Year: 1877

From the Baltimore American


People in general form very false no
tions about artists, especially those con-
nected with theatricals with whom they
are seldom brought into personal rela-
tions. The common idea is that an act
ors life is one of idleness, carelessness
and dissipation.


Those who are well informed upon the
subject know that this is not the case
No life can be more busy or more toll
some than that of an actor of the first
class. 1t needs perpetual self sacrifice
and steady work to achieve eminence in
the profession, and no less pains on the
part OF the great singer or actor to keep
up his reputation after it is won.


| cannot, however, dwell upon great
actors; my story is of much humber
class-the chorus-singers at the opera.


am not going to pretend that their
ort-if one may call it so-requires any
very assiduOus toll. Their time is their
own except during the hours of per-
formance or rehearsal; but their pay is
very small and will hardly furnish them
with daily bread, so that the chorus
singer almost always follows some other
occupation. Some give music lessons to
the daughters of small tradesmen, some
copy music for a livelihood; nearly all
belong to the choirs of churches, and
some belong to civic and military bands,
or go out to play dance music at balls
which begin late enough for the poor
performer to reach the house after the
closing of the theatre.


By dint of perseverance and hard la
Dor some few manage to acquire a little
income of four or five thousand francs
(about one thousand dollars). Some
young, ambitious members of the pro-
fession have even saved up money out
of this little sum, bought themselves a
theatrical wardrobe, and made so sue
cessful debut in the Provinces that
they have returned to Paris with en-
gagcments to play leading parts in the
principal theatres.


The incident we are going to relate
took place about the year 1920, in the
early days of the reig gn of Louis XVIII.
Louis was far from being a pious man,
but he thought it proper to conform to
all the customs of his family, especially
in matters relating to their religion;-
therefore, at Easter he always went in
public with great pomp to pay his devo-
tions at his parish church, the venerable
St. German rAuxerrois.


1t was beautiful morning in April
The troops had been assembled since the
dawn of day and were all drawn up in
double line upon the route OF the pro-
cession from the Tuilleries along the
Court of the Carrousel and the Court of
the Louvre. OF course there was a great
crowd.


The King rode in an open barouche,
attended by his family.


He glanced over the crowd with his
sharp, piercing blue eyes, took off his
hat from time to time, bowed low and
smiled whenever cries of Long live the
royal family" Long live the Bour-
bon's!" met his ear. Nobody knew bet
ter how to play the king on such occa-
sions. From time to time, however, a
cloud would pass over his face whenever
his eye lighted on the sun-burned fea-
lures and the long moustache of some
of the late Emperor's grizzled veterans,
who had been enrolled into his body
guard. The present scene could not, OF
course, fail to remind these men of the
triumphal marches of more glorious
times-times when they marched as
conquerers into Berlin and Vienna;-
times when they entered this same Par
is on their victorious return, to cries OF
Long live the grand army" Long
live Napoleon!


On the other hand, the crowd of citi-
Zens trying to peep over the shoulders
of the troops looked happy and satisfied.
The French nation never ceased to ad-
mire the Napoleon, but after his fall it
ceased to admire him for a time, and
hopes of peace and of material prosperi-
ty made many an adherent to the Bour-
bons. Mothers who held boy babies to
their breasts cried out, We shall not
lose them!" The conscription had been
established, notwithstanding the rash
promise to the contrary made by the
brother of the king, but war seemed
very improbable, soldiers life seemed
safe profession, and anyhow it was
now possible to escape by finding sub
stitute, whilst in the Emperor S time the
chances were that after family had al
most ruined itself to buy off some loved
member, it would see him carried off a
few months later, to form part of the
Emperor's guard of honor and to die at
last by shot from the enemy.


The procession halted before the door
which was hung all over with odd Cob
lin tapestry, representing the birth of
Venus, the labors of Hercules, and
other such inappropriate NEUROLOGICAL
subjects, in absurd contrast to the os-
tensible objects of the day. A sort Of
pavilion had been put up before the
great doors of the church; the bands OF
the National Guard played "Vive Hen.
ry ~" Charmante Gabrielle" and
"On pent on etrc mieux qu'au sein dc
la famille," which it was then the fash
ion to call national airs, just as in Louis
Philippes time it became the fashion to
give the same name to German all
to which Delavigne wrote the Paris
ienne."


Louis XVIII. was getting slowly ou,
of his carriage, and was about to enter
the church, when, as he stepped under
the pavilion, the parish priest came for
ward, at the head of his assistants, anC
began an Grafton. The Kings heart sanl
within him. He fOresaw that the goo(
pastors flow of eloquencc might keel
him standing half an hour on his gouty
legs, thing he held in exceeding hor
rOr


However, as he had made up his min(
to 60 through with anything that day
he looked as benign as possible. Blu