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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Nllsson Hall, in East Fifteenth street, origi-
nally used as an annex to the Academy of Music,
is now used for rehearsals by theatrical com-
panies who cannot obtain a stage. It is some-
times thus occupied by successive companies all
day long, and it is no unusual thing to see
groups of one company waiting about the door
in all sorts of impatient attitudes for the other
company to get through. This gives the im-
mediate vicinity a very picturesque air, although
one would not be apt to recognize the dainty in-
genue in the shabbily dressed girl who sits on
the steps, or the heroic juvenile in the fellow
who drinks his beer out of a bottle. When the
time arrives that they are to get possession of
the hall a string of tired people with satchels
comes out and goes away, an impatient and dis-
hevelled stage manager comes out on the steps
and shouts, " Now, then," and another group is
drummed up and goes in.
Mayor and applied for the contract for his father.
The Mayor, who had seen the boy on the stage,
became deeply interested in him, no doubt due
to the bold effrontery of the youth, and as he
was the first bidder his efforts met with success.
One of the ornamental signs painted by the
elder Jefferson attracted the notice of a man who
kept a large saloon and gambling house, and he
engaged the comedian to fresco his hallway.
When the work was finished, the money was
not forthcoming, and so reduced were they that
they had to take steerage passage on a boat ply-
ing between New Orleans and Memphis.
The humiliation of this position was so ap-
parent on his mother's face that Joe determined
to collect the amount due for the frescoing. As
the boat was not to leave until late in the evening
Joe persuaded his mother to come with him, and
the two called on the wife of the gambler. After
explaining their visit and contrasting the elegant
surroundings of the lady and her children with
the degradation of their own, the lady was so
touched that she left the house and shortly re-
turned with $200, which she placed in Mrs.
Jefferson's hands. It is needless to add that the
family traveled to New Orleans in the cabin.
#
In one of the comedies now being played at
one of the Broadway theatres the comedian is
asked "Where is New York? " His reply is,
"Broadway and 29th street." He evidently
knows the city very well, for at that corner is
situated Hermann's Theatre, the most popular
" continuous " house in New York. The new
# # #
managers, Messrs. Benton & Aarons, are of the
There's a man living on Brigham street who opinion that the best is the cheapest, and noth-
has no music in his soul, says the Detroit Free ing is too good for the large and enthusiastic
Press, and there's a man next door to him whose audiences which gather from noon until midnight
soul is full of it, as is likewise the soul of his of each day. They have succeeded in selecting
family. This latter man not long ago added a a program which has never been before equalled
fourlung parlor organ to his lares and penates, in any house of this kind. A glance at the
and a healthy daughter of his began to practice names which follow will satisfy anyone who
on it. Several nights later a friend from Kirby knows anything of matters theatrical. The bill
street came down to see the first man, and as is headed by that wonderfully clever song-
soon as he got inside the house he heard the writer, James T. Thornton, whose beautiful
parlor organ next door.
melody, " My Sweetheart's the Man in the
"Fine-toned instrument," he said, because he Moon," has been sung on both hemispheres.
had music in his soul, too.
Haines & Pettingill, black-face comedians, are
also on the program, and stand at the head in
The musicless man grunted.
41
their line of work. Dolan & Lenharr, in their
Whose make is it ? " the visitor asked.
travesty on the " Crust of Society," are exceed-
'' Don't know,'' was the ungracious answer.
1
ingly clever, as is also Fleurette, acknowledged
' How many stops has it ? "
The host pulled himself up for a powerful to be the highest and most graceful kicker now
before the public. Among others may be men-
effort.
"Well," he replied, " i t ' s been in the house tioned the Kins-Ners, direct from the Empire
for about a week now, and in that time it hasn 't Theatre, London ; Daisy Stewart, a celebrated
had any that I've been able to discover," and soprano ; Leonzo, an excellent juggler; Maud
the visiting musician discreetly began talking Harris, in songs; McBride & Flynn, Irish
comedians ; Russell, Odell & Russell ; Quigley
about the' tariff and the income tax.
Brothers; Wally Halston and sister Kittie;
The power of song is illustrated in a custom
on the railroads of northern Florida. Whenever
a train crosses the Suwanee river the conductor
announces the fact in each car. If any passenger
has never heard '' Way Down Upon the Suwanee
River,'' this particularization of the stream must
seem peculiar, as the Suwanee is like a dozen
other rivers in the same region, and these are
passed without comment from the conductor.
ii
Montague & West; Garcia, finished instru-
mentalist ; Courtney & Leslie, songs and
dances ; Kamochi, lady juggler, and Allan May,
the baritone, now in his twelfth week.
The following amusing anecdote is told of the
cantatrice Catalan i. She was one day rehears-
ing at the Paris Opera House an air which she
had to sing in the evening, when she found the
pitch of the pianoforte too high, and gave instruc-
tions to have the instrument lowered by the
evening. Her husband, Captain Nalabreque,
volunteered to see her order carried out, and
immediately sent for the stage carpenter and
had the legs of the pianoforte amputated. The
performance took place, and the lady was greatly
annoyed at the continued high pitch at which
she had to sing. She soon sought her husband,
and remonstrated with him for neglecting her
wishes. He, not a little hurt at being thus
wrongfully accused, insisted upon calling the
person who had performed the operation, and to
Catalani's utter astonishment, called the car-
penter and said to him, " How much did you
lower the piano, Charles ? " " Two inches
sir,'' was the prompt reply.
T H E REVIEWER,
WICKHAM, CHAPMAN & Co., the piano plate
manufacturers of Springfield, Ohio, employ one
hundred hands and are turning out four hun-
dred plates a week. Truly a goodly showing
and substantial testimony that business with
them is not dull.—Ex.
THE Merrill piano is rapidly forging its way
to the front as one of the saleable pianos
of the day. It ranks as a high class instrument
and dealers should not fail to look it up.
EVEN if the hard times have left depleted
pocketbooks, the scouring out—that is, meta-
phorically speaking—which the piano ware-
rooms have received by getting rid of a lot of
dead stock in the shape of second-hand and
weather-beaten pianos, is something to be thank-
ful for in these good old democratic times.
THE following circular was recently issued in
London by a German who, with characteristic
wisdom, determined to address his clients in
their own language : " Honourable Sir,—Pre-
sently I am permitting to offer you fiddle-sticks
in art ful furniture. The reputation of my office
founded 1876, will engage for solid labour. I
have in store fiddle-sticks In every piece of
wood. I am making already in pure silver
furniture for 16 sh.—Prices neat cash with 5 per
cent, discount. In hope, that this profitable
offer you gives conveniency to orders, signs,"
etc., etc.
* *
#
During the pioneer days of his stage career
Joseph Jefferson one day found himself with his
mother and father in very straitened circum-
stances in the town of Memphis. The senior
Jefferson, who was a scene painter, as well as a
comedian, tried unsuccessfully to secure work
and things began to look dark for the family,
Young Joe, however, was equal to the emergency
and having heard that an ordinance had been
passed by councils requiring that all the public
vehicles should be numbered, he called on the
Will send Scarfs on selection to responsible parties.
After July 1, 1894, hold your order on S t o o l s for
our representative—finest line at lowest prices.