davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-22
THE C0MPANIOyABLE WOMAN

Men marry for Companionship
some get it and some do not. No
woman who is dragged down with
ailments peculiar to her sex can be
fit and happy companion for any
man. There is, however, one tried
and true remedy for such cOndi-
tons in that famous old root and
herb remedy, Lydia f. Pinkham's
Vegetable Compound, and no
woman who is afflicted with dis
placement. irregularities, infam-
nation, liberation backaChe, head
aches, nervousness or the blues"
should rest until she has given this
good Old-fashicned remedy trial
1t will restore health and influence
your whole Iife.-(Adv)
POHshes, Beardsley's.
White shoe cleaner, BeardsIey's.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-22
LONE VIOLATOR. OF
E1OIOR LAW FINED

Earl Smith of Rock Island was
me- - III the police court this
A'ra.ag before Magistrate c. J.
S-lll. -.- -gL having the proper
-E-a -Ia automobile. He was
arrested by officer Earl shannon.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-22
Guarantee to You

1 hereto be exactly as represented.
V time during one year from date
you may do so at full purchase
of equal or greater value.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-22
PONDER LAW IN
BUILDING CASE
CIV Commissioner Consider Con-
demHatioR Proceedings at
Special Session.
MAYOR .REBykES INSPECTOR
Johnson states He is Through If
Action Is Not Taken Consider
Legal Points.


when can q binding he con-
,.-.-=a -r.=. Sc ,,,,e+iou 81.
e9'--. N'''-'
hs1 ioTcea .'Seil upon the consld-
GRAFTON Of the city commissioners.
Tbe matter Of condemnation
PSe'5-@ a speo!a'
Ee~''s 80 isia-1u SItS
CON --,.t, 10
r.. n --y.--.l5 The AKIN ~ eUaI
-
- 7r-.--s.-., ,1-,-,~o,t-i, -
49,. - ~ .te
s t. a. d. '-'-.~ 80 S,-', ood1S u me
c.sa--s up "l itooA ISIaIIu' dllo
'l5 ee-.'' ..---. o. us.Sdte anu IN
SANTA. -'. .- ''..- Sll"tAS' /
3 SOU --'"~ --'- ma " WI Con
ss-t-a-.. penny lep1heu the
1--s I.''.'--e ms I.'-'oi- soi-e Ii4ile
ssI .e- IL 'epoit = u
lls@ie .~--.--"3 I'm tHe ulSpaltH
'.ta1 t--e t-@- " IL" u7-lt the sltua>
Ton e5-'-,'--.- We -IS NC ~ ue9'I eu
me iet' ga ma 'He Guy
eo.-.I---1 lo'--.1 M me
p--.i---=@ "' o-1-- lL-siil IdIe0-
1its D---.---L- ms peG'oE = y
Jo-fso- -o-''---- submitted 81 re
p' aa r'i--'iI5S 1hdl ne
--l f.. -.....- - -o--.- I'm i,5'i ne
c--.-----1 '--i-' apA' lii4'S1
c--- W - - 7- .. -<..-Ne on
s.-:- "a a. , ~ $3.50 'l'5-l
.-.. -- ,-4,-.'l-5's9 Ttlf.
ne t--s Ia t'oI co. NE
committee sLoll--Ie1 report
4 w4icA sln5.aHl-ated the conten-
laAs or me -IIl44AE inspector Inc
c-il--i---'Et iea5l-LAthdeA lhaL sew
eIal a-,--.---i-e slould De fazed ana
o--efs 7-l~-- nave unsafe walls
---Le-.-a- e-S Fs91-Lt'
owners OF lhese bulIq2ngs were
called 10 appear before The COM
ElssloIe-S a. their regular SEES
son s -. olt ,.i hotnlng saustac-
The building tnsnrrtor +or5 the
commissioners mo eneciaI
Meeting YESTERDAY. thar T M a4rio,,
i -.rsr ~ rr-,IarrT +hc-o b,jId
s-ry +te- r.. - tt-ro-,et -, H.
r5-fa ss--,s-sr- a-5 III refr., -
srs--s- -7rraa- fena-rs nj ,7-,fo
buildings TOR the ro7lo7issir.,ars'
-7rs=Ez-.-s1-
---- -,-gr,,-.-,,. -T..,.. ,...,.,,,,,-.,- g.
~ H. ~ -, =,
s---. M So, 10. - 80 -
,Fszs t5-zr.f5r---- IN - os g., IL
80 -ra- -rl.r ~. ,ro--r5 T., -,
5.--s-s.s - - -t----i5 e-I-+
4 U7s=sf1z 60 -iasa h,Ii755-7'--..
from the agtsf7a
=,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-22

