The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-20
HER TRIUMPH.

superiority OF the people Of Greenwich VII
iage results from the fact that the young
of that most interesting section of Manhat.
tan Island are early required to master the
problem of how two parallel lines can meet
West Tenth and West Fourth streets.
John Hopes Ann Eliza was the brightest
girl in Greenwich.
Mrs. Hope died when the fifth baby was
born, and, besides the youngest, Ann Eliza
had the care of two other children younger
than she, not counting Charley, who was
an office boy in the dock office Of the steam
ship line where his father was clerk, and
had been for 30 years.
One Of the neighbors had son who was
a Clerk in department store, and he used
to bring the popular songs to Ann Eliza
80 early In their vogue that they would
have them all learned, including parts of
the chorus-.Iohn Hope sang tenor and
Charley bass, curiously enough-long be-
fore the other Greenwichers had the songs
half mastered. -.t
Through the department store clerk-his
name was Harold Beeckman, and his
great-grandfather had owned farm of
many acres where Greenwich Is now solid.
ly bricked up-through Harold, I say, a
publisher of songs heard of Ann Eliza, and
after that she received songs by the SCORE
as soon as ever they were printed, and then
Greenwich sang only such songs as Ann
Eliza made popular.
Harold Beeckman told Ann Eliza one
night that he had quarreled savagely with
the song publisher because the latter had
suggested that he would be willing to pay
Ann Eliza commission on the sale Of
songs If she would agree to popularize only
those published by his house.
Az Eliza regarded Harold with such
sudden deep interest that her big gray eyes
were for once wide open, and the young
man discoveredwith rapture that the more
one saw of her eyes the loyelier they were
and his love became, if possible, more
intense than ever
yes" he continued, "the idea of that
rude man associating your name with
why, OF course, never go to such places
but you know what mean, Ann Eliza"
Harold, do not know what you mean
or what you are talking about. For q
minute thought it was something about
my singing in public on the stage per-
haps."
Harold thought she was joking