The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-06
A MUSICAL TRAMP.
TARIETF IN 4 SHORT TIsIT TO
KEENE, ". III.

5000 Voices, Ldvety appreciation huu EAhNhnt
Treatment. Aside from One Narrowing EH-
perienco with nm Editor-The snub nn IL
was Administered In Pininneid. n. ,.
Twas in Kcene, y. H., on Oct. IL and 20. in the
year Of ecclesiastical aggressiveness, 1881. 1t
was the second time 1 had visited that trim and
attractive little city, and although my first visit
had not resulted in o dazzling financial success.
! discovered SO many enthusiastic friends and
admirers that I was willing to try another brace
of concerts there. II only for the sake of being
praised. For DO 1t known right here and now.
that 1 am exceedingly susceptible to %iattery,
and from a boy have greatly admired and eI-
cused the crow in the fable who, being hattered
by the fox, who asked her to sing, opened her
mouth, dropped the piece of meat which her bill
had held, said meat being at once Appropriated
by the fox. II had been the crow ! should have
| counted the meat as a small price for the de-
licious compliments paid to my voice By Mr..
Fox. In fact, 80 Unsuitable are we all Of adula-
ton, that were It not for too long a depression I
could right here and now favor you with logical
proof that the desire for flattery Is the strongest
incentive to ~e1ertion that can be presented to a
human being; yea, even stronger than lucre.
Keene, y. H., may possibly have 5000 inhab-
itants. The town is inland, but it has a nice
little stream running through it called the
Black River. The principal interests are agra
rian, although there are machine shops and
some woollen and cotton and paper mills The
general appearance OF the place is progressive.
for tunbledown houses and unkempt door
yards, broken fences, and neglected gardens are
seldom seen. Itake ii that such features are a
sure sign Of decadence, while new paint, trim
flower patches, well-pruncd shrubbery. and the
absence of tipsy, slanting fence posts commonly
betoken a municipal virility which pleases the
tourist. Keene is such a place. and l found
within her precincts many persons with an in
tuitive perception Of artistic beauty which quite
surprised me-.
A travelling musician assuredly has superior
facilities for observation, psrtic ularly as to the
average taste for the art OF which he is a hum.
Die apostle, and although ! have kept no Stats
the genuine love for music in some towns with
. .heir OF pre g,asTs in fpokE2 ee5e 5 H. ; ast amount maS! NIT; 81
a solitary male organlst or teacher Of music, nor
is singing taught in the common schools; never
theless they had four remarkably fine feminine
and Miss Merrill. and Mrs. DoolittIe who
OF the history and literature OF music in gen.
erai very even in Boston.
trying my best to record only truth in these
papers, and when l get TO report Boston a little
MoFsh aT4ta W ot ,R Rsfhha ab's s d]iTe1.i h1n s]ts sEafdt!23a!
I-am.holier-than-thou pretensions. Ii has long
s without % eS leA The l ss@e Of f1 aver saaa0 and sPP fSst
the eHcelencies OF nations as well as individ uals
cAh De SorrecL! sct AZ only oy Judging them
A new peripatetic, protesting, to be a composer.
keraided. has a peculiar battle 10 wage. People
commonly take him for a negro minstrel out of
a ;1sS; and each new proof Of genuine ability
as to why he should come 10 q little country
town instead OF staying. in some biz. city. II is
that, new music can be used like new sewing
machines or new reapers. and that If inventors
are allowed 10 roam in order to give their
machines q reputation, composers may travel 20
| popularize the work OF their brains and fingers.
last state Of things to vulgar as well as to some
refined minds. and If a musician be known TO
ted to a street SGSsan 1o or 10 a %O man.
aser. and unmentioned by the newspapers.
and without his picture on fences and in news.
papers. as well as in gin;mil and harhcrshop
windows, ne Is very easily suspected OF being
higamist, or a fugitive from justice, whom Il
would be as We! 20 give a wide berth. In other
been known as uppcr-ciass servants, or appen,
daSes OF courts and seulinsries and theatres. that
provincial society does not now eas;!y.take to the
idea that they can b. as Independent OF leading
strings and swaddlinE hands as life insurance
agents, patent medicine men, book agents, and
But provincial brethren are mArvellously
quick TO learn. and in keeneI found that since
my previous visit they haG advanced in musical
Appreciation, For example, on my former visit
the Baptist church had been granted me for my
pastor, and he declined 10 use the free ticketsI
sent him because he did not approve" OF such
- ~ HNhN llpNSNSE a. L WAS anu
Informed. the good man had not been able 10
Keep away from my concert, but had sat on the
had been so pleasantly disappointed that before
my next visit he had become one OF my very
10 increase my success by his eulosiums. In
short, l had converted him! I'm sorry that
his name has escaped me.
Another instance OF ministerial advocacy was
mat OF the Unitarian pastor OF KeenC. who,
his church. branched out into a a long M ySrEsr; IN
o. my humble lab9rs OF previous years in New
compliment thai / Was fam aim 10 Sg SIM w oat fro o5
very shame at hearing myself praised so much,
This was in vivid contrast to the horrible Ian.
guage mcted out to me by ministers in other
places, notably in Hartford and in Boston.
During my previous visit to ,Keene l had tried
faithfully, by, daily rehcarsals, 10 arouse an in
terest in a children,s chorus. supplementary TO
the adult chorus, which was 10 take part in my
a bad job on my second visit things =" We're
quite changed for the better. 1t might be a
and boys had been Transformed into little
angels; but then they behaved 50 much better
more real music out OF their little throats, that it
was a true pleasure;
Keene in this visit. but one OF the most dis.
couraging came from one OF three weekly news
receipts, OF my concerts with the inV9aliis'
nome, the most popular charity in the city, the
p pp1I r 1st1ss o. me newspapSr In question not
reduced rate. but actually charged IS per cent.
more than he had done on my previous visit,
larity. And here let me comment upon The rar.
ny or editorial Discrimination regarding public
ENTERTAINMENTS all over this country.
Editors, especially those having country news
papers, have almost invariably regarded mo
not only as a goose that laid golden egg, hut
one TO be properly killed. Now have never
objected to being, treated like a goose when
Handers were the judges, as they commonly are
Nor Bcnyenuto Cellini has taught US how 10 he
philosophical under such triaisl, but TO meet
WIN q class OF men credited with more than
average Intelligence, and who arrogate TO them.
selves the position Uf puzzle instructors. and
VINO, IN spite OF my years OF pcrsevcring art.
labor taS proved 10 editors as well az 10 others
by letters of Introduction which i always carry
WIN mel are willing To take my last dollar and
al the same time poison the minds of their read.
ers against, me, Implies not only a despicablv
contempti6le spirit, but is shortsighted business
pollSSy, unless, as before stated, these editors
really believe that their mission is TO Kill OF
earnest musicians, lest they might return TO pay
n second time for such journalistic hospilaliiirS.
however, the treatment | received from the
EDITORS OF both the other newspapers in Kecne
more nearly esemhled the dozens OF other pleas
ant incidenta of my Eninmrn A nmrinlls - hu..Ia