Other buildings have been con
ae-l but e. seems that certain
points, -- law are holding up action
= --e cases RON before the com
---@-.- in case II is found
tAat r.-1emUatlg1 proceedings can
-9i ae taken IN these cases, Il may
eefe-ag that The city erred IN con
l-.---aL-.1 proceedings in the past.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-22

elders. Beardsley's.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-22

Besco brooms. BeardsIey'a
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04

however, before there arose the rival
ries and scandals which have made
up large part OF the prir'a donnas'
history ever since. The first of rec
ord was Margarita de l'Epine, but
she sang only in Italian and in con-
certs, and did not get an opportunity
in opera until Buononcini's "Alma-
hide came and provided Addison
with chance to air his delightful
wit at the expense Of the new style
OF entertainment and the public that
affected to like it. By that time, too,
the lady already had an English
rival in Mrs. lofts, whose success at
once disclosed the innate character Of
operate partisans, for her cham
pions hooted and Kissed the Italian
woman when she sang in Drury Lane
in 1740. Knights Of the quill, who in
that age delighted in satire, carried
the warfare into the public prints,
and we have preserved for us speci-
mems of the gentle art of satirists
who, when they were unable to find
fault with the singing of their vic
Tins, did not hesitate to descant
upon their real or supposed moral
imperfections. 1t was Swift (speak-
ing like sweet and perfect knight,
indeed) who in his journal to
Stella" spoke Of the Italian lady as
"Margarita and her sister and an
other drab, and a parcel of fiddlers
al Windsor; while an unnamed
scribbler, addressing Mrs. lofts,
wrote:
$50 bright is thy beauty, so charm
ing thy song,
That it draws both the beasts and
their Orpheus along;
But such is thy av'rice and such is
thy pride,
That the beasts must have
starved and the poet have
died"
curiously into the rivalries between
prlma donnas in the eighteenth CEN
fury and the social feuds to which
they gave rise it would not be very
difficult, fancy, to trace many
parallels between London then and
New York in 1909. There was a
party two centuries ago that
espoused the cause of the native
English singer against the foreigner
and rebuked the public for affecting
to like foreign art and foreign art
lists simply because they were for
eign. There was such party
eighty-five years ago in New York
when the first Italian opera house
was built, and there is such a party
now. When the great Cuzzoni and
Faustina came to London to dispute
the popularity of such English sing
ers as Mrs. lofts, Anastasia Robin
son and Lavinia Fenton, Henry
Carey (who provided the civilized
universe and the superb ulturized
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04
Elimination of German Music and
Singers May Create New Fashions
for Next operate Season

question of art who is afraid :.
express 1t; and the foolishest conrs'
that critic, lay or professional os ~
follow IS to withhold his opinion ~
tear that at some future time II ,,o'
be found that his opinion was errons
Gus. After that the next most f S,,s
lsh thing is for the critic of to.dsr
sheer at the writec of the past fron
whose views the majority of his su u,,'
cessors have turned. The men WIZ
could not approve of all that Rso
thoven wrote were not dishones.
fools: nor were they imbeciles wS"
objected to Schumann. or Wagner AZ
Brahms. 1t is not idiocv TO-DAY "
question the artistic validity of ever,
phrase penned by Richard Strauss a,
Roger, or Debussy or Arnold Scbon.
berg. Honest antagonism to innova
tons is beneficial and necessary r.
sound progress. 1t provides the roo
ulative f1ywheel without which tho
engine would go racing to destruc
ton. 1t cannot stop progress. and
there never was critic honestlr
concerned about his art who wished
that it should. There is more cant
about everything new being good
than there is in the proclamation
that old things are good because they
are old. The former assertion i
too frequently based on cowaroics
and ignorance. No critic worthy of
the name is afraid to speak out his
dissent because the history of crit;.
cism has taught him that he NAV
be overruled by others tomorrow or
that he may himself change his mind
If he Is honest and speaks from con.
viction there is likely to be some.
thing IN his verdict which will re.
main true, no matter what the winds
and tides of popular favor NAV do 10
his utterances or their subject. Beet.
hoven, Schumann, Wagner and
Brahms have won and held their
sway over the popular heart; but
there was much in the criticism ad-
dressed against their creations which
was valid when it was spoken and is
valid to-day. That residuum must
go down to the credit Of the writers
They were brave men and better men
than those who sheer at them now
The coward in criticism who has no
opinion unfavorable to the artist WIN
is his friend or affects friendship for
him, who pronounces everything good
which the god of his idolatrv ad-
mires, screening his ignorance be-
hind an imposing name, will be in no
danger of being overruled by DOS.
terity, for he will give posterity no
reason for remembering him. His
influence will stop with his friends
or the friends of his friends.
There never was a time when nu.
steal criticism stood higher in the
United States than it does today.
The reviewers for the daily newspa-
pers of Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago
and New York q can speak only of
the chief cities of the country are
men of learning, taste, good iudg.
ment and honesty, who know what
they are writing about and who pre-.
sent the fruits of their trained
knowledge attractively, agreeably,
without arrogance and without fear.
Among those who exert an influence
there is not one who is rude or Of
fenslve in manner. Neither is there
one who is a mollycoddle.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04

