The Osceola times., 1888-08-04
A TENOR WANTED.
Beginning and End Of an ANA
teur's Dramatic Career.

The fortnight before Easter is a busy
time for theatrical agents in Paris, that
being the season when country man.
ayers arc Invariably occupied in remod.
cling their companies and contracting
fresh engagements to replace thosc ol
their actors who have either volunta-
rily left them or have been dismissed as
not satisfying the requirements of the
local public. On certain morning,
about ten days previous to the Pascha)
solemnitics few years ago, M. Colon
bat, the head of a woll-known firm OF
dramatic correspondents, was sitting in
an inner room OF his Office in the Rue
Montorgueil, and perusing, with the aid
OF a confidential clerk, the letters that
had arrived by the early post There
were at last twenty OF them, bearing the
postmarks OF various provincial towns;
and as each was opened in its turn, and
the wants OF the different writers ascer-
tained, the agent referred to his books
in orier to see which of them he was in
aposition to supply.
Another tenor for Vieilleville," he
said, with dry chuckle betokening
satisfaction; "that makes the third in
less than six months. Difficult people
TO please, the subscribers down there
Vault" he continued, addressing the
clerk, what have we got likely TO suitp
can't call to mind single one"
ma fol, Monsieur,p replied the lat
Ter, after a moments pause, 'nor |.
il it were a baritone or bass we could
accommodate them easily enough; but
tenor' Stay" he exclaimed, there
is the man from Rio Janeiro, who was
here last week, and wanted a thousand
francs MONTH"
''lie won't get that" said NJ. Colom-
hat. 'Lartigues never gives more than
eight hundred. Did you take his name
and address,"
81 did," answered Vault, glancing at
ledger before him: jacques Durand,
Passage Cendric, lS. Shall send and
tell him to call?"
"Do so, and il he accepts can write
to Lartiguos by to-night's post. II
remember. rightly, this Durand is 1,
queer-looking customer, more like a
'traitre de melodrame' than a tenor.
However, IL it does not happen to fit il
is no affair OF mine, and may as well
pocket the commission as any one
else.n
II may safely be presumed that the
negotiations between the agent and the
candidate for the vacant post at Vieille-
vile were satisfactorily concluded, for
five or six days later jacques Durand
reached his destination and proceeded
at once TO report his arrival TO the man.
ager. At the sight Of the newcomer
nj. Lartigues, who was engaged in cal
culating the amount Of profit and loss
during the foregoing season, the result
to all appearance being the reverse OF
agreeable, gave an involuntary start.
"7roun dc Diou~ he muttered
"what an Orsini for the Tour dc
NesleN" Then, recollecting himself
and addressing his visitor: "Do yor
wish to sec me on business?" he in
qured.
"A mere matter of form, Monsieur,
was the reply. "Allow me TO intro
duce myself-Jacques Durand, lust ar
rived at Vieillevillc, and entirely Al
your service"
Jacques Durand," echoed the man
ager, staring incredulously at the
speaker. Not the tenor engaged by
Colombat?n
"The same" ....
impossible" cried Lartigues, evi
dently Mortified by the unprepOssessini
aspect of the olive-featured. beetle
proved individual before him. "a
expected something very different, il
short"
Better looking" coolly interrupet
the new recruit. "No doubt, but yos
might have done worse; I was very
popular at Rio" tts|
"Rio isn't Vieilleville," inpatient,
retorted the manager, ''as you will fint
ou' before You are many days older
are you aware that we open on Mon
aay, and that you are east for Arnolt
M Huillaume Tellr"
Suits me perfectly, II is favorit'
part of mine.n
lndeedN' said Lartigues, in by M
means confident tone.} "We,l, II
were you | wouldn't be 80 sanguine
0ur public is apt 10 be nasty at times.
VIII run my chance OF that" care
iessly replied Durand. .sWhen do W,
rehearsepn .d
on Saturday at eleven. And, as
suppose you will be looking for lodg
,"es recommend you, in case of acci
vents, only to take them by the week.
Lett to his own meditations, the i'm
h hfresarlo' after heartily devoting Colon
S Sa' 70 the internal regions. summone,
s s.age manager, and confided to tina
@a'aoaary with much meridiops