The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-12-27
THE STAGE WAITS. y


81 Will drink the toast" said Mon
Sieu Grattin. "' Our noble profes-
fession. the lyric art | have no great
fancy for your gin. but | will drink the
toast IN the liquor of your country"
He was on his legs at this time, and
bowed forward left and right before he
drank, so as TO include all the company
under his condescending compliance in
plcdginG the art to which he belonged
III a product of England.
Hear, hear, heart" cried several
voices cheerfully. The Frenchman
emptied his glass and sat down with
look of profound satisfaction.
They were all men present a dozen
and they all appeared in the very best
humor and spirits. They were seated
in the dining-room of James Walford,
a professional singer. and the occasion
Of the meeting was TO commemorate
WGifurd's signature to an agreement
with the lessee OF the Cremona theatcr,
A few days ago the document had been
duly completed Walford was 10 have
600 week, the largest salary he had
yet reached, and was TO create the lead
ing tenor part in "A new comic opera.
TO be sure, the Cremona was not a
tirst-class theatcr, but Walford was
glad to get n leading part anywhere,
and 30 Il week was great adj
vance upon go, which lie had been
formerly earning in a subordinate part
Walford himself was hardly as glad
rs his friends. for ne was the best
natWed, best tempered, kindest hearted
tenor that ever lived, and all his friends
wished him well. There were other
reasons also which made those who
liked him, glad of his success. \ few
months ago he had lost Young wife. TO
whom he was devotedly attached, and
he was left a widower with an only
child boy of ! years old. Now that
his wife was gone, this boy was the very
apple OF his eve. He took the child
with him wheresoever he might, and
when he came home, whether it was
early or late, his first act was to visit
the boy. Those who knew him best
said il was well he had the child to
center his affections on. for otherwise
they feared his reason might give way
He was not one of those who wear
their hearts upon their sleeves. He
was made of stubborn stuff. But then
all knew that when he married his late
wife he had given her the love of his
whole nature, and that the very quiet
ness Of his manner, upon her death,
meant stubborn nature terribly con-
trolled. To one or two of his most
intimate friends he had said confden-
TALLY that if anything happened to his
boy he should not care TO live.
One of the pleasantest things in
connection with the present social
meeting was that NJ. Grattn had come,
and shown himself most cordial and
agreeable. Everyone regarded this as
exceedingly good on his part, for it was
known to all that the cho'ce of a tenor
for the Cremona Thcater lay between
him and Walford Thus he had come,
as it were, to signalizc the triumph of
his rival over himself.
NJ. Grattin was a man of medium
height. llack-haired. sallow, with dark
brown eyes, a slightly aquilne no.e and
good figure He was q ftrikinglv-
handsome man. His manners were re-
fined and gtntlemanlikc, and the only
objection Englshmen found to him was
that ne seemed TO he anxious TO show
elaborate kindness in small things at
the expense of sincerity in greater.
Thus it happened that although the
men present in Albany lodge, Canon
bury, that night greeted his arrival en-
Enthusiastically, and told him he was a
good fellow for coming, next morning
when they thought more quietly over
the matter, they agreed it was only
what was to be exI ected from so polite
and courteous n man.
II was but natural that, under the
circumstances of the death of Wa'ford's
wife. his curly-headed little boy Freddy
should be made much of by the Bohe-
mian friends of his father. For time
no one came TO the house without
bringing him some little toy or sweet
stulfs; aud if the boy had not very
good disposition and gay and airy
manner, which made him take the gifts
with the laughter of delight rather than
the gravity of greed, he would have
run fair chance of being hopelessly
spoiled.
Albany lodge was a much moro mod.
est house than one might suppose from
the name. For, taking the times he
had engagements with the times he had
not, Walford could not hitherto count