Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-07-25
WANTED TENOR.

time for theatrical agents in Paris, that
being the season when country man
ayers are invariably occupied In remod-
cling their companies and contracting
fresh engagements to replace those OF
their actors who have either voluntari-
ly left them or have been dismissed as
not satisfying the requirements of the To-
cal public. On certain morning, about
ten days previous to the Paschal solem-
mites few years ago, M. Colombat, the
head of well-known firm of dramatic
correspondents, was sitting IN the inner
room OF his office in the Rue Monitor
gueil and perusing, with the aid OF a
confidential clerk, the letters that had
arrived by the early post. There were
at least twenty of them, bearing the
postmarks of various provincial towns;
and as each was opened in its turn, and
the wants of the different writer's ascer-
tanned, the agent referred to his books
in order to see which of them he was In
position to supply.
"Another tenor for VieiIleville," he
said, with a dry chuckle betokening
satisfaction; that makes the third in
to please, the subscribers down there.
Vault" he continued, addressing the
clerk, what have we got likely to suit !?
| can't call to mind a single one."
INA, fol, Monsieur" replied the lat
ter, after moments pause, NOR l. 1t
it were a baritone or bass we could
accommodate them easily enough; but a
tenor Stay" he exclaimed, there is
the man from Rio Janeiro, who was
here last week. and wanted 1000 francs
month"
Gle won't get that" said M. Colon
bat. "Lartigues never gives more than
tal 10
dress ?"
81 did," answered Vault, glancing at
a ledger before him; Jacques Durand
Passage Cendrie, Is. Shall [ send and
tell him to call ?''
ssDo so, and if he accepts I can write
to Lartigues by to-night's post. If |
remember rightly, this Durand is d
queer looking customer, more like a
ttraitre de melodrame' than tenor.
However, If it does not happen to fit it
is no affair of mine and [ may as well
pocket the commission as any one
else"
1t may safely be presumed that the
negotiations between the agent and the
candidate for the vacant post at Vleille-
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 new conner
M. Lartigues, who was engaged in cal
-culating the amount of profit and loss
during the foregoing season, the result
to all appearances being the reverse OF
agreeable, gave an involuntary start.
''Troun de Diou ~ he muttered
<'what an Orsini for the Tour de
Nesle 7" Then recollecting himself
and remembering his visitor: do you
wish to see me on business ?" he in
quired.
ga mere matter of form, monsieur, :"
was the reply. "Allow me to introduce
myself-Jacques Durand, just arrived at
Vieilleville, and entirely at your SER
vice.
"Jacques Durand p echoed the man
ager, staring lncredulousIy at the speak
er. tNot the tenor engaged by Colon
bat ?"
1.-THE same"
Impossible p cried Lartigues. evil
IDENTITY Mortified by the unprepossessing
aspect of the olive featured, beetle
browed individual before him. [ ex-
pected something very different, in
short"
"Better looking" coolIy interrupted
the new recruit. No doubt, but you
MIGHT have done worse, was very pop
ular at Rio."
''Rio ISN'T Vieilleville," impatiently
retorted the manager "as you will find
out before you are many days older.
Are you aware that we open on Mol
day, and that you are cast for Arnold
IN 'Guillaume Tell p
'Suits me perfectly. 1t is favorite
part of NINE"
Indeed ~ said Lartigues. in by no
means confident tone. well, if were
you | wouldn't be too sanguine. Our
public is apt to be nasty at times"
81 will run my chance of that" care
lessly replied Durand. "When do we
rehearse ?'
''On Saturday at H. And as [ sup
pose you will be looking for lodgings, I
recommend you in case of accidents,
only to take them by the week"
Left to his own meditations, the inn
pressario, after heartily devoting Col
ombat to the internal regions, sum-
moned his stage manager, and contided
to that iunctionaPy with much meridion-
al gesticulation his disappointing inter
view with the tenor from Rio.
'He is absolutely hideous, Millard,
with cut-throat face like q Commun-
ard of II, the sort of fellow one
wouldn't care to meet after dark.
What on earth is to be done We
can't put off the opening or change the
performance, for the Frondeurs Club
ms. st on an opera, and We have no 9th
er 'ady. There is no help for it; we
must try him.
After ALL" said Willard, there is
one consolation. If he fails you are
not bound to pay him his month"
Ie," replied Lartigues, Frightening
up little at the recollection, 81 must
have that clause inserted in my engage
ments, and in his case, # as | imagine,
his 'ramage' is on par with his plum
age, failure is foregone conclusion
The Saturdays rehearsal proved a
very lame affair, the new singer, on a
plea of sudden hoarseness, declared
himself incapable of any vocal exertion,