The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-11

Grand opera and Boy.
Niobrara, Neb. March g. | had
read so much about grand opera that
| thought hearing It would surely
eclipse the usual joys of boyhood, such
as flying kites. fighting with other
boys, playing marbles, playing "hook-
ey," jumping on trains, loafing In bar
Der shops and going to the circus.
SO one night decided to hear Car
men" As always did believe In gen
eral harmony of grandeur between a
person and his surroundings, ] Dor.
ruwed some clean cuffs from fell
low.boarder and dressed up. As took
my seat | was truly magnificent in all
the glory OF new seven dollar suit,
gorgeous, be-nowered "wescut," near
diamond. hair pasted down and shin
ing, noisy new shoes and homogeneous
hosiery. In all this finery felt real
cutuppish and gaydoggish." (No doubt
! looked like a shining mark for min
ing sharks.) | also felt pretty import
ant but no one noticed me except the
policeman at the door.
With fine disregard for etiquette
turned and stared at the plutocrats
as they entered the boxes. There
were elderly ladies of portly figure
and icy manner who later held their
opera glasses on Sticks" and seemed
fussy; young ladies of high color, in
fluffy rufties, delicate looking youths:
each with weak eye; q wondered IL
they were dudes); and a few hearty
rosy old gentlemen with beaming
faces-probably members of the beef
trust.
Everybody was very polite and bow
ed great many times in a way which
was truly Turveydropian.
Finally the orchestra crashed and
the curtain went up. Out upon the
stage strobe fierce looking gentle
man in velvet breaches, be-feathered
hat, and a black stage-villain mus
tache which turned up at the ends.
Without warning he struck a lover
like attitude and emitted an explosive
half-song, half-yell. 1t was the famous
tenor. His manner was so ferocious
that l half expected to see fire eman-
ating from his nostrils at any moment.
Then the great bass singer came out
and quarreled with the chesty tenor.
The bass man seemed excited about
something and pranced about the
stage in boots, and roared like thun-
der from the "vasty deep" 1t was
very affecting. At this dreadful mo-
ment the beautiful princess appear
ed on the balcony above and made
tnh ,,,stL
which seemed to utterly subdue the
misbehaving noisy knights below.
Then the leader of the orchestra made
some furious and bewildering move.
ments with his person and his baton,
and the orchestra CALAMITY respond
ed with some really first-class crashes.
| had hardly recovered from this when
out from the wings came the motley
mob. There were kings and queens
with their fan bearers and cigarette
holders, dukes and robbers, priests
and pirates, painted chorus ladies', tin
soldiers and "noblemen out of job"
These dime novel folk kept moving
about with great animation, and sing
ing and shouting, and fiercely draw
ately putting them back again, (no
lives LOST. 1t sounded like some wild
horses turned lose in an uncarpeted
dining room. | wondered what 1t was
all about.
Suddenly great extra-special
Shout arose to height of nine feet"
as Bill Nye says; and the crowd part
ed. In skipped picturesque Span
ish girl with cat-like movement.
She gyrated, plunged to and fro, and
sang with incredible vigor. 1t was
Carmen herself.
Hereupon the mighty bass villain
roared with renewed gusto strutted
about, and made big racket with his
boots. 1t was a thrilling moment.
This achievement OF his bOisterous
protagonist seemed to make the tenor
jealous. With mighty vocal effort
the latter triumphantly struck the
highest note in his war song. cat
this delirious climax my seatmate-an
excited little gentleman with side
whiskers-went into a trance.) Hav-
ing reduced his rival, the tenor drew
his trusty sword, and with flashing
eye challenged the whole company
to mortal combat. Just then the cur
tain came down and the lives of the
company were saved. The audience
went wild and | went home, feeling
that simple tunes were good enough
for me.
Frank Thompson.