Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-05-24
THE TENOR SONG.

1t Invariably Places the Hero at q Dlsad-
vantage SO His Lady-LOVe.
The fact that the undoubted influence
of the the tenor voice over the female
heart has never been in the least coun-
teracted by the unspeakable feebleness
of the tenor mind. as customarily ex-
pressed in the words to which the airs
are set, is really extraordinary. For the
tenor attitude, in matters of sentiment,
when it comes to be carefully exam
ined. is neither particularly robust
nor prophetic. of sealskin sacques and
other adjuncts to happy marriage.
An examination of a large number
of tenor songs shows the hero to be in
variably placed at disadvantage in
respect to his lady-love. Either he is
in New York and she in Boston, or she
is incarcerated in some reformatory of
the dramatic period to which his lack
of enterprise and sGvoir fare deny him
access. Under these circumstances,
which are enough to stimulate any man
not handicapped by half dozen or so
of high notes in his voice, to some de-
cided course of action. the tenor usually
contents himself with feebly coming
his woes into tuneful but entirely in
operative song. t-..I -
1t may CRAFTY the female ear to hear
him asseverate at the top of his voice.
that he Evil wait for thee" during
fairly geological period, and '.be true"
to her even when he is palpably inca
pable of remaining true to even so
trifing a matter as the pitch; but it
can not place his bread-winning capac-
ity in particular desirable light that
he lacks the pecuniary means of con-
quering the distance that separates
them, or the political influence to OBJ
tain visiting permit to her place of
imprisonment.
The poetical sentiment is satisfied
by his aspiration that he '.wOuld'' he
were bird that he might fly to
thee" but the practical everyday sense
would be better met by some decisive
course of action in connection with a
railway ticket or an aerial ladder.
The tenor in song is always poor.
and generally affords in his expressed
attitude toward affairs, an ample ex-
PLANTATION of this pitiable circumstance.
His dress being unusually rich and
elegant. as n rule, consequently makes
him liable to the injurious suspicion of
living beyond his means. But the fact
that his jeweled dagger was, per-
chance, purchased on the installment
plan. and is not yet entirely his own.
does not prohibit his pawning the arti-
ole. at the call of love. for the price of
railway ticket, and hieing himself in
manly fashion to the locality where he
would have us believe that poor thing,
his heart, is.
Any thing, in Heavens name! but
tame standing about and wishing, to
the accompaniment of the orchestra.
His fellows, the baritone and basso. do
nothing so ineffablv feeble as this.
They discuss practical ways and means
in inspiring measures. and presently
depart leaving a conviction that some
thing is going to be done When the
baritone wants any thing he formulates
his desire by going and getting it; and
failing in his purpose, show gentle
manly forbearance in not inflicting his
lyrical disappointment upon his sud-
ence. But the immemorial tenor is
always beggar of sympathy which
he has not pluck and backbone enough
to earn.-BOStoH Courier