The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-26
TALES OF THE TIMES.
An Anecdoto of Du Maurier In the Days
of His Youth.

An Anecdotc of Du Maurier In the Days
OF His Youth.
Apropos of the late gifted artist-author
of "Trlby' John A. Fraser tells this story
of tho hplcyou days Of their youth. Both
were gifted by inheritance with voices far
above tho average quality, and as song
birds, spite of everything 70 the contrary,
will sing simply because they must, the
two youngsters, while drawing from the
statuary in the British museum on stu
dents days, which are understood TO be
strictly private, were won't, in violation of
rules, TO make that high toned and con-
servative department, sacred 20 the clas-
sizes of ancient Greece and Rome, ring with
their voices attuned to sweet melody
Those were the days when Auber' Mas
saniello' was the vogue.
From the throats Of the two students
the strains of the famous barcarolle, BE
hold, How Brightly Beams the Morning"
loated in mellinuous waves of sound, Du
Maurer, the moro scientific, beating time
with stick OF charcoal. Up, up, in stac-
cato runs, trills, 1ourishes and roulades,
rang out the young and vibrant tenor, and
up, up, in beautifully modulated harmony
Du Ma,lriers dulcet baritone. Horrorl In
rushed Palmer, the attendant, white with
dire agitation. "Gentlemen, gentlemen,
desistl Desist Here pretty go Tho
Princess Mary Of Cambridge andSuit'-
pronounced "soot''-"with Sir Emery
Hollis toop' Sir Henry Ellis was then Gus
todian of the museuig
Now, says Fraser, if you're a singer, you
know very we'll that when two fine voices
blended in perfect harmony have reached
tonal climax and their ears, yes, their
whole bodies, arc drinking in tho yelling,
palptating echoes that are peculiarly liza
bio 90 affect big vaulted chambers unin-
numbered with sound dcadcning furniture
and drnpcries, nothing can stop them short
of decaptation on the arbitrary measure
of tho music. simultaneously with Palm.
er's warning, entcr group; handsome, tall,
ample blond lady in black, one hand
raised in unconscious listening attitude,
lips parted, oyos sparkling and brows ele-
vatcd--evidontly pleased; Sir Henry's face
purple with the hues Of threatened apo
plexy: certain other persons, all nebulous,
uncertain and indistinct In my sense OF
shame and humiliation; but hores where
and l have always thought Of it with
pleasure as illustrating a favorite theory
tho blood OF long line of patrician French
men serted itself. Did Du Muurier fall
ter tremble, stop Nothing Of the kind.
Fixing my eye with a rapid, hypnotic
CLINT that said as plain as words, Let us
repeat tho refrain" feeling sure Of me- he
advanced his left foot and throwing mp his
then handsome, radiant, young face till
his srather impudontly nodded chin was
dangerously cluso % royalty he warblod
his part with more abandon and better
than oyor before or since. As tho echoes
died away tho princess turned TO sir Horny
Ellis and saying, "a most unexpected per-
formoncc and as delightful as uncxpect-
cd courtcsigd To us and passed ON, leay-
ing two very proud and gratiiiod but cal
low art students q enjoy their short lived
triumph over "rulos and regulations made
and provided" ctc., for within q month
the embryo famous artist and author, who
WINS evidently regarded by the authorities
as the most aggressive and worst offender,
because the Oldest received his congo
New York Journal