Life — March 5, 1885 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

HAT lovely young actress, Miss Maggie Mitchell, played at the Grand Opera House week before last to crowded audiences. “Fanchon ” and other novelties were presented by this | clever young girl during her all too short engagement, and it is understood that her managers, encouraged by her success, will permit her to play here again next season, if Mr. Gerry, of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, does not interfere. SEATS AT THIS THEATRE MAY BE PURCHASED FROM OBNOXIOUS SPECULATORS AT $2 EACH. SOCIETY GOSSIP. | (Gee SWEAROFF is in town for the Lenten season. | . . . ORD CAROIL has left town for a few weeks with | Count Spermacetti. Upon his return he will hunt | anige-seed bags with the Dude-Brook Kennel Club, and then | will partake of the hospitality of Mr. T. Rooly Rooral, of | Suburbville, for the ensuing six weeks. . . . M*s MAMIE DE BIVENS gave a theatre party last | evening, at Wallack’s, in honor of her eighteenth | birthday. This is the seventh time Miss Mamie has celebrated this event. . . . ORD IMPECUNE BLUBLUD, of England, is in town, and is prepared to accept invitations for private | receptions at moderate rates. Circulars to be had on appli- POOR SEATS CAN BE OBTAINED AT THE BOX OFFICE AT | THE REGULAR PRI $1.50. . . . R. MALLORY, we understand, has decided not to close his Protestant-Episcopal theatre during Lent, but will continue to delight lovers of laughter with the “ Private Secretary.” The report that a prominent young playwright has received an offer of $7.50 for a modern society drama from the liberal management of the Madison Square Theatre is unconfirmed, but such munificence is at least doubtful, even with so lavish a manager as Dr. Mallory is well known to be. . THIS THEATRE MAY BE PURCHASED FROM SPECULATORS AT $2 EACH. POOR SEATS CAN BE OBTAINED AT THE BOX OFFICE AT THE REGULAR PRICE—$1.50. . . . ILBERT AND SULLIVAN'S popular operetta, ** Pa- tience,” was given with spirit by the McCaull company, at the Casino, last week. Its marked approval by crowded houses shows that it has lost none of its old-time popularity, and Mr, Ryley’s admirers had a renewed opportunity to see him again in one of the best of his many meritorious per- | formances. The Patience of Miss Mary Beebe was good, but hardly up to the standard. Miss Laura Joyce’s Lady Jane deserves especial commendation, and the Grosvenor of Mr. Digby Bell was laughable, as are most of this gentleman's impersonations. It is questionable, however, as to the propriety of Mr. Bell's methods, which, while they are pleasing to many, are at times apt to mar an other- wise artistic effect. The remaining members of the company managed their parts effectively, and the revival may be set down as a success. SEATS AT S THEATRE MAY BE PURCHASED FROM OBNOXIOUS SPECULATORS AT $2 EACH. POOR SEATS CAN BE OBTAINED AT THE BOX OFFICE AT THE REGULAR PRICE—$1.50. MUSIC AND MADNESS. TATISTICS show that out of a population of 50,000,000 souls at least 8,000,000 Americans play the piano. The exact proportion of this number who die of insanity is not ac- curately known, but it is believed that the advantages of mu- sical culture are but slight indeed in view of the appalling fact that myriads are thus dying every year. Of course the piano has no nerves. An amateur may bang away for hours and there is no sensation of pain in its quiver- ing heartstrings. The violin has a sensitive soul that per- forms startling acoustical feats under the scraping fiddle-bow; the Eolian harp sings itself asleep; the cornet-d-piston ex- hausts the wind of the ablest performer, if he give it time, but the resources of the piano are inexhaustible. It cannot be tired out. Another curious fact is the staying powers of the per- former. Pianists never get tired. Their nerves are as tough as fiddle-strings. A young woman whose arm is paralyzed after sewing a flounce on a petticoat, or shelling a few peas, can play on the piano for seven consecutive hours. The treadle of a sewing machine makes her bones ache while hemming a towel. But she will skip from one pedal to an- other with bewildering rapidity, while pouring out of the piano a“ Shower of Pearls,” or wandering through the mazes of the “ Maiden’s Prayer.” The innocent boarder, or friend of the family, could bite a nail in two while listening to the jingle-jangle of the defunct composers. He wonders what | grudge they owed posterity. The chills creep down his spine and he is driven music-mad, while the piano bewails its woes in blood-curdling crescendoes and minor chords. He can offers no resistance. He withers on the sofa and wishes comicbooks.com