but within the dignified precincts Of
a court of justice.
"And all for nothing.
For Hecuba -
What was That's to the pressmen
or they to That's that they should
have fought for her?
| am familiar with the journal
istic axiom that a newspaper is what
the public want it to be. The axiom
at the best is little better than a
half-truth. In politics, civic morals,
literature and every form of art ex-
cept that associated with the the
atre, newspapers strive to impress
their conceptions of right and beauty
upon their readers. They do not en-
ter the lists in behalf of bad paint
ers or devote columns of description
to their daubs; they do not encour-
age men to spoil good marble or
bronze when they might be carving
decent gateposts; they do not seek
out illiterate rhymesters and fill COL
umns with their verses. But they
play the role of stage-door Johnnies
to the thousand and one movie act
resses and comic opera chorus girls
who keep publicity agents in their
employ If in this they reflect the
taste of their readers, it is taste
which they have instilled and cult
waited, for it did not exist before the
days of photo-engraving, illus
trated supplements and press agents.
Popular interest of an acute and in
comprehensive kind, we know, has
always followed the great people Of
the lyric stage, but never as now (as-
suming that the newspapers are
faithful mirrors) the groundlings.
Popular infatuation with stage peo-
pie of all kinds is as old as the
stage itself No doubt the people
CT ancient Rome split themselves into
parties and quarrelled about the
merits of gladiators, singers, faut-
lists, kitharists and dancers two thou
sand years ago.
The phenomenon, inasmuch as it
marked the operate history of the
decade just ended more emphatically
than any period within a generation,
is deserving of study. There can be
no opera without prima donnas, and,
1t would seem, no prima donnas with
out jealousies, squabbles and ran
cor An entertaining and diverting
chapter illustrating the truism may
be extracted from the history of Ital-
ian opera in London. The coming of
the prima donna (the Italian lady. of
course) had to wait upon the intro
duction of Italian opera, and so none
OF the great singers of the seven
teenth century who were identified
with the first hundred years of the
lyric drama were heard in England
Scarcely had the first of the tuneful
tribe appeared across the Channel.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04
estoppel to the creation Of liberal

