly human
interest than those that are presented
at the playhouses of the Ghetto. Nor
are these pictures only to be witnessed
behind the footlights; the front of the
house presents an extraordinary and
unconventional scene OF striking fas-
cination to him who yearns to know
how the other half of the world lives
and what is looks like.
That society has at last come to rec
ognize the picturesque and artistic
qualities Of the Ghetto theaters is
proven by what IS now a customary
sight, the presence in the boxes OF
these playhouses Of ladies and gentle
men of patrician mould and bearing,
whose fair skins, blonde hair and
strongly Saxon features offer strik-
ing contrast to the SWarthy complex
ions Of the regular habitues Of the
place, who divide keen interest in the
play with occasional glances of good
humored curiosity at their alien visi-
tors.
A curious crowd 1t Is that makes up
the audience Of a Yiddish theater
Long-bearded, heavy proved old men,
whose cOuntenanceS, Of marked East
ern type features clear-cut as canoes,
bear the hunted, subjected look that
years of persecution and the buffeting
OF fate have made the physical heri-
tage of the European Hebrew. That
stamp of suffering is always in these
aged faces. When they laugh at a
funny situation on the stage or the
quips Of the Yiddish comedian there is
something indescribably piteous about
that laugh-one is somehow reminded
of how the inmates of Dotheboy's hall
must have looked when they were able
to forget their childish miseries enough
to be able to indulge in mirth. But, Of
course, there are many younger men
among the audience. These are of
quite g different type. Some years of
so1ourn in the land Of the free and
continuous breathing Of our liberty-in-
spring air has produced a marked ef-
feet upon their demeanor. Their laugh
is Wholesouled. They are extravagant
In their applause. You must go to the
Yiddish theater If you want to hear a
stage villain thoroughly Kissed and
hooted. The Rowery gallery boys and
the London gods" are capable Of only
feeble outbdfst compared to the
storm Of hootings and Kisses that come
from those Semitic throats and Iips.
Brilliant is the display Of color that is
furnished by the feminine portion of
the audience.
The Ghetto belle is a truly gorgeous
creature. Her clothing. which is a
cheap edition of the styles of the out
side fashionable world with an ac-
centuation of hues, brings out to adj
vantage her dark flashing eyes and
rich Oriental complexion In between
the acts she eats apples, oranges and
peanuts, and even takes out a paner
q sandwiches, for to be in style at the
St-As 1A@azs< Salz. aasast- apzR-. aks