The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-24
HAS MUSIC CHARMS!
WHATNANCY YANKS HEARD ABOUT
WICHITA ARTISTS.
Authority From Newton Scores OuI
VOcalists Roundly to Nancy's Dis
gust-Christmas Hinds Local
Society Broken Up Into
Small CliqEcs.


Il can't tell. for the life Of me. why the
quarrel so.
"Wichisa ought to be large enough t.
| support good many of them; but j
doesn't seem to be. They wrangle ant
cats
''What are we going to do about it
Just let them fight it out, and perhaps tn
best'cats will land on their feet. They
always do, don't they?"
No response from the inanimate figure
curled up in the armchair before the fire.
Wake up and tell me what you think
about them"
"Who are you talking about 20 sh'
asked, at last, yawning.
ooh. these Wichita musicians, of course
1t would make your hair stand on end t
hear them talk about each other.
One singer says another never sang true
in her life; that her voice is throaty, anC
it is impossible for her to sing full
round note.
The other retorts that the first singer il
old as the hills; it is high time she retired
from the public altogether; i'll fact. shs
unkindIy hints that the public would hav,
been better off if she had never made bel
bow.
Another singer complains that tn,
method of her rival is old and moth-eaten
She advises her to travel abroad and study
under new teachers. And oh, deari if d
singer happens to be pretty, they tear heI
10 shreds and throw the fragments to the
four winds.
A singer remarked to me one evening in
a sweetly plaintive way that Wichita was
not musical.
"Of course one finds musician here
occasionally, but as a city, Wichita is any
Now. was glad she unbosomed herself
to me; because if she had made such Il
remark to a musician, she might have
heard of it again, perhaps, i'll a way she
wouldn't have liked.
or course, l had always been under the
impression that Wichita WAS intensely
musical. in fact, rather too much so for
the public good, but MS this singer says ii
isn't, why, it isn't, and that is the end OF
/ witnessed hero was battle of musicians.
After all, l don't believe the singers
are as bad as the pianists.
l have. often wondered why the pianists
didn't come to blows aud have it out, and
be done with it. l don't believe they
would fight according to rules-Marquis
OF Queensbury or any others. They would
strike below the belt every time they had
Il chance; and fight until there was moth
ing left but the feathers.
Well, Wichita would suffer little, per.
haps from dearth OF piano solos urtil
she had time to grow new crop OF
pianists; but she has sat patiently for Sc
many years listening TO the same old solos
from the same performers, that anything
would be grateful sort of change.
Il don't See why they quarrel myself"
said that recumbent creature in the chair
None of them know an earthly thing
about music"
paused in my tramping up and down
the room. and gave her Il look that ought
to have annihilated a stone; but. under
which she remained perfectly tranquil.
May ask where you obtained your in
formation" l asked in very sarcastic
tone, "since l happen to know that you
haven't one atom of music in your head Oh
your soul"
The sarcasm was thrown away.
MY friend from Newton told me-" she
answered with the utmost noncbalauce.
What" l missed III stage whisper,
that lady who has heen dined, and feJed,
and toasted, and Russian tea'd more
than any musician that ever visited
Wlchita?"
''The very same" she replied, holding
out a polluted toe to the warmth of the
fire.
She told me one OF them could sing we'll
enough, but couldn't teach; another could
teach tolerably we'll, but couldn't sing;
still another could neither sing nor teach.
AS for the pianists, one of them could
read notes remarkably well, but played
like school girl; another played with
rather good style, but couldn't read notes
at all-in fact, she only knew a few
pieces" she had learned years ago, which
she was in the habit of springing on the
public at regular Intervals.
This is too MUCH" cried. have must
clans no souls, no Kindness, no graft
tude?"
None to speak Of" she answered, warm
ing the other toe "She also said that
none of them knew how to teach. because
none of them knew anything themselves,
and how can people teach Others things
that they don't know themselves"
Il give it up" answered sadly. But
with all their quarreling, our musicians
belong to US; and I shau't allow An ou.-
slider to come in and roast them wholesale.
In tins fashion,"
what will you do?' she cried. aroused
at last. Don't tell her, she would never
forgive me. Promise me not to tell her. ~
She grasped my arm convuisiveiy.
Don't worry" said "I'll never speak
of it,"
She Quoted down, settled herself COM
fortably again in her chair aud dreamed
before the fire like cat.
The only trouble about you. l thought as
| watched her rocking drowsily, is that
you talk too much. But it is common
fault: most OF US are afflicted in that way.
However, l didn't promise not to write
about it. NANCY IANkS
MOVEMENTS OF LOCAL SOCIETY.
While the Parties Were Not So Large They