The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-25

"He does not come often and it is always
dark. 1t is very bad-his singing. III
people do not like it. They say it dlsturbs
them, it is so bad" =.
sit is too late to save his voice now
the two friends said to each other after
ward, "but if we could do something klno
for him it would be n comfort"
Only it was plain that he did not WISH to
be seen. He came only rarely and always
at night and always stood in the SHADOW OF
the trees. So they could only throw him
money and 90 back to their salon and talk
to each other about him p%ityinRly. =.
Somehow they never could hear Glovahn.
or speak of him without speaking also OF
1.-The Other" -.
mo one but ourselves throws him money"
said the lady in black, sadly, once. Per
haps he is poo and NJ Just for what ne
gets from US. 1t makes it all the sadder.
Think of going about from place to place
singing in that drearv, piteous voice and
knowing that no one wishes to listen, ana
that if money ia given it is only from pity
or to rid ones self of the ANNOYANCE or
hearing. To me 1t seems a sort OF Tragedy:
1t is tragic If he is q boy who feels ana
thinks | cannot help hoping that he does
not know Giovanni and SO cannot feel the
contrast. Giovanni is so rosy and strong
and plump feel as if The Other must be
thin and haggard and pale"
"He is a story to you, too" said Ger
trude.
"Yes, and l cannot make anything but a
sad one" ..
Because it was q sad one her mind dwelt
on it. h found herself wondering each
day if Mt night the broken voice would sing
in the dark. They did not hear 1t more
than half a dozen times and 1t was heard
on no stated day.
''Perhaps it is wrong even to throw tho
money to him" she said. ut may DO that
it encourages him to sing and perhaps II
he did not sing at all and give his poor
voice a rest it might recover itself. do
you think il might. Gertrude"
81 am afraid not" Gertrude answered. u
am afraid it is too far gone"
The next day they sent the concierge TO
ask Giovanni to come to their salon to talk
to them.
He came in the afternoon evidently feel
ing a little awkward but looking rosy and
pleased. He had had too much simple
success and good luck to DO really shy,
1t WAS certainly true that he WAS not the
~restless, yearning, ambitious musical genius
of romance. He was a simple, we'll f%avoreu,
2ood humorou little peasant, fond OF music
in Il primitive. unlmpnssioned War,. ana
appreciative of the good fortune which had
given him q good voice. They found out
that he had sometimes been to school, that
he had once had three mentions. that he
wns rather tired of street singing, that lie
had been taught something OF music by a
certain "Maestro Meeheri." whose business
it was to train choruses at the tiny theatre.
All TINT he knew of his singing he had
learned from Maestro Mecheri.
Does he tell you that you have u very
good ~voice?" asked tho lady in black.
Eyes. sipnorn, he says it IL u good voice"
"And no tells you, / daresay, that You
must take care of it and not strain it at
ALL"
Eyes, signora, he warns me of that"
"You See" the lady went on, leaning u
little forward aud smiling, you are grow
ing. In u short time 1t will change into q
young mans voice. And il you force II and
go on singing while it ia changing you may
spoil 10 forever. But il You are careful 1T
may become such n voice as-aR everybody
told you that?'
1t was plain that Maestro Mecheri was
not IN imaginative person himself. and that
he confined himself to tho present ana MS
immediate surroundings principally. The
limitations OF hls experience we're perhaps
good enough under the circumstances.