Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-03-04
My Last Card.

People tel me That I am very sue
cessful, and suppose I ought TO con-
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 /
may frankly say that I owe my success
to one of the most lucky accidents That
ever occurred in this world.
l 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 little.
give up their carriage, postpone their
winter visit to Nice until another year,
and so on. But in my case it meant
that / was very near THAT point at
which the workhouse seems the only
way of sustenance.
| was a baritone, trying vainly 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 l
lacked.
I could not turn to my relations in
my hour of need, for not one of them
would have acknowledged me. My
family We're all of that class which a
Scotch poet has called the "Uucu'
guild" and they were so bigoted that
the very fact of my singing for my liv-
ing put me beyond the pale of their
sympathy. No use, therefore, applying
to my own flesh and blood.
To whom, then? Frierds? Yes, l
had few friends, but those wtho had
money wouldn't lend it, and those who
would lend it hadn't any.
Foolishly enough, Thought that if
/ 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 1t the top, there
is absolutely no room at AL at the
bottom. l found this out when had
tried in vain to obtain a position first
of all as clerk, then shopman, then dock
iaborer. Everywhere the cry was "f'ull
up," and there seemed no variation
in this disheartening message.
IT sounded in my ears Like a death
knell, and every day my posItIon grew
worse and worse. One by one my few
belongings left me, until at length
there remained only the SUIT IN when
/ stop1. rhreadbare and patched, and
nv dress suit, to which | still ciung-
for without it, how were enga gements,
If ever engag ements came, to be nlleh
Yes. THE evening clothes must remain,
come what might.
/ now lived in garrett in Blooms
bury, where I owed four weeks TOT
rent My landlady, good naturel
woman as she was, was now becoming
impatient. and / knew that IN rev
nights, unless something We're DONE
shoalld be roofiess and without FOOD.
An awful s.tua tion truly
One foggy Thursday evening ciimo-
ed the stairs to my wretched room.
and saw q letter thrust under The door.
Opening it. / found THAT it conta inctt
a concert tdcl2et for performance 10
be given that evening at q great NAH
in the West End. Tickets were often
Sent to me ia virtue of my prOfesslo'En
position, though heaven knows ios.i
of bread would have been more Wcl-
come.
The church clock struck Is. I1iefe
was still time to dress and go 70 tne
concert if I so desired and after ALL,
III world be better Ito spend the even
ing in warm, weNJaghted hall .nan
in the gloom of a London CAREER. !
decided. therefore, to go the eonceH.
nsade a hasty toilet, and just as |
was completing it, there came Q TAP
ut my door.
Come in,c / said 9uickiY.