The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-10-06
Some American Abshactlons
Notes From Diary of Japanese Naval ocer sisung
New York.

parasols, represent American woman
hood abroad by doing semi-indecent
dance on Trafalgar Square, on the Place
de La Concorde, in the ruins of the
Coliseum, on the Plaza de Toros and
Inter den Linden; naval officer IN
white duck who invariably sings
tenor -
'sThere was one in the play tonight,
I interrupted with due apologies. lie
struck me, / must confess, as affording
evidence OF. the very slightest acquaint-
ance with the science of navigation or
the art of gunnery. His conduct in pub
lie I thought also Indicative of an ex-
tremely lax system of discipline In your
navy. In fact, he reminded me very
much of the Russian officers at Port
Arthur
EXACTLY. Further, our dramatic
eanons call for an Irish waiter named
Hassan Ali Bey, who must trip over
every newcomer g feet and plunge for
ward in terrifying manner until, rest
ing upon his comieal blue nose as a
fuIcrum. he describes full semicircie
through the air and rises nonchalantiy
to his feet to run off with his tray;
more or less complete comic geological
collection, whereof each beast has for
its front and hind legs two actors, said
front and hind limbs frequently engag-
ing in a kicking affray between them
selves; ballad of the moonlight, which
falls on the crystal brooks of old Ne
vada! and girls-lots of them, piles OF
them, shoals of them-girls.
ssAnd this honorable gentleman, you
saw has created the form of play you
have described?o
Eyes. Of course we all go to see it
plain citizens, physicians, philosophers,
groeers, butchers, lovers, ideaiists, high
err critics; but the sole responsibility
rests on the shoulders of the Tired
Business Man. He has the whip hand
over US. He makes US like what he
likes. At least so the managers and the
critics say
ssDoes the gentleman himself enjoy
it7D / asked.
/ was gratifed to see a rising flush OF
animation in our silent companion 8
face. as If I had touched on the one
topic that in world OF don 't-much-
care was still vital.
.sDo enjoy it? I suppose do. At
least the managers and the critics tell
me so. And nights when you don t play
poker or bridge you have got to go
somewhere.
uBut now and then there was
positively a wistful look in his clear,
intelligent eyer wonder whether |
am being treated quite fairly, whether
I am being given chance. After al, l
am no ape browed fool. | have had
college education. I can hold my own
in an argument on a subject | am inter
ested in: I have been abroad bit and
remember something of what 1 saw.
And I feel sometimes that l could ap-
preciate a thing that was not all Punch
and Judy and girls. It isn't fair-no,
it ism t fair, when you come to think OF
it. After ] have toiled all day earning
the living of a good number of people
besides myself and doing the work OF
the world, after a fashion, to be patted
ON the head and called good little boy
and given a nice top to play with and
told not to bother about serious things,
that may be enjoyed only by high
brows-who don't do anything all
day.
There was almost a break in his voice,
and his erstwhile hooking neighbor
stretched out sympathetic hand ana
laid it on the speakers arm.
ssIt's so senseless when you come TO
think of it. just because | am stepped
in the realities of life all day, am not
entitled to see the same reality at night
on the stage from a safe and disinter-
ested viewpoint And if it g question
of recreation, of relief from Worry,
ism It it pretty well agreed that the sight
of our own troubles borne by other peo-
ME. even If it be on the stage, is the
greatest relief And Aristotle, that |
remember something dimly ahoutY And
the katharsisa But, pshaw, what's the
usef beg your pardon. ! am a pore
when I get on the subject. He rose
abruptly bowed, and was lost in the sea
of merrymakers.
tsYour friend, after all, does seem to
nossess certain elements of personal
;tv, I said. HCan there be such
thing as pure abstraction"
uoh. yes; and maintain that ne IS IS
one. When he speaks like that he ism =
really himself. Mind, I don't mean to
Gov that he is the only abstraction we