A PLEA FOR THE OPERA.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2237, 29 April 1881, Page 3

A PLEA FOR THE OPERA.

" Well, sir,” said a Denver man, growing enthusiastic. “ I’ve had a heap of fun in this town oinoo I have been here, but nothing has warmed me up like the opera. Theaters is all very well, but the shooting and cutting ain’t natural. They don’t mean it. You can see from the start it's all funny business, but the opera now—there’s where you see it. There's trade from the time they haul the goods down till they put up the shutters. It reminds me of home, that does.”

“What opera did yon hear?” asked a bystander.

“ Tha one they sing in, but you bet tho music didn’t get any the best of the crowd, tor duet. I tell you, gentlemen, it was the urettient fight you ever looked at. Ensiling P Well. I just held myself down to bed rook and watched that show to the finish. Once or twice I thought they’d down the actors, and between the rounds, while the music was getting a little breathed, I felt scared, but just as soon as they scratched I knowed the men and women was ahead, and I helped it all I could, you bet! ” “ How was itp” asked one of the mystified group. “ Tell us about it.” “It’s just here, they had a lot of fiddles, and horns, and drums, and squeakers on one side, and a gang of men and women on the other. In the toss np the actors go the rising ground, and the music took the low level. The backer of the music was there with a stick, and, when time was called, he was quick enough to get a start for his side. But one of the women was on to his racket, and she just turned loose a belch that twisted hair, now you hear me. The music-backer got mad, and the fiddlers broke out, but it was no use ; the woman had the wind, and she belted that slow music like a mule. Yon bet she was a good one! Then the backer hollered at the boss drummer, and he took a lick, that seemed to worry (the woman, for [she spoke to a fat fellow with a wen on his leg, and be slid for the drnmmer, while the dame took another whirl at the fiddlers. Fun ? Well, strangers, you can smile right out. The music-hacker seen he was getting the worst of it, and so he unchained the back fiddle. It wasn’t fair, and I was going to address the referee, but just then out popped the dog-gonedest crowd yon ever seen. More’n a million of ’em, and they went right into business. The fellowswith the horns almost split the backs of their nocks, but it was no use. The women screeched, and the men howled, and I says, says I, ‘How are yon, music P' The back fiddler and the drummer held out the longest, but it was no use, for the crowd on the plateau won the round, and even drove the music out of the ring. You ought to see them fiddlers hunt their holes!” “Was that the end of it?" asked a listener.

“ Well, not much. Dog my oats if that musio didn’t fight five rounds ! I tell you. their backer was game, but he had no show. In the second round him and a squeak pipe worried a oouple of women some, and one of the men was just getting an under grip when they fired a lot of triangles at him, but the fat fellow eeen how things was going on and he lited in. They had an adjustable horn ready for him, but he wore it out in four toot*. Then the drummer took another shy at him, bat by that time the women had got their breath and they 'came for the drummer. I I seen the backer grinning and I knew there was some deviltry, and all of a sudden he just lammed out with all his strength. It was the best rally he made, but the crowd was on the lookout for him, and in ten minutes he was square on his back. Just head, one double, somebody ! Hold me down ! When I think of that difficulty, strangers, it just makes me bleed at the lungs.” “How did it end?” queried one of the crowd.

“ Well, the next two rounds wasn’t very interesting. The actors found they had to kill one of their gang, ’cause he was a little light worsted, and one of the women was knocked out of time. But she was sickly and was trained badly. She had no business in that fight anyway. The fat man was goad and the other woman was a regular old he! The fiddle backer got some fair work in while they was killing the man and the woman, but the big mob come in on time, and when the fourth ronnd closed the music was pretty well done up. It was on the fifth that I put up most money on. I tell you, gentlemen, that music backer was good wood. Hot a flaw nor a speck ! He went for them people from the word. I knowed he was in no condition to force the fighting, but I liked his game. Biddles and horns, and pipes and drums, and triangles all going it, and then the fat man and the woman what was left ripped square at’em. Over and under. Bough and tumble. It was the prettiest thing I ever seen. I’ll be dogged if there was ever such another piece of work out out. But th e actors drowned ’em. The fiddler and the squeak piper held out longest, but they had no show, and when the row closed, I’d have been 400dols. winner if the man I’d been betting with right in front of me hadn’t slipped out with a couple of women. Ye s, sir, you can talk what you please, but when it comes to genuine fun give me the opera. Strangers, will you come arouud the corner and join the doxology 1” — [“ Brooklyn Eagle.”]