The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-10-22
GRACE.


cess he had made Of lie he had bet
ter opinion Of Thomas Tompkins than
he had OF any one else. except OF
course. Grace Grace his seventeen
year-old ward.
Thomas Tompkins. AZ the head OF
the Continental theaicr. and Thomas
Tompklns, as his Individual self, was
a dlsgruntlcd. sorlld. frlgld. curt AMI
cross parsonage. that u.s., he was sorlid
aud frlgld and curt and cross to every
body except Grace; aud Grace! why
be idollzed her
Il was many years before that Thorn
rs Tompklns took In a little waif OF
the street; her years numbered few. but
she was a sweet. coy little individual.
the very RECONCILIATION. he thought OF
all the graccs be- had ever heard, and
that's why he named her Grace. lie
never knew just why u was that he
was attached to her. because lie never
did like children. but hc could not help
H. When he had adopted her he gave
up his bachelor habits 90 his club and
secured a morc commOdious place OF
residence IN a gentccl part of the city,
and there he dumicllOd Grace aud him
self. with housckceper In charge.
As years sped ON Grace grew into
grlhOOd, maldenhood and now she
was fairly blooming into womanho0d
She had known no parents or friends
other than Thomas Tompkins aud his
efficient huusckeeprr AND of late years
had not even been with them much of
the time Tor the reason that She had
been giving hgr attention io her stud.
les Thomas Tompklns had decided ln
his own mind That Grace would have
all ihc educational advantages 10 WAS
possible .or 81 eirl tn have. and in bis
minds Cyr hr pictured her. 900 Tie Ggc
Of tWWy-Dnr. as cultured. rcunrd.
highly polished and sensible leader iu
society
Brt Giacc lll not think much of 30
cicty and bad taken fancy 20 the
stage. ON every possible pccnsIun she
would iHlt io "lap1 Tommy of Joins
In the professional ranks. ana though
this WIS the very foundation on which
his successes were based. hc I'D not
approve 1f OIL, Grace making q show
Of herself hphud the .fouillghis
10 cdIfy stupid audience Thomas
Tompkius attempted 90 dissuadc his
ward from even entertaining thoughts
about HE on the stage hut she spem-
cd % be- lmhucd with the idea that her
forte would De 10 opera and not In so
ciety
Al an early age Grace had shown
rare musical abilities aud as she grew
older she was possessed ~ beautiful
voice. aud Thomas Tompklns saw 20
Il that her musical education was not
neglected. for he considered this val
liable aud necessary accomplishment
one day Manager Thomas Tompkins
came home In n turbulent state OF
mind. So wrought up over something
was he that he even talked cross 90
Grace. However. 40 the dinner table
his anger OF the lunch hour had
c'.angcd 10 agitation and his counie-
nance showed traces ~ great worry
aud disappointment. Grace deter.
| mined 90 know what troubled him aud
fDally elected the information that
Nine Yatii the leading soprano singer
81 the opera company hc had spent so
much money aud time in organizing
had 80 injured herself boy a fail from a
I bicycle ihat she would not he able Oh
| appear az rchcafslls for q long time
aud consequently would have Co with
| draw from the east Manager Temp
kins lid not know where 90 secure an.
| other person 90 take her place 40 the
I late hogr. and even u be- did be was
fearful a change would hc detrimental
because already be- had featured the
| nadame's portion oi The performances
/ During the time OF Thomas Temp
kins' recital Miss Gmce wondered why
she could not take Nine Yattls plac,
aud no sooner had Papa Tommy nm
ished talking than she impaired her
thoughts % him. Of course Manager
rompkins considered the proposition
impossible. hut after Grace had celtcd
% him her frequent successful appear
lnccs In private ihcatricals and con
'erts. he promised her hc would Civ,
her n trial NJ rehearsal.
She acquitted herself 10 admirably al
the nrst rehearsal that Manager Thom
Ms Tompklns Invited theatrical critic,
In be present ON several occasions. ant
from that time ON the amusement col
umns Of the papers rang with praises
of Miss Grace Tompklns, and la n,
insignificant manner
"A the time Of the opening nigh
drew near Manager Thomas Tompklui
was nearly beside himself with icy
for Miss Grace had excited 80 mucl
laudat0ry comment that he could no
but feel that the opera was to be I
success aud that Grace would VIII
for herself international fame. an,
then, incidentally. and under cover. Al
Il were. he thought 81 the add'tlona
not0rlcty and wealth Il would bring q
Manager Tompkins-but 1mcc's ad
canrcmcnt was uppermost IN his mird
The great Continental iheater wa
brilliantly illuminated from top 10 hot
tom and the hundreds ~ iridrSccn
electric lights threw their glac owe
and about one Of the largest and mos
fashionable audiences that had eve
been within It's walls. The OCcaslol
was the opening night OF the hcatr
! iNf iNt HihNhN NWu Aht lifff WI w
boards was the Lew opera la white
Miss Grace Tompklns was tu make he
initial appearance aud as the lcadiu
solOist.
Manager Thomas Tompklns was q
his private stall and he was surround
ed by number Of representatives q
the press. Amidst the hlarc of horn
and the shrlll tones Of strlngcd instu
ments the curtain arose, displaying q
the audience an immense chorus. 4
q motion from the orchestra lcade
the musicians ceased their playlnl
and at another sweep Of the leader
wand the chorus. accompanied hy th
orchestra, hurst forth Into the gran,
and glorious opening song of the opera
At the same instant heaulcous Great
ure, white. hut seemingly sclf.posscss
ed. emerged from the wings into a.
full view Of the audience.
That's Miss Tompkns. leading 81
nnno," was whispered about the audi
torlum and galleries. aud then. will
one accord. the audience broke int
upOarlous applause. such stamping O
I gaaf arah nlunt.iua 80 hnuI. r.,.I