Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-11-27

laInlIy income, put has made desperate
} tnroads into the capital, most of which
has to be sold and the remainder heavil,
J mortgaged-the old gentleman payin:
all demands for the sake of what he call
, the honor of the family, though othe,
people might think it was in order t.
prove what an incorrigible idiot a MAJ
) of antiquated prejudices and aristocratic
, lineage can make of himself when he i.
} afforded the opportunity. The result, al
any rate, at the time of which we SPEAK
|, is that the old gentleman finds himself
choked with honor and destitute of cash
that he is on the point of being obliged
to sell the ancestral mansion in order tc
satisfy the creditors, and that were the
honor he has preserved at so high price
worth anything in the market he might,
perhaps, be disposed to mortgage some
of it in consideration of an assurance of
bread and butter for the rest of his
life"
I've heard of gifted amateurs before
now" began lingo, shaking his big head
| WIN a oiSu' OuI oOCSlJu IuISIIupIeu
him.
what you've heard before is nothing
to the purpose" said he. "This is pre-
cisely the case that contradicts all expe-
rience. Now, it so happened that GER
tain distinguished impresario had spent
vast sums and made stupendous prepa-
rations to introduce famous singer to
| no
too, that the diva in question, although
so famous, was personally quite I'M
known in this country; and, as if for the
special purpose of insuring the success
of the grand enterprise that was prepar-
ing, she had even taken within to allow
no portraits of herself to be exhibited.
For some cause, at present unknown to
this historian, the diva at the last moment
backed out of her contract. The distin-
guished impresario, with disgrace and
ruin staring him in the face, luckily be-
thought himself to consult the wisest
man OF his acquaintance, who, by virtue
of his presence of mind and penetration,
promptly saw the way out of the diff
Guilty. He took the impresario with
him to the ancestral mansion aforesaid.
where the young lady sang to them and
was instantly made the recipient of the
following offer by the impresario: That
she was to assume and inviolably main
tain the name and personality of the
Russian diva; that under this name and
character she was to come to New York,
take up her abode at the most fashion
able hotel and receive whatever COM
pany will venture to form the acquaint-
ance of a lady with history SO fornlid-
ably and fascinatingly scandalous as
hers. In consideration"-
''Hold onl hold onr' said lingo, witha
shake of his hand in the air, 81 see what
you're driving at. didn't take it in at
first that your amateur was to appear as
the diva herself, as well as to be her sub
stltute. It's a smart notion, but l ex-
pect it'll do better to talk about than to
try. She'd slip I'D somehow. She might
carry 1t out for day or two, but when
you come to two or three months, that's
another story! 1t would take better
actress than I've ever come across to-
''She won't have to act at all" Joce- /
Ign interposed. "The public of course /
will have made up its mind beforehand |
that she is the real original diva, and |
the more unsophisticated she appears |
the more convinced and charmed they'll |
be. They'll take her innocence to be the |
dlva's consummate hypocrisy, man alivel
and any unfamiharity she may show on
the stage to be the perfection of acting.
But, for that matter, when once they've
heard her sing they wouldn't exchange
her for all the divas in Christendomr'
"f she can sing-yes!" said the i'm
presario rather specifically.
"Did you ever happen to hear of a
gentleman by the name of Dorimar?"
inquired Jocelyn, putting down his
and folding his handsome
hands on the edge of the table.
"Old Dorimar? Ratherl Best man in
he profession. Dead now, poor old boyI
Ali, if he'd only kept his voice.
''Dorimar was the instructor 1 men,
Toned just now. He went up one day
o hear her try her voice, and the conse-
Iuence was he stayed three years to lis
en- to it. He told me month before he .
led that she was the finest soprano,
With the grandest method. he'd ever
nown."
"The devil he did, Dorimar was no
DOL, that's fact"
Il found her out before he did. If it
admit been for me where would you be
ow, friend Moses?''
"Thats all right; but I've got to hear
er first" q
That's why told you to make your
to be out of town tonight.
Veil take the noon train up there. I've
elegraphed 'em to expect me. Well {
title with her tonight, and be back in
'wn tomorrow morning. Now, as to
erms. You'll have to pay her what you'd
romised the diva" Il
''Oh, l viii, will /? I'll see about thatI" z
.turned the impresario with shrewd
rimace. mo need of me believing
les the real diva as well as the audi
lcer'
In that case we won't take the noon
ain" said Jocelyn firmly. cl
TO BE CONTINUED %