The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-21


inroads into the capital, most Of which |
has to be sold and the remainder heavily
mortgaged-the old gentleman paying
all demands for the sake of what he calls
the honor of the family, though other
people might think it was in order to
prove what an incorrigible idiot man
of antiquated prejudices and aristocratic
lineage can make of himself when he is
afforded the opportunity. The result. at
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 to
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"
Give heard of gifted amateurs before
now" began lingo, shaking his big head
with a sigh; but Jocelyn interrupted
! 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
the New York public. 1t so happened,
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 whim 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 impressrio: 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 a history so forrnid-
ably and fascinatingly scandalous as
hers. In consideration
''Hold on! hold on!' said lingo, with a
shake of his hand in the air, 81 see wha:
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
. stitute. It's smart notion, but I ex-
pect it'll do better TO talk about than to
try. She'd slip up somehow She might
carry it ont 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. 1.-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
diva's consummate hypocrisy, man alive
: and any unfamiliarity she may show OF
> 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 Christendom"
= eff she can sing-yes!' said the i'm
presario rather specifically
+ ''Did you ever happen to hear of
4 gentleman by the name of Dorimar?
: inquired Jocelyn, putting down hi
r wristbands and folding his handsom
hands on the edge of the table.
f "Old Dorimar? Rather! Best man il
n the profession. Dead now, poor old boy
4 All, if he'd only kept his voice.
s ''Dorimar was the instructor l men
e toned just now. He went up one da
$ to hear her try her voice, and the conse
O quence was he stayed three years to lis
ten to it. He told me month before h
died that she was the finest soprano
with the grandest method. he'd eve
l. known
"The devil he did! Dorinar was n
:, fool, that's fact"
a 81 found her out before he did. If
hadn't been for me where would you b
It now, friend Moses?"
l. ''Thats all right: but I've got to hea
her first"
d That's why told you to make you
It arrangements to be out of town tonight
l Well take the noon train up there. "
!" telegraphed em to expect me. We
n settle with her tonight, and be back i
% town tomorrow morning. Now, as t
% terms. You'll have to pay her what you
le promised the diva"
r ooh, l will, will l? I'll see about that
returned the impresario with shrew
k grimace. mo need of me believin
10 she's the real diva us well as the aud
l. ence!''
T. In that case we won't take the moo
IS train, )" said Jocelyn firmly.
N 'Say, my boy, what's your game:' il
y quired the other after a pause, durin
in which the men had looked intently {
e each other. do you want me to pa
If you her salary, and you hand her owe
S, whatever doesn't stick to your fingers
D. is that it? He! he! he!'
you're q coarse minded idiot" sal
lie Jocelyn brusquely. "You attend to yoJ
= business and let me manage mine.
know what want and how to get i
:. II she's not all say she is, of course til
I bargains of altogether. If she is, you
y have to pay for her-that's all. And
y you don't like those terms you can &c