WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 39

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

By P. Kompter. April 24. Dear. Pasquin,— You were doubtless seriously concerned last week as to whether you could issue the Witness— all ou account of the non-appearance of "P. It.V budget. What a sigh of relief some of your readers must havj heaved— glad ie wasn't, a brick !— when they &aw what wasn't there ! However, there was no news, " oply tbe Pellards," so having nothing to send I didn't send it. The Pollards having goue hence, George R'gnpld came on with the blire of v full brass band and the crimson streak of " IVmmy Arkiii4." A broth of a bhoy is that same Thomas. Kipling has immortalised him in many lino 3, including — " Oh, it's Tommy this and Tommy that, and it's Tommy go outside — But it's " -peeul train for Atkins . " when the trooper's on the tide." And during the courte of the play put on this week by Me liigiiold there's the continuous refrain of the song— " O!i ! it's Tommy— Tommy Atkins I" and the crimsoa streak runs, throughout the drama. I took a great fancy 1o the leading lady, Miss Emilie Hughe?, on eight— which wasn't reciprocated, seeing she didn't see me, more's the pity. An old Wellington boy— Harry Diver— plays the villain, aud one of tbe beat bits in it is a breezy sergeant. Mr Rignold plays the hero with lapses of memory, probably due to the fact that he played second vill&in so long on Totherside. I hear we are not to have tbe pleasura of seeing "Cheer. "Boyp, Cheer!" What a pity. Next Monday " Lights o' London," with its sensational Thames — real water — act, will go on, to be followed by " Henry V." U. R. is said to be the equal of the best inteipreters of the name part. That beiDg so, we have a treat in front of us. The season here wiil coyer a month. Mr Marcus, well known in connection with Anglo-Australa-sian concert companies, is managing the tour. Conductor Harrison ancl young Alf. Stephens got "late-boated" during tbe Easter storm, and consequently the Pollard Company couldn't begin its Christcburch season last Saturday night. George 'Rignold's Company also had tho misfortune to miss their holiday opening nights here owing to the same storms detaining them up north. A strange coincidence is recorded in this item, telling how the other evening Mr Frank Roberts, who recenilv assumed the duties of custodian of the Opera House ia succession to the late Mr G. It. Coulson, broke a blood-vessel, and now lies in a critical state. About 20 minutes to BMr Alfred

Linley, theatric \\ advertising agent wont into the Opera House fc the purpose of consulting Mr Roberta cm a matter ni business cour-ecled ■with the opening of the Riguold Oumpauy, and found him standirg immediately underneath the platfoim on which Mr Ooulion v/as sitting when be met witU a similar accident which caused Ll3 death. Mr Roberts was vomiting blood, and his condition was co serious that Mr Linley at once brought Dr Reed, who ordered the suffering man to bed in the Opera House. Dr Pollen also saw the patient a little later, and he was removed to the Theatre Royal, where his wife and family reside. Fur some time past he has been suffering from au affection of the throat, and it is supposed that the bursting of the blood-v^sel was the result of a fit of coughing. The coincidence lies in the fact that Aif. Linley found Hoberts sitting alongside the fame rope the pulling of which caused the breaking of Coulson's blood-vessel. Making inquiries this morning, I hear there are strong hopes entertained of Robe'ts's recovery. Felix Tanner, known as the " Fasting Man," is 'about to visit Wellington, opening in the Criterion Theatre, aad will on the Ist of next month begin s. fast of 30 days and 30 nights. Tanner recently fasted for 40 (hys and nights in Melbourne, and during that period he was visited by over 40,000 people. He wished to prolong the experiment, but the medical men who were watching it declined ti allow it. On Good Friday, whilst the noon-ihead agent was putting a squad of volunteers from the City Guards through their facings for Ueo. Rignold's production of "Tommy Atkins" in the Wellington Opera House, one of the supsr3 during a march past began to whistle the cheeiful strains of the Dead Marcl). Angrily turning to the soldier boy the ttnge manager cried : " Ooufouud you ! don't you know that's bad luck?" The company was billed to open on Satutday. The Master storm caught them up Napier way, and they did not reach Wellington until the following ■Tuesday ! Is that hard luck or huperstition ? I like this bit of " copy " from the Napier Telegraph for the edification of CUrl Hertz aud his fellow ilhiHunists : — "In performing a conjuiing feat in the Criterion Hotel Mr K. Beiesford made a mistake which will cause him seme pirKon>il inconvenience. The trick consists m making a penny disappear when seemingly dronped into a glasi of waiter. It is effected by substituting un ey?-prlas<- for tha penny under cover of a handkerchief, and when t'.ie eye-glass is dropped into the water it lies at the bottom of the drinking glass invisible, the penny in the meantime ; having been p.ihnit.l and secreted. To regain pospes^ion of I.heeje glass the performer drinks the water to •-how that there is ' no deception,' and retains, or ought to retain, the article in bis mouth until he o*ll remove it undetected. It was . at this point Mr IS^re^ford failed, or rather pecomplished too much. lie swallowed not only the watu 1 , but also the eye-glass, ,\nd with horrorstricken visige he iu.-~lied from the hotel, acouueing be wa 1 ? ' done for,' jumped into a cab, and was driven lapioly home, and sent for several doctors. He was quickly attended by Drs de Lisle and Moore, who found that there was no immediate daDger, and although the eye-glas-s is still in the .stomach of Mr Bsiesford, or somewhere in that locality, no operation is nece3sary, and no serious consequence anticipated. By the way, Carl Hertz will be with us again for A few daj s during the next month. Glad on't ! Harry Plimraer, after a few weekfc' holiday in this city, returned to Sydney last Saturday.