"WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2141, 7 March 1895, Page 37

"WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

By P. BoMrrjßß.

Mai eh 2.

De.vu THsquin,— Williamson and Muspove's Company still h'.U the boards at the Opera Hou-e, a'jd will continue to do so during the coioi> g week, afcer they will move on to A'iclvlirid. The pieces petf rmed since I last wrote you hive been " M'insello Niton eh-:" and "The Mouiitebaiiks " Next week the pieces unddi lined are "The Vicar cf Bray" and "Tne Mikado."

Tbe IJO3tl J o3t ctiHc has a Vi-ry interesting intrchiction to bis notico of "The Mou-itJxmk;-," saying : — " Th- re is a melancholy and a tingic ictorest c^ntri'-g round ' The Mouutebonks,' for it cost, the life of one of the mo'.'t gifted and promising c iinposers of thb time. 'The Mounteb'iiks' killed Alfred Collier. As lyric aficr lyric and pa.it song a'ter p*rc tons went up to that most exacting of task-ma~teis Air W. S Gilbert, each was a brvath of the composer's life. He never saw its rehearsal, and he d.ed of nervous exLau&ti'.n a few days befoje hi* opera was produced in the presence of his friend Mr George Mu«-grove, who watched the firat production iv Wellington as he had watched the first at the Lyric Thivalre, London. There is this additional interest in it, too, that it was the fhst work of the famous librettist after his &plit with hi 3 equally famous colUbordteur, and the music of the part was written fur Miss Stewart, who was to have created it in Loadon. Business complications i>t evented this, and so there is the unique position of a colonial audience seeing the interpretation plac3d upon the work by the lady who was to have created it for its premiere before those who saw that premiere have teen it."

"The Mascotte" was to have gone on to-night, lmt a ca*e containing the band parts has gone astray, so "Ihe Vicar" aud the Rainbow Ba'let goes on instead. It was promised that the cast would be the strongest and most complete distribution of characteis by which the opera ha-< ever been interpreted in the colonies. MiS3 Nellie Stewart as Bettina (the Mascatte), MiS Florence Young (for the first time) as Fiainctta. Mr Wallace Browlow as Pippo, Mr Joseph 'J'aplcy as Frittelini, Mr Howard Vernon as Eocco, and Mr George Lauri as Laurent XVII. I have upon several occasions noticed the advances in composition made by Musician Syciney F. Hoben, notably his "Aye Maria," which wa3 sung by Madame De Vere Sapio. S. F. — has now broken out in a freah place, being prompted to do SO by clever Reporter E. D Iloben (Football Hobseu). This outbreak is in the form of that disease known as an Irish comic song, entitled "Crom-a-boo," which has just appeared and is already in much vogue in Austtalia. It lias been accepted by Messrs Williamson and Musgrove for performance in tbe "Cinderella" burlesque, and is to be produced by Mr E. J. Lonnen in London. The Sydney Morning Herald describes it as "a d-jshing melody in the Iri*h style, set to clever lyrics, which makes a splendid comic song. Mr Hoben's droll description of a ' friendly game of football with the bhoys at Crqm-a-boo 1 will set audiences in a roar wherever iv is heard." The

Sydney Daily Telegraph fays : " Mr Iloben's contribution to the mu«ical humours of the football held is un.ieniably smart, and it will probably bciconie a favourite at 'smoke night' concerts. Lonuon was the broth ay a bhoy who introduced X lialoo," and I hope "futbali at Crom a-boo" Iss-ill catch on aud that the nun Lonneu will sot the city of Lounc-n by the ears with the outc<mo of the Iloben brutheis.

