. The romance of a western boy; the story of Corse Payton. e various conflicting im-prints of its history. A touch of its earlyreligious character showed in the tower where THE BROOKLYN THEATER. 103 once a bell had chimed a solemn invitation toworship. Two bill-boards told of that transitioninto worldliness—that lapse from reverentialorthodoxy into a joyous pursuit of pagan muses;while the green paint remained, a mortifyingreminder of that short butreckless plunge into thegiddy whirl of comic opera—that fervid atmosphereof jingling tunes andspangled-tighted chorusgirls. But one day the build-i
. The romance of a western boy; the story of Corse Payton. e various conflicting im-prints of its history. A touch of its earlyreligious character showed in the tower where THE BROOKLYN THEATER. 103 once a bell had chimed a solemn invitation toworship. Two bill-boards told of that transitioninto worldliness—that lapse from reverentialorthodoxy into a joyous pursuit of pagan muses;while the green paint remained, a mortifyingreminder of that short butreckless plunge into thegiddy whirl of comic opera—that fervid atmosphereof jingling tunes andspangled-tighted chorusgirls. But one day the build-ings face lost its desolate,retrospective stare. Newinterests had come into itslife. And to a cheerful sort of music there begananother transformation. All those tawdry stainsof the comic opera experience were removed, and,with an air of new respect, the ancient templesmiled through a fresh coat of modest brownpaint. All sorts of things were happening on A host of painters, carpenters, uphol-sterers and scenic artists were working wonders. io4 THE STORY OF CORSE PAYTON. there. In a months time that dark, brooding,inert pile of masonry had been converted into abright, cheerful, animated place of more it felt itself of use, and seemed toglory in the consciousness of this usefulness. And the man who had conducted this revivaland brought this new inspiration was CorsePayton. Every bright new chair, and everyyard of beautiful carpet, and every inch of freshpaint seemed imbued with his enthusiastic per-sonality. It was in the month of May in the year 1900that Corse first came to Brook-lyn to play an engagementat the Grand Opera House onElm Place. His cheap pricesof admission were an in-novation in Greater New\( York. People were in-clined at first to be a trifleskeptical. A companywhich demanded for thevery best seat in the house the very small sumof thirty cents could not have much of value tooffer to the public. But curiosity brought a good
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