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Show ROSSINI FAMOUS AS A WIT Some of the Whimsicalities With Which the Ortat Compostr Made Life Jollier. Rossini's witticisms bubbled forth at all times and under all circumstances, circum-stances, says Musical Opinion. On on occasion a gentleman called upon him to enlist his aid In procuring for him an engagement at the opera He was a drummer and had taken the precaution to bring his Instrument Hosslnl snld he would bear him "play," and It was agreed thnt he should show off In the overture to "Somli amide" Now, the VPry first bar of the over ture contained a tremolo f r the drum, and when this bad been performed per-formed the player remarked, "Now I have a rest of 78 bars these, of course, I will skip." Thkt ws too good a chance to be lost. "O, no," i said the composer, "by all means couut-tue 78 bars; 1 particularly want to hear those." Rossini's whimsicality whimsical-ity extended even to his birthday. Having been born on February 29, In leap year, he had, of course, a birth-da birth-da once In four years, and when he was seventy-two he facetiously Invited In-vited his Mend to celebrate bis eighteenth birthday. "x The late Kir Arthur Sullivan made his acquaintance In Pari. One morning, morn-ing, when Sullivan called to se him, he found blm trying over a small piece of music, "What Is that?" asked Sullivan. "It's my dog's birthday," birth-day," replied, very seriously, "and I write a little piece for blm every year." When Rossini was once rehearsing one of his operas in a small theater In Italy he noticed that the horn was out of tune. "Who Is that playing the horn In such an unholy way?" he demanded. "It la I," said a tremulous tremu-lous voice. "Ah, It Is yon. Is It? Well, go right home." It was bis own father) |