! I have to thank Mr Iloben for a copy of his Crom-a-boo," the cover of which is embellished with a facsimile of a football, seams and lace complete, and the " bits ay shticks" and shamrocks cornered. The first thing one looks at in a comic song is the chorus. Here is the "coalbox" attached to this " futball ditty":— You may talk of Dounybrook, And the low when Tim was took, Or the divil of a ahindy that they had at Wathcrloo; But if j'ou've no ayarsiou To genuine divars^on, Thry a friudly game of futball wid the bboys at Crom-a-boo. Tbe yarn in the song is tbe best narrative of humour that I have read since the reading of "KilUloo"— and that is the song which in my opinion beats all other*. "Crom-a-boo" ia firstcousin to '" Killaloo " Both songs are equally entertaining, recited or sung. Eveiy .sporting reader of the Witse-ss knows that Mr X D. Hobe:i has "futball on the braiu," and it has certainly been there to some purpose, as 1 am ready to aflirm, if his song does not, amply do it for him. I can't quote as fully as I'd likefioai the yarn, but this, the third out of six vertcs, is a gooa thing : — Our umpire— Tim be nameHad nivirsecn the game, But his master wid the b'ackthorn there was not in Crom-a-boo ; An' we brought, to see fan play, All the bboys *v Balbbray, An' iviry mothers fon ay them would die for Crom-a-boo. Well, we hadn't started long Befoie one Mister Strange Picke-I up the ball an-i ran away to tnakc a point or t'Vo ; Bat air unpire thr<w his brogue * At the thavm' young ppiidhogue, An' yelled, " Ye'd bether no 1 ; thry on thim games iv Crom-a-boo ! " The tune to which the words are set by Sir Syduey Iloben is very simple, and, as a comic should be, oaf ily rememberad — the chorus meJody especially lingering in that coition of ihe t«.p piece wliere tho musical c»rry their timed. Iho boys at smoke conceits who ha\e higb-pit-herl voices will c>»me out on top in the laat bar of this chorus, wherein the composer has been good enough to put a " hancc-on" mark over G, with a pause for breath uftwr it, finishing up on F. How's that for li'gh? Ob, tho soug's high-toned all right. You have made a .serious fiuiusion, Hob-n (^), in i>ot put'ing " corjyriejhu" on thefrfca of " Crom-i-boo " — t'-ie piiates will he i.fter it bef- vc jou (.e 1 . your just dividend. AVith a m-ui of Lounen's Cjl'bro to set ihe ball rolling at Home, succ-ss is af.su i ed, aud I am ple&sed to wit. e.s the kick-off iv this " far c luuiree." 1 he Lie If rkranz lw h^ld its first practice under the baton of Madame Slerz. Sliis Amy Pownall is hou-iiHi'y socrttiry. Tom Poll.xivl has chartered the steamer Charles Ei ward tv convey bis Liliputian <>ptr-i Company from Nelson to Wanganui. They start tomorrow. Wai er Bentlty manages to get pome " ads." out of the incident of the mayor and the Sunday entertainments— but I think the city council will keep a more careful wa'ch upon the class of "Rational" pop', in the future than they have done iv t>!e ]>a-t. Mr Wiliiam WidJop, heitl of' a local family of sweet singers, is dead. He w-is ev..r ready with his voice to assist in cn^crtAiiiing or benefiting his fellows.

The wii'cr of "The vision sons,' 1 which the Sjiine is Mr Gee, i-> just now in Wellington. Tiiis is the song electric, elastic, effervescing', ever lasting Sla^gie -Moore is mooriug cIojC to the afiVctions of Mclbourniaiij.

With the exception ot the part of Adam, " Ruddigoie" has thus 1-eeu cas', by our Amateur Operatic an-i Dramatic f-'oci-'ty :— Rubin Oak-api-le (a young faini-jv;, Mr W. D. Lyoi. ; Rictii.ivl Daunile- 1 ! ('iis foster bioUic-, a man-o'-wai^miip). Mr E. J. Hill ; Sir De^ptrd MurgatroyJ (,i wicked baronci,), Mr O. Par-< n? ; Sir Rod-rick Murg.tro.d, Mv A. E. ftlabin ; Rose M^ybud (a village maiden), Mis 11. J M-Uer ; Mad Margaret, Mi-s Newton; Dame tfanmh (Rome's auiit), Sirs 11. Burfool ; /•(■ ah and Ruth (professional lniilosmaid--). Mk.-,ea Curtice and Freeman. This is the «tiong<'st ca^t the society has jet been a^le to iix up, so it is bound to be good.

