10 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
THE RAMBLER 
(From the Rockport Review.) 
“We see some funny things and we 
hear some funny things’. - Although 
this line, taken from a song, I believe, 
is neither from the pen of Shakes- 
peare or a twentieth century lyric 
writer—of which we have none—it is 
very true. I happened to be lunch- 
ing in a city of Essex County this 
week, and seated myself at a table 
where sat the chief of police, a very 
august personage, who took himself 
quite seriously, and seemed to think 
that the world should bow in unsion 
to his desires. My thoughts drifted 
back to Rockport when I heard His 
Honor order, “Fried Lobster.” 
Everything progressed finely with the 
chief until the time came to settle 
for the meal. Then the strong arm of 
the law sailed into the “cuisine” of 
the. restaurant, and gave the chef a 
verbal thrashing. Alas! his lobster 
had not tickled his palate and, to show 
his superb authority, he stormed 
around and told the populace all 
about it. Now everyone who knows 
the chief is asking him, “How’ll you 
have your lobster?” 
o % 
Have you ever had a feeling that 
you were a singer and would like to 
give the musical ocimedy stage the 
benefit of your talent? Yes? Well, 
then you would be interested in a try- 
out of Boston talent (?) that the 
Rambler witnessed on the stage of 
the Tremont Theatre, Boston, some 
weeks ago. Miss Christie MacDon- 
ald, who appered as the star in “The 
Spring Maid” last season, thought 
that with all of Boston’s culture and 
refinement she find 
might among 
the ambitious fellows and _ girls 
of the Hub some few — persons 
who showed real talent for the musi- 
cal comedy stage. So she according- 
ly used the advertising space allotted 
to her show in the Boston papers for 
an ofter to the dramatic aspirant; of 
Boston to ap»ear en the stage of the 
Tremont on a certain morning. 
That there were plenty of young 
ladies in that city who aspired to the 
footlights was demonstrated by the 
appearance of about forty applicants. 
One lone fellow appeared to have his 
voice “tried out.” It would be diffi- 
cult to imagine a more nervous group 
of persons than the coterie of damsels 
who faced the musical director to 
sing their “little piece.” All the il- 
lusion of the stage seemed to be 
swept from the minds of most of the 
applicants the minute they entered the 
stage door. As the rehearsal was 
held in the morning, of course there 
was no one except Miss MacDonald 
in the auditorium to watch the would- 
be chorus girls, but every orchestra 
seat seemed to contain an evil-eyed 
monster and the curving balconies ap- 
peared as huge question-marks to the 
timid misses who were to be judged 
by the star of “The Spring Maid.” 
At a nod from the musical director. 
the first miss stepped forward on the 
stage and started to sing “snatches” 
(as she called them) from grand 
opera. When the m. d. cautioned her 
against attempting music that was be- 
yond her reach, she became indignant 
and rushed into the wings for her hat 
and coat. She was mortified and dis- 
gusted to see that the “ignorant di- 
rector did not know good music.” 
The truth of it was that he did know 
good music, and he also knew that 
the young lady could not sing it and 
“get away with it.” Applicant No. 2 
steped forward. She was more mod- 
est, and in a sweet, young voice sim- 
ply sang the scale. This seemed to 
have a favorable impression upon the 
m. d., and he accordingly motioned 
his assistant to take her “pedigree.” 
Many of the young ladies made 
strong objections against telling their 
ages. This is not strange, and may 
be a reason why a great many women 
are against the granting of the fran- 
chise to the so-called gentle sex. 
The “try-out” continued, some of 
the aspirants insisting on playing their 
own accompaniment. One young lady 
who looked the part of a Tetrazzinni, 
nearly sent a stage hand toppling out 
of the flies when her “mezzo-soprano” 
notes struck the roof. But the fun 
was fast and furious while it lasted. 
Out of the forty applicants there 
were but four who, in the opinion of 
Miss MacDonald and the m. d., were 
considered jpromising for even the 
chorus of a musical comedy. 
Of course the newspapers photo- 
graphers had to get the pictures of 
the two-score Bostonians who hoped 
to be catching the eyes of the “ap- 
preciative audience” in the next sea- 
son’s musical show in which Miss. 
MacDonald should take to “the road.” 
Some of the girls very obligingly 
posed to have their profiles snapped, 
while others believed that if they were 
“to have their maps flashed it should 
be Marceau, Sarony or White who 
should do the photographing.” They 
wanted to have their pictures with 
the “rest of the actorines,” as they 
expressed it. 
Perhaps the most amusing incident 
of the whole affair happened before 
the tryout, when Miss MacDonald 
entered the stage door humming the 
air of a song from a light opera. One 
of the chorus-girls-to-be obviously 
thought her a chorus-girl, for she 
stepped up to her and _ remarked, 
“Really, little girl, you should have 
your voice cultivated. If you did 
you might become a star some day.” 
Whereupon, Miss MacDonald repiied, 
“Well, I have hopes of starring some- 
time, but I’m very patient about it.” 
You can imagine the mortification of 
the questioner when she found that 
Miss M. was to try out her voice, etc. 
Truly, all of the good laughs of 
the stage are not seen by the audience. 
oR 9 
Peculiar interest is centered about 
the appearance of Miss Rita Stan- 
wood in the musical comedy, “My 
Best Girl,” at the Boston Theatre this 
week, as she is a native of Salem, and 
has spent part of her summers on the 
North Shore. Miss Stanwood is as_ 
captivating as a princess in the part 
she has in her play this season. Many 
theatre parties have been in attend- 
ance on the opening nights of the play 
in the Hub. 
ComMIssION GOVERNMENT GETTING — 
POPULAR. 
Cities all over the country are rally- 
ing to the standard of the government 
by commission, thereby eliminating 
the lower bodies of aldermanic boards 
and common councils, and substitu- 
ting a smaller council of from four to 
seven members. In most cities this 
form of government is proving adapt- 
able to the various needs and Salem 
is the latest city to express a desire 
to dispense with the charter which 
has done service since the city’s in- 
ception, and to try something new. 
Already the “friends of the people,” 
who have been active in the fight for 
the new charter, are laying their 
~-nture one of the offices in 
the commission. Perhaps Salem will — 
have a decent police system after the ~ 
commissioners take hold of things. 
