The Louisiana populist., 1897-04-23
My Last Card,

ceSsful, and l suppose | ought to COLI
slider myself fortunate. To-day / am
counted among the leading singers. and
few concert programmes Lack my
name. But it was not ever thus, and l
may frankly say that owe my success
to one of the most lucky accidents tIGtt
ever occurred in this world
| had come to the end of my resour'
ces. When most people say those
words, they simply mean THAT they
will have to retrench expenses a little,
give up their carriage, postpone their
winter visit TO Nice until another year,
and so on. But in my case 1T meant
that | was very near THAT point at
which the wOrkhOuse seems the only
way of sustenance.
| was baritone, trying vainiy to Sc
cure some sort of a livelihood by my
vocal efforts. But influence is perhaps
more useful in the professional world
than anywhere else, and influence 1
lacked.
l could not turn to my relations in
my hour of need, for not one of them
would have acknowledged me. My
family were all of that class which a
Scotch poet has called the 'Uuco'
guid," and they were so bigoted that
the very fact of my singing for my liv-
ing put me beyond the pa.e Of their
sympathy. No use, therefore, applying
to my own flesh and blood.
To whom, then? Friends? Yes, l
had few friends, but those who had
money wouldn't lend it, and those who
would lend it hadn't any.
Foolishly enough, l Thought that il
gave UP singing and tried to find work
in less AMBITIOUS directions, l should
be successful. Alas, how soon l dis
covered my mistake. The lower one
goes, the harder the struggle becomes
If there is little room at the top, there
is absolutely no room at al ait thu
bottom. | found this out when I had
tried in vain to obtain a POSITION first
of all as clerk, then shopman, then dock
laborer. Everywhere the cry was "Ful
up and there seemed NO variation
in this disheartening message.
It sounded in my ears like death
krell, and every day my position grew
worse and worse. One by one my few
belongings left me, until at lengsl
there remained only the suit in which
stood, threadbare and patched, ant
my dress suit, to which l still chung
for without 1t, how were engagements
If ever engagements came, to be fflle,l
Yes. The evening clothes must remain
coGne what might.
now lived in garnet in Blooms
bury, where l owed four weeks fol
rent. My landlady, good -naturei
woman as she was, was now becOmin:
impatient, and l knew that in a few
nights, unless something were done,
should be roofess and without food
An awful situation truly.
| One foggy Thursday evening I climb
ed the stairs to my wretched room
and saw letter thrust under the dour
Opening it, / found that 1T contains,
a concert ticket for a performance t,
be given that evening at a great hal
in the West End. Tickets We're oftel
sent to me in virtue of my professional
position, though heaven knows a lou
of bread would have been more wei
come.
The church clock struck 6. Thcr
was still time to dress and go to TIL
concert If l SO desired, and after aal
| 1t would be better Ito spend the even
ing dn warm, welljldgkted hail thai
in the gloom of q London garret.
decided, therefore, to go the concer,
| | made a hiasty toilet, and just ms
| was completing it, there came ta
at my door.
| Come in said quickly,