Mr Robert Parker g-ivo an fivan recital at St. Paul f. Church lav. Tue day evening. The lecitil »■,!■. the iir~l of a s. ries, the programmes Of which are to be tak- n from the works of English composer--. Mr I'rousa sang imnres,i\ply " Rock of Age«," and a new tenor from Auckland, Mr Hoiking, created a favourable impre sion in a k>lo from "The Woman of Samaria.." Mra an I the Mi-^es Pardons sang excellently a trio ''In the sight of the unwi-e," from Sir F A G. Ou'-eley's " St. Pilycaip," az.d the choiv rendered some anthems. ' Mr Mauglis.li Earnrtt's second clumber concert is taking place this afternonn. The p ogrammc is vi*jy stron,-;, tlie best tilent beiug upon it. It will furnish a note for my next epkile. Professor L'izeni, our own migician, has left for Sydney. A(, the pymnasium of the Vi'tllinglon amateurs last Saturday afternoon, Mr A. S. Palcr'-on, a local lawyer and cluvei eTocutioni-t, bi-at Mr Lauri in a bout with, foils Sir IJiownlow. the firm's luritone, provt d hiin c elf an adept with tho gloves .igaiust Sullivan (not John L.). Dining the exhibition a fine "wra-.tle" took place between Mjiu Ma'hyws, Clements and the 11- .or. Whi newr Walter Bontley sees tr-uWe pheidhc fl ; cs to " his de«r old friend, St->ut." The nia3 - or of Wellinatin, wVo goes to church throe times a d iy, drew W. B.s attention to this by-law, apropos of the " Rational Sunday Lectures" : " No licensed promUei shall be u»efl on any Sunday for the puipises for which the same sh'ill have been licensed without thep'evums pcrmi-sion in writiog of the mayor and to*n clerk and any two councillors. For any breach of this clause the licensee shall, in addition to anj' l'aliility under the said act, be liable to a penalty of £5." Mr Bcntley consulted Sir llobett Ktout, who furnished him with the folio A-ing opinion, on s«-eii:g which Irs Worship said he woul-J not take the responsibility of i- topping Sunday's "Look at the Clock" entertainment :—": — " In my opinion the city council has no power to prevent a hall being used on Sunday;, and any by-law attempting to do so is ultra vires. If the proprietors do not allow jon to lecture iv accordance with the lettin", you will have a ri?ht to claim damages from them for breach of their contract." Needless to say the lecture came off in the Exchange Hall, and need it be added that friend Stout's dictum was flourished?

In Tuesday's Times the mayor denied that he caved ia to W. B.s friend It. S.'h dictum. Firstly, he did not know of such a dictum ; secondly, he did not say anything to Mr Bentley ; thirdly, he did not see Mr B. at all ; and lastly, he did not &cc Sir Robert's opinion. Before signing a hall perjnit the mayor asked what sort of show it was to be, when he was told : " Look at the Clock ! " lie looked, signed ; that's all— ling off ! The committee of the Miwicil Festival Society (who have been laj ing low ever since their encoreconductor trouble at the last concert), have announced that the works which they intend to produce during their first season are Gounod's "Faust," Mendelssohn's oratorio "Sc. Paul," and Schumann's cantata "Paradise and the Peii." lhi«, of course, is contingent upon the ability of the society to procure the necessary supply of music. Already a cable message bas been sent to Melbourne for the music of "Faust" with English words. Only a concert arrangement of the opera is contemplated, and for this innovation the society can quote excellent precedents at Home, seeing that quite recently concert arrangements of "Faust" have been successfully given, first in London, with Mr Edward Lloyd in the name part and Mr Sintley as Valentine, and later at Birmingham by the Feitival Choral Society there. If the requisite music can be procured from Melbourne, "Faust" will form the programme for the first concert," and "St. Paul" wilt be reserved for the second concert.