estoppel to the creation Of a liberal
and permanent repertorY.
A history of opera during the last
ten years would serve little purpose
if it did not truthfully set forth the
things which shall enable the read
ers Of to-day, and happy of a fut-
ure day, to visualize picture of the
social and artistic conditions which
prevailed in New York at the end
of the first decade of the twentieth
century. The picture is presented,
though in a diffused state, in those
contemporaneous chronicles of the
times, the newspapers and these are
in nothing more truthful than in
their reflection Of the frivolity and
folly which obtained then and have
endured ever since. This | say with
q heavy heart and without the
slightest desire to eXtenuate or de-
fend the profession to which l be-
long. During the period of which
| am writing, even in journals of
dignity and scholarly repute, the
gossip of the foyer and the dressing
rooms of the chorus and ballet stood
in higher esteem with the news edi-
tors than the comments Of conscien-
tious critics. The picture of a
comic opera woman or a dancing
doll whose sole charm centred in a.
pretty face or a shapely leg was
given more prominence than the ill.,
dicious discussion by trained critic
of the performance of an artist VINO
was one in a hundred thousand; and
the chatter of Mary Garden or
Geraldine Farrar about her religion
Or irrcligion, the antithesis of mar
riage and the artistic temperament,
or her taste in dress or undress, was
editorially viewed as of more conse-
quence than a critical discussion of
the new score of a world-renowned
composer. And SO it came about
that no matter how sternly their
critics held themselves aloof from
the intrigues of the theatres, no
matter how punctiliously the re-
viewers confined themselves to the
artistic side of the performances
and eschewed the internal and pri-
vate affairs of the managers, the
newspapers in their editorial and
I news columns discoursed upon the
wisdom and unwisdom of contracts
made or not made, of the bestowal
or withholding Of roles from singers
whose press agents kept them in the
public eye, of honoraria alleged to
be paid and remuneration alleged
to be deserved. In one case there
was a quarrel between two singers
for the exclusive privilege of ap-
pearing in role whose chief attrac-
ton was the chance which it offered
for the woman to appear in a cos
tune approaching nearer than any
in the operate wardrobe to that
worn by Eve before the fall or
Phryne before the court of the hell
asts Here editorial championship
went so far that it provoked fisti-
cuffs between Journalists and man.
] ayers not only in the public highway
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04

who on his personal responsibility
had conducted an interesting and
significant operate venture during
the two preceding seasons at the
Manhattan Opera House, in West
Thirty-fourth Street; the ending of
the absurd rivalry by the purchased
retirement Of Mr. Hammerstein,
and his abortive effort to violate the
contract and renew the rivalry in a
new theatre in Lexington Avenue
the farewell to the operate stage
Of Nine. Marcella Sembrich and
the magnificent demonstrations
made in her honor; the building of
the New Theatre as kind of arts
tic annex to the Metropolitan Opera
House; the failure Of efforts to ha-
bilitate high type Of comic opera
as well as grand opera in the YER
nacular in that beautiful establish
ment and its reversion to the uses of
the modern commercialized drama.
against which it had been conceived
as a protest; the competition 1nsti-
tuted by the directors of the Met
ropolitan Opera Company for an
original English opera, which re-
suited in the production of Pro
fessor Parker's "Mona"; the effect
of the European war on the roper
tory and personnel of the Metro
politan Opera House, eliminating
in the Punishment of the German
language from its performances.
That the memory of occurrences
of such moment ought to be pre-
served will scarcely be called into
question, though the ability and the
methods of the historian will offer
a fair subject Of controversy. | am
aware that shall not escape the &C
cusation of being an idle if not a
malicious gossip, disposed to chron-
icle small beer, if | set down the
narrative of some of the things here
catalogued and accompany it with
! critical comment on the doings Of
managers and artists as we'll as the
operas which were added to the
repertory during the period passing
under review. Yeti shall adhere to
my purpose for several reasons
which l believe to be valid. The
historical record is to be continual
ton of that contained in the "Chap-
tiers of Opera" alluded to in the be-
ginning of this Introductory essay.
II IS therefore proper that, in a gen
eral way at least, the manner of
those chapters should be followed.
The pertinency of interspersed crit
/ lcism | shall defend on the ground
that it is essential to an under
standing of the relationship between
artistic strivings and achievements
between the protestations of mana
gers and their acts; to an under
standing also Of the extent to which
the managers pandered to tastes
which the frivolous attitude Of the
newspapers encouraged, besides the
hero worship stimulated by mana
gers, artists and the press alike to
such an extent that it worked All
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04

