Show if there is one event more indelibly impressed upon the mind of alie theatre goer than any other it is the time he first witnessed a leg show the term ia not an elebrant eles rant one admitted into polite society it travels under many eu aliases and is discussed freely under less significant and more mellifluous names but calling a hitt a hat and a spade spade nothing so fitly and aptly designates the subject under as acs ics show the leg show is not necessarily a lovvor vicious performance it may be a classic italian opera put on the boards of the metropolitan opera house new york where the edite and wealthy pay a year to see it supplemented by music they cannot understand while they affect to it may be an extravaganza surfeited with scenery aud beautiful illusions it may be tt farce comedy without plot or purpose employed as a vehicle for the clever exhibition of individual talents it be comic opera or opera co mique or burlesque opera or opera boutee or bome other form of humorous lyric productions eo popular at it may be a specialty company or a vaudeville company or irmay go by any one of a hundred or more fancy names employed to convey the sense without offending the hearing it may bo one of the cheap coarse and vulgar exhibitions known as the variety performances where art ia a secondary consideration and the dispensation of various stale beera and wines at prices the main purpose through the entire gamut of entertainment from highest to lowest runs the display of nether limbs femal limbs as an clement of the highest vital importance the auditors will discuss the plot and chat about the music and dilate on beauteous costumes and omit la proper and emphatic silence all mention of graceful rapturous display of the female physical charms nevertheless the absence of feminine voluptuousness would kill almost any operatic or specially performance of the day from grand opera to circus popular as is this class of theatrical entertainment above all othora it is decidedly a modern innovation and has been growing more and more in demaid as it has grown more and more startling daring and breathtaking breath taking it bag ceased to bo considered food for vulgar palates and has become the delicious viand of the most refined taste nor has ita influence been pernicious on the contrary the owes it a debt it can never repay it lias been alio direct immediate and responsible cause of beautiful and rich tage before tights with their delicately colored shades and finous of fabric came into importance before the rich bright glittering gauze and laces and pleats of the ballet dancer came daze such a thing as handsome and expensive dressing were unknown to the burlesque artists artistes arti stes those who shocked horrified and almost paralyzed theater boera forty years ago their dishabille and exquisite abbreviated dress we owe the gorgeous and elaborate toilettes which have become as necessary for every actress as her play itself what seemed so breathtaking m that day haa become the favorite stage entertainment of today prudishness Prudish nesa and squeamishness have disappeared from alie theater and whatever conduce to beauty ie now welcomed to M B leavitt the stage owes much if not most of its development and progress in the leg show as a refined entertainment and my remarks have been suggested by alie his spider and fly company to the grand opera house next wednesday leavitt has of late years become prominently known as a director of chain of theaters including alio broadway in denver and the bush street ban francisco two handsome structures but his name will always be linked in memory of theater boera as the apostle and missionary of female limbs he it was who brought lydia thompson to this country the liand ermest formed actress of the day who in black crook made alio entire public delirious never lias any stage spectacle created such a popular furore the wonderful ballets with their bewilder ong array of rich and enchanting colors their revelations of undulating form and sinuous motion was the rage 0 the country but the unceasing unyielding demand for novelty and change has brought a new variety cf alie female di we no longer have amazon in arches military mansou vcra and clashing of armor by feminine warriors the chance as exemplified in the spider and the fly has taken shape in high kicking skirt dancing in which head limbs and body seem lost in a maze of skirts giving but a momentary glance of a pretty foot a well rounded ankle a finely limb or a head covered with frizzy golden curls the climax of this style of entertainment tain ment is reached by the leavitt company in what is called the french Quadri ife ica by rose newman a ebirt dancer of extravagant eccentricity and shared by louise bice blanch alien and sissy aileon A handspring hand spring of lightning rapidity is one of the perilous features of this specialty to these festive leading dancers must be added elea a spanish dancer who proceeds all of her clever sisters in bewitching dancing as well aa lofty elevation of pedals A queer feature of all kind of feminine display in is that ladies are chief admirers A woman admires another well formed woman whether she bo on the street in the ball room or on tho stage but for this tact lights as a predominating influence in opera and specialty would never have into the position they have recurring to my opening statement that a theater goer never forget ilia first visit to a leg show I 1 vividly recall mine here are the data age 17 freshman at college ditto ereen horn emitted with pretty claa amate anxious to bestow my attention knew little about theartres theatres the atres not much i more about girla alice oaten a raging beauty was booked at our theater and I 1 mado an engagement with i my fair classmate EO far in advance aa to cutout competition by and by the bill I 1 poster commenced to put up hia paper reveal ing alice in of clothing as star of forbidden fruit the of the opera and the pictorial revelation of alice evidently alarmed my c irl r for she bent me a note to ask me if I 1 still thought wo had better go ig inid vested 2 in ticket and all rivals in making an early engagement I 1 hastened to assure her that it would be eminently proper to carry out original plans As ano eventful night approached pro ached my girls courage oozed and I 1 feel any too confident myself when we got to the theater door my fair companion declined to enter unless other ladies were in attendance the door being opened to our relief there was presented a perfect sea of ladles hats wo entered found ourselves in an assemblage sem blage of tho best society folk and felt greater case than cither biad experienced perien ced for a week before unfortunately is moral dojny story alice died seven years ago this month my girl married another fellow I 1 leave been going to theaters steadily since and well I 1 wont forget that first night all skirt dancing and dancers aro but a part of alie spider and the fly there is Ja guarina a famous all over the country who a few years ago matched herself alie crack swordsman of the united states army at san francisco and beat him in combat both mounted on camio coee some thrilling juggling standing licad down and balancing himself on a beer bottle tho singing ia in the hands of superior people principal comedian leavitt has charles IT denny who was brought over at the same time lydia thompson the star of the black crook came As will bo surmised there is no plot no story and little benso to tho production it is simply an exquisite circus on a stage instead of in a tent there are two spider and fly companies on the road mr leavitt having found the performances so popular as to keep two organizations going the one that comes to ogden is tle arst the big and most expensive one this performance I 1 believe ia ono that could have profitably filled two nights in ogden without any trouble I 1 have a collection of souvenir spoons just to bo in the swim and like unto other foolish people my collection is of one spoon received last summer and is emblazoned on the bowl it was sent me by charles dickson who knowing liow t enjoyed his play of eliat name remembered me when lie was giving out souvenir spoons to a boston audience on the occasion of bis hundredth performance is fun unadulterated and not de it was written by the wife of the governor of california any man should be prouder to have so clever a wife than to be governor of california it is called a farce com edy but for fear readers may think it as stale as most of tho plays going under that name I 1 may add eliat it lias a laughable plot that keeps the attention riveted from beginning to end next thursday dickson gives at ahe grand it is a little unfortunate that two such good companies as leavitts spider and the fly should in our chicken yard at the same time however some people like quail and some like duck while not a few can make a breakfast of one and supper of the other I 1 would advise those theatre boers alio have sufficient ammunition to try and bag both after bastin the leavitt birds the appetite will bo whetted for the lederer fowl |