Last night the society held its first oractice of " St. PauL*

D'Arcy Staniieltl and Miss Eva Clements tour Tasmania, shortly with a burlesque company. " Ainit Jack" was btaged in Sj dncy for the first time at the Lyceum on Saturday. February 23. J'jinily Soldene goes Home iv March. Harry L Hall, the tal^jited young comedian, is back in Indi.i with Willard's Optra Compauy, and is playing the lead in the American farcical cjmedy " The Tramp " at the Opera Hou=e, Calcutta Vera Patey, Alf. James (Mendez in ''Little Jack Shtppanl" with Brough ond Boucica.ult's Burlesque Company in Maoriland in ISSS), and Courteuay aremcmbeis. Jack Hamilton, with the Empire Company at Adelaide Bijou, ought not to sing coster smgs in which re fere: cs is made to a man punching his wife ; he i-> capable of Letter things. He ii an excellent dancer, and when he plays en nn inbtrameut constructed by himself out of a cigar box, part of a broom handle, and a piece of metallic wire, he shows a miiMoal intelligence which should be developed at all ha/auh — <Jni^s. *' Great I Am Umitley." —^lelboume wrier.i cr. Harry Allnutt, the well-known Melbourne comique, has joined the majority. SubsciiiJtions ate being taken up for his widow and f imily. Bland IL-lt's staging of "The Union Jack" at Sydney Roy^l is worthy of the jepntation achieved by that popular actor-manager during his span of life. Will 11. Speed, at Adelaide Bijou with Slade Murray's Empire Company, gives an imitation of tbe bii'-so, sniging "Locked in the htnble with the sho<s]i" — an obvious parody on "liocked in tbecradlei'f the'ileep" — w Inch >s clever, without in the si.chtest dejree offending anyone's ta-te. Bland Holt's I'ramatie Company arc dr.iwing largo hou^ at Sydney Roy ai wirli "Tlie Union Ja?k," which was produced in Maoriland in '89. As the piebdit cast is somewhat alteivd in the chief cbaiMcteis, 1 will give both cast^ :— 1689. 1593. Alice Doorwyn, Ruth Mcdway Acnes Knights B'anchs Lewis Ethel Auldii Hilda Spong Blrs Bla'.d Holt Ivy Anlen VirpieVivu-nne Virjjie Viviennc Polly I'ipoin Mrs Holt Cairie Geoigo Mrs Pippin Flora A> stead Bland Holt Peter Fly Bland Holt Albeit Norman Cant. Morton Albert Norman Augustus Sir Phillip Glover Yorke J. Cosgrovc Walter Howe Jack Medway W. E. Baker II R. Roberts Lieut. Stanley R li. Inman Leonard St. Lawrence Tom Chuckle Clns. Brown Harry Power Jos. Tomkins E. C. Co lesse Misi Mabel Tracey has ence more bobbed up serenely, this time at the Melbourne Princess with the Dacr«j Compa'rj'. Mabel will be remembered by MaoriLuul theatregoers with Bland Holt's Diainatic Comp.iny in '87-88, when she pliytd L\z/\-i Jenkin*oii in "' Alone in London" (Mi s JJtlith Band's part ot '93) ; Lucy Bycfieldin "A Jitiii of Luck"; Alice in " Ihc World' ; aad Mary Maguire in " Taken from Life" (Mr<s Bland Holt's pare of '93, wt.os.- ywrt in tbi-, piece in the '!)7-88 lour was K'lte Denbv). Miss I'iacey was last round Mioril.ind under George Dai roll's maiiageinent in '89-90, when she played Pauline Viruni in "The Foriorn Hope " ; Id i Potter in " Potter of Texas " ; Moggy O'Shanp-^y iv " The Pakeha" ; Ros •no ah Sloore (whicti shcul-io played in D^j roll's tour of '8J S9) in " The IMys'ery of a Hansom Cab"; and Miss Carlyle in "East Lynne" (Maggie Oiliver'n part in Dan ell's tour of 'S-S 89, and w'-ich Christiua Tt'iinyoon pl.«ycd in Vivian's tour of 'B9), whehjear, with D^n ell's Company, JMiss Trurey iilayed Barbate Hare (played by J*isd Marie Wilton with Vivian's Company *'S9). Charley Taylor is out on the ro.ul with a variety company.

Maggie sloo>e and Company opened in Adelaide Royul, S^ tin day, February 10, with "Struck Oil" and "'lhe Ch>ne.se Que-.tiou " "Prior to hei dt-parture for Amend" Itlaggie appears in S.\ dncy.

M.idame Zulu, the first Australian lady tiapczian and tymuist, who ha? btcn feriously ill foi- ihe pa'-t two years, takes a well-eaiiietl b-nefitat Sj fluey Scho .1 of Arts next Mondai r , Veer navy 25. Her ia->t Sydney apiiuaranca was at the old Queen's 13 yea s ago. Madam i Zulu, Eomou here about '87 or '£$, travelle I way back with Mill' cr's Blight Sl.ir Variety Company (in a cirrus tent), and which included Onzalo, the " liing of ilie a c r" ; JCngone, the "moi seipc.t" ; the Wjburd troupe of blent, rs (Alf, Erne-.t, and t«o ladies) ; an! Comedian Harry Cowan, who is now in Melbourne.

