Year: 1879

aint-Mne. 6efSter-Talma age
In the Future.


Nobody has been more talked abou
this winter than Maplsson, of Her Males
ty's Opera Troupe. Colonel Mapleson, a


he is called, probably in Difference to tn,


American partiality for titles. Certain i


is that the prefix Of "Her Majesty's" hal


had great deal to do with the success o.


his company: Some people have found


but everybody agrees that he has been sue


cessful.


Let me picture him to you, as not Ions
ago he squeezed his way out through the


crowd at matinee just in front of me:
A sturdy, fiOrid Englishman, very near


ly six feet, broad and stout, but not the


least incommoded or heavy in appearance


Seemingly about fifty years OF


sge-not more I should Judge than fifty.
five. His brown hair, which he keeps
closely cut, is tinged perceptibly


with gray, his eyes are a clear


blue, his features regular; the
tout ensemble expressive Of great strength
of villa countenance that would be fine,
but that the mouth is too compressed-an


indicationt that there is lack of gener.
osity in his nature. This defect however,
is somewhat concealed by short nous
tache A pair of brown whiskers give a
becoming finish, for his face is somewhat
wanting in breadth. But if he is really
deficient in generosity, he does not show it
in his management. for this has been in
all things most liberal. Details have been
well looked after, everything has been on
large scale, and the people have appre-
ciated this by an equally generous sup
port. Close beside MaplesOn as he made
his way out that afternoon, was his son
Charles Hnnrxy xx-hn vrnarrin6 Marie
Roze. We must not confound them, for
Henry is by far the superior of the two.
He seems to inherit his fathers talent as
a manager, while Charles has left rather
an unenviable reputation behind him, from
the fact that his board bill at the Everett
House is still unpaid. The prOprietors
were obliged to consent to a losing COM
promise and accept n doubtful note from
the young man. His appearance is very
ordinary, as he is small, and his face as
a one as ever saw.


Now let me give you an account Of a
visit to the hotel where l called to know
of the future plans of Nine
Gerster. did not ask to see the prima
donna herself. for she was to sing that
evening, and l knew well enough that q
singer does not wish to receive a visitor
on the day of a performance. But l was
very courteously welcomed by DIR. .Gardini,
her husband, with whom l had very
pleasant talk. Nine Gerster is of course
delighted with America. She has every
reason to be, for her popularity here this
winter has been very great. 1t Is quite
mistake to suppose that DR.. Gardini was
her teacher. That has been asserted with
such confidence that 1 believed it to be
true. But he does not pretend to be
anything more than an amateur
in music, for he is a doctor of med
icine. An Italian, of course, as the name
would show, and this summer, after the
season in London is over, he will retire
with Nine. Gerster to Italy, where she will
lake q rest of two months preparatory to a
return here next fall. DIR. Gardini has all
the Italian warmth of manner, and is a
very approachable and agreeable young
gentleman. He is of medium height, hav-
ing dark eyes, side Whiskers and nous
ache, yet his complexion is by no means
rs swarthy as is general with Italians. In
Iced, he would pass we'll for an American,
though the moment he speaks, his foreign
origin becomes evident His English is,
however, quite Ineligible, yet his look
was one of decided relief when informed
him that was acquainted with French.
asked himlsomething in regard to Mad
lme's costumes, but the reply was given
with that helplessness by which the aver
age man seems overcome when speaking
IN SO intricate subject as dress. "She
iresses very simply, he said; very simply,
md then, after pause, as if he wished to
convey at least some information, he took
hold Of the damask curtain, saying "She
has something on her bonnet like that"
conclude he meant a garnet-cOlored rib
bon or flower. Nine Gerster, who has
really bewitched New York this season,
is quite small and delicate in appearance;
Oh the brunette order, with
lark lustrous eyes and hair.


Last Sunday, but for the blowing of a
,old wind belonging to March rather than
April, I should have gone over to the
Tabernacle in order to write
you my impressions of Brother Talmage.
There is yet time, and in my next letter
IN city gossip, hope to give you pic
ure of the man and his surroundings.


LUCY CARTER.