Germany with the melody Of God
Save the King"), comparing the sec
ond of the English ladies with Cuz-
zoni, wrote:
with better voice and fifty times
her SKILL
Poor Robinsassis always treated
i'll;
But such is the good nature of the
town
IT'S now the mode to cry the Eng
lish down."
Did we not hear something in like
key in 1914 when Nine. Fremstad
failed to get Encouragement at the
metropolitan and it was rumored
that Miss Farrar was also going to
leave us? Dire disaster threatened
our opera then i'll the imagination of
some faratical admirers of these two
ladies, but four seasons, in some of
which the former singer remained
wholly and the latter partly away,
have passed since then and not a
brick was displaced in the edifce of
homely exterior in upper Broadway.
Such catastrophes are always i'm
pending, but never befall. Since |
was honored by the invitation of Mr..
Whitelaw Reid which made me a
member of The Tribune's staff tow
ard the end of 1880 7 have seen
singers come and go in New York
and watched the opera as it wealth
cred many a crisis. | never inquired
into the motives of a manager in en-
gaging or neglecting to engage a
singer, because it was none of my
business. ] have observed the depart
ure of scores of popular favorites
and the coming of as many more
artists to take their places. Patti
and Nilsson and Gerster went, but
Sembrich and Melba came. Nordica
and Eames were followed by Farrar
and Fremstad and other idols. Ma
terna left us, but Lehman more
than took her place. The echoes of
Brlgnoli's silver tones had scarcely
died away before Campanini's mag
nltlcent voice rang through the old
Academy of Music. Jean de Reszke
went from us and deep gloom set
tied upon the Metropolitan, but only
to be dispelled by the sun of Caruso.
The opera did not collapse when
twice Caruso departed from New
York before the end Of the season.
Loss and compensation; it is Ma
lures law.
The Flywheel of
Antagonisms
1t has been disclosed that criticism
Will have a part in the historical &C.
count which is to follow. The reasons
tor this have also been set forth,
Chastlsement will not be it's purpose.
but, if possible, enlightenment
Should it be said that criticism is
ephemeral and therefore valueless
l shall not be disturbed in mind II
may at least help to an understand
ing of the picture which | shall strive
to present in the narrative To the
objection constantly urged against
musical criticism, that progress in the
art has uniformly disclosed its faI-
lacy, since one generation of mon
frequently accepts what a precedino
generation has rejected, I reply that
no man has a right to an opinion in
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04

Nv THEN, in the winter months
wv of 1910, | gathered to
pether for hnnLhinder,s
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04

HEN, IN Cne WINTER months
wv of 1910, | gathered to
gether for bookbinder's
boards the "Chapters of Opera"
which had been published in The
Tribune during the preceding sum
mer, l sought to justify my histori-
cal excursion by the statement that
the Metropolitan Opera House, hav-
ing completed an existence Of TWEEN
ty-fve years, was about to enter
upon a new regime.
The close of the operate year
1917-'18 witnessed no change in man
agement in the institution, but more
markedly than its predecessor of the
decade before it closed a distinctive
era and presaged change of artistic
policy. This change was due to
causes vastly different from those
which had conspired to bring about
the earlier reform, if such it was,
The United States had become en-
broiled in the European war.
During three years of the awful
conflict, the period of American neu
trality, our opera pursued the even
tenor of its way without grave con-
Germ or great alteration of its aims
and methods. Neither did it suffer
loss of prosperity. It's patrons
were affluent and their emotions had
not been aroused, or if aroused had
not been directed against any phase
of artistic manifestation. No popu-
lar prejudice had been awakened
against German music or German
musicians. The autumn of 1917,
however, witnessed a sudden revolu
ton in this complacent attitude. In
cidents in which the Opera was but
slightly concerned gave proof that
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04
MEMOIRS OF A DECADE OF OPERA
Past Ten Years Filled With Most
Amazing Incidents in Lyric Drama
Ever Recorded in New York

W1th thas article begins the publication of r1iey bu
Mr. krehbe Of the achievements scandals of the last
decade Of opera IN Neav Yor-a reriec arhich both
history and criticism Of this important PERIOD The ayti-
Gle puoshea to-day rs an 1mtroducton Nett Sunday Mr.
krehbet cN discuss the conditions operate affairs MT
the close Of the season Of 19070S the rra betueen the
Netropolltcn and Manhattan hoseS the death of Couried
and the coming Of the regime.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-04
Institute Of Musical Art
of the City of N. Y.

Frank Damrosch. Director. Provides com
prehensive musical education in all branches
Endowed Entrance examinations begin
ming September goth Address
SECRETARY. 100 CLAREMoNT AVE. NEW YORK
The Cordova daily times., 1918-09-14

U. s. Food Admiuistratlo ton. De ol' song sez 'Dar's Sugar in de Gourd." but Br'er 'Tater lows dat de only sugar he's studyin' bout now-a days is what's in de sugar bowl en hits gwine ter stay dar.
 De folks wots doin' de fightin' mus have sugar fust
 But ef dars enny sweet'nin' in de gourd nowadays, he sho' gwine ter git tapped, cause dey's lookin' fer syrups en 'lasses en honey to "substitute."