" Dear B.S.,— A JaP-.oclif oi t, who played Methusla Iligginsin 'li.izel' with th<j How c-Spong Com])any in Miorilarid in '9i, is dejcribtd by the Brisbane prtss as Amurkan, and as such is treated as a ' novelty ' It miybe of interest to the Buianaluiiders to know that ' ltotch'e,' as iheliai b.cn tamiliaily called by the purfesh for tho ladt 12 years, hails from AnrkLnd, Maoriland, where her familj (namcJl ILirvoj) btill repi 'c. A«li, in ISSI, played small p'irls with tho 11 -rr Ba'iclmann comb.'nitinn, which, on the Maori'and tuiir of 1881, indudod H rr Bjiulinanti (Shylock), J. F. Cdli'-ail(Aiitouio) Chas. Hall (R.is=iinio), J. H. Nin n (firali tno), J. Jilus»riivo (who ' doubled ' the Duke of Venice and Old Gobo), A. T.i'nwn (LorGii-'.o), J. Costello (Salit-.io), G. Ward Calari.io), H Riuby ([/uuiC'hjf), Mr Butler (i'ubal), Mr Ward(r» i!th.,;m), Louigcßca-idefc (Porwa), Louis' flaw ford . (Neris^a), l.ucy A--hton (Joi^ica) Jl J. ]Ie Lias wms the company's lvpie^euta'ivo, and Jli Jt. A. Marshall (fath'i 1 of Harry — Ciptain Giug.ihv.of that ilk) lniMiios ma-iiagcr. Mi^-j Rochfort for three ye»:s tra.velle<l with Alfred Dam pier, and was al o with Pat Kcostb and other managers. Seeing that Atla two i.v tbree years ago mairicd one i^rattati, sometime doing juvcuil- s w.th Wilson Furbes's Company, whi'-ji bobs up in Brisbane about Iti— more or less— titi.es a year, it is hard to understand why Bri^banians should style her Amurkan.— Yours truly, Jiblot Gullivan."

A contralto who is expected to he bend of in the future is Miss Hill, of Lilyilaie, Victoiia, the piciuresque village where Madame Armstrong Mellia passed her childhood.

Mr M. Marcus iiitends taking the Leipzig Instrumental Company thiough Maoriland.

J. A. Carroll has reorganised the Princess Opera Company for a three-months' tour. Of comve Emma Wanganheim will be prima, donna. Percy Shannon is their new tenor ; Mi->s E. A. Lambert (Lazaiillo in "Maritaim" with Montague-Turner Company in Maoriland '02) ; Kate Howard (Pedro in " Girodi-GirofLl" with Princess Opera Company' 93), Kate Fieeimn, Mary Cullen, Blanche Lc-lic, Harry Ciaig (Captain of the Guard in "ManLma" with Montague-Turner Company in Maoriland '92), Percy Stuart (Florcstcin in "The Bohemian Girl" with ditto), James Ryan, 11. M'Mahon, anil others. James Mor^sm (through Mioiiland with the Faust Family in '0-92) is in adva nee.

"My business is pnormous, but, alps ! I am workiug for glory otily at present, as every penny is going to pay oft' my unfortuoate lastcxperienr-es of Australia However, about tho end of M.irch I hope once more to knk upon a clean sheet." — F. 30. Fi'iis from South Africa to Allan Hamilton in Australia. I'illis wmt=s Hamilton to go over end manage the show, but the latter is prevented from doing so owins; to having organised his new circas company. Should the new Hamilton venture prove a success, efforts will be made to induce Mr and Madame Fillis to undertake a starring tour through Australia next year. The cables state that Henrietta Watson pleased the critics in R*lph R. Luml^y's new comsdy at Toole's. In the last issue of The Stage to hand Miss Watson is among the "People Prominenc." John F. Sheridan (Juliet) and tirade Whiteford (Romeo) are appearing at London Palace iv their qiiginal duologue " Romeo and Juliet." Bland Holt's Dramatic Company open in Melbourne Royal about Easter.

Master Bracy, a son of tbe popular tenor Henry Bracy (nov. 1 with tho Royal Cimics in Maoriland), is in "A Wife's Ordeal" at Melbourne Princess.

Jules Simonscn, P. G. Josephs, Tasma Sherwin, Sylvia Lamont, May Lovington, Bertha Fanning. Evelyn Harte. and Q. H. Wooos are with Harry

