The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-31

mary Riley IN lne haHSds City Stdr.
eek YES. yes, indeed The Chocolate
Soldier is certainly a swell
l. little opera. Isn't it just too
bad that John T.. Sullivan is dead? But,
alas as the prophet Pentateuch so feeling
ly tells us, 'all grass is fieshl'" Mrs.
Wood b. Highbrow sighed deeply as size
leaned back in her chair. ''The paln'y
days of light opera. I'm afraid, are over
since his decease, for it is certain that
no such bouffant works are being COM
posed in these regenerate days, as his
Chocolate Soldier, Bohemian Girl and
Mikado.' Wasn't Kansas City fortunate
to have the opportunity of hearing his
best hors d'ouvres in secession, one after
the other, during the last few weeks?
'What a pity it was that Gilbert and
him separated, after they had elaborated
know what it vas they quarreled about?
don't, either, exactly, but have kind
of vague remembrance that it was be-
cause Gilbert insisted on calling him
Say instead Of Sir You see. Sullivan
had been benishted a short time previous
". do declare, it's just a shame the
way friendships are easily asundered
in our age, There don't seem to be any
such faithful love between men at all.
nowadays as what existed between these
ancient chums, Fidus and Achates, Serp-
per and Fidelis, or even David and Jonah.
.sYes, yes, indeed. We heard all three
of the operas and Wood, especially, en-
joyed them immensely. OF course, to one
of really cultured musical pabulam,
work like Wagner's Parsihage' or his
big serial opera-let's see, what is the
name of 1t? It's mostly about rings;
there's a rhinestone ring and a ring OF
fire and a ringing war cry, that goes Eli,
vi. toe. hoe and is sung by some Walkers
that always ride horseback. Remember?
Well the name has escaped me, too, just
this minute, but let it go-as | said, works
like them would be more appealing. How
ever, under the circumstances, | was
glad to attend because l had been work
ing on quite heavy paper for my club.
during all those weeks, and each time
needed the diversity.
well, | hardly know which of the
operas l liked 5est- There are certainly
some beautiful aria in The Bohemian
Girr-by the way / much prefer its orig
iral French tide, La Boheme.' don't
you? There was Back to her mountains
and '<now'st you the land and. particu-
larly, The knee bowed down. 1 used
to sing all of them to Wood, in our court
ing days. Then the cavalrycade was ini-
posing; and weren't those poultry cute?
am so fond CT fat capon lined as
Shakespeare calls them.
THE Chocolate Soldier was delicious,
| love chocolate anyway. in any shape or
form. Really, / can't see for the life of
me why people laughed so at the idea of
man-of-war eating chocolate drops
Why Wood brings me a box every Satlr-
day night OF course, candied rose leaves
or violets would probably be more 'er
wriggle. but it stands to reason that
they would be harGer to get in desolate
country like Manchuria, and in war times,
too,
II was somewhat reluctant to go at first.
fearing my delicasessen might be shocked
1 knew Sir sullivan had written the mu-
sic to Bernhard Shaw's play, Arms and
a Man, and that they don't allow his
dramas to be given in England without
being censured- You remember, dor t
you. the struggle there was to get Lady
Windyday's Fan past our own customs
officers?
Then I knew, too, that Shaw has sor:e
ridiculous doctrine that it is the women
who run after tie men and propose to
them. The very idea. Why. Wood court :
ed me continuously on his bended knees
for two years before | excepted him and
then I consented because 1 couldn't, To
save me, decide between a literary or mu-
sical career. Well as l was saying
feared that it might deal altogether too