Rickards's Specialty Company at Melbourne Opera House. ■'If Slade Murray would leave such songs as 'Wafctrloo' — which contains claptrap sentiment, very little music, and a lot of t>ad vcrae— alone, and stick te> the humoiqus line, he would be even more popular than he is at the present moment, which is saj ing a good deal." — Quiz. Maiie El.-.t:r, who contemplates a trip to England, is a sweet singer and more than an average actress. "Dear 8.5.,— 1 saw Pete Hughes entertaining the habitues of a fourpeimy bar the other night." — Jiblct Gullivan. "In Horace Wheatley (the Baron), in 'Cinderella,' at Melbourne Princess, the m.mngemcnt have secured a comedian who recalls tbe late J. II OreyiUe in his palmy days." — Crotchet. Fiank Stacey's Comedy Company touring South Australia. Harry Diver replaced Wilfred Shine as Dick Pennel in "The Foundling" at Melbourne Bijou last week. Edwin Geach is in advance of Maggie Moore Company at Adelaide. William Lcstocq's tLree-act play " The Sportsmin," which drew large houses at Sydney Lyceum Jast week, was originally produced at London Come.ly Theatre, October 3, 181)2, and which was staged tirst in Australia at Brisbane Opera House on Saturday, July 7, 15J)4, is an adaptation of Georges Feydean's "Monsieur Cliasse." As a London ciitic pertinently remarked, the EnglUh vf-rsiou suffers by comparison with its Parisian prototype, because in becoming "proper" the story becomes less natural. The ilitterence between the original play h easily told. In "Monsieur Clusse, ' monsieur pursued another man's wife whilst a young doctor pursued madam. In Lcstcc-i's farcical play the husband is turned from a gay Lothario into an ardent gambler, whiUt the doctor is a fussy, mischief-making personage, who is merely a friend of the wife and not htr lover. OnavL-y Fanning an \ Gcorgie Devoe are doing a good specialty at fcydnev Tivoli, entitled "The New Man and the New Woman." Douglas Jcn\>Wb dranri " Bl.ick-ej'ed Susan " was 6t'iged at Syciney Her Majesty's en Monday, February 17, with the principal characters distributed as follows : — Su an Miss Adeline Woodhill Dolly Mayflower Mis, Watts-Phillips Gapiaiu Crosstreo Mr Harry Plimmcr Hatchstt Mr.I.W.H-.zlitt Dogsrass Mr Sterling Why te The Admiral Mr Harry Hodson William , Mr George itiguokl Tho draun was followed by the burlesque (written up by Bert Royle), Susan With Two Lovely Black Eves. William Miss Florrie Forde Susan Miss Florrie Ksdnilc Di'lly ... ... ... Miss Minna I'h'llips Gnathrain Miss Agnes Briatc w Hatchett... ... ... ... Mr I'V.uik Hnrcourt Itaker Mr Bert Royle and a'so the Perman Family. One of the fuonicst situations will be the ret cue ot Captain Crosbtree by a humnn bridge. Woodlock's Ciicus clo=ed their Sjdney season on February 20, and r.re now on a suburban tour. Queensland to fullow. Alexander, the Australian Blondin, is giving exhibitions iv a mania. Dot Boucicault made his reappcarar cc at Sydney Lyceum, Saturday, February 2li, in "Aunt Jack." Allan Hamil'cn's great circus will open in Melbourne at Easter. 'Hie Big Man will have a strong bank behind him, and the new show will be rightup-to-datc. Lily Rowley, Percy Shannon, Harry Craig, Professor Eho'les, and Will Bennett aie auu ng=t the pei formers on Sunday at Coogec Aquaiium. lilies I-abel M. Taggarf., a Dunedin cirl, and tbe iccognised champi'.n horsewoman of Maorilatid, who won the l'igh-jump competition at Fillis's Gurus at Melbourne, beating the other six competitors—all men — is a member of Bhnd Holt's Dramatic Company, now at Sydney Royal. The same Miss Taggart h also a well-known theatrical coiri spondent, and reccned a handsome gold medal for her pluck in entering tho lions' den at Fillis's Circus on March it, 1893 —Yours truly, Poveity Point, February 23, 1895. B. S. Dear Pasquin,-- V/ho ia ilie original Jim the Penman — Harry St. Maur or Atthur Dacre?— Youis truly, Jiih.et Gui.i.!VAN. Crumby Corner, M'aoriland, February 2, fArtbur Dacre vias the origin;il Jim the Pinni.n at the Hayinarket. He is an M.D., M.C., M K.CS.K, au'l L S.A , and abandoned good prospects in the medical profession t"> tread the boards Ivh JoLn Hare was a patient of hi.H, and gave him a letter of introduct on to Mr Dion Bouccault in New Yc-rk, under whose management he made his tlejntt as Captain Molvncux iv "The Shaughr.iun" in IS7S He lijade his professional bow in England in the following year under tbe managvnx-nt of Jlr Wilson Barrett as Harold Kenyon in "The Old Love and the New," there meeting his future wife, Miss Amy Rosclle, whom he marrlea in ISSi.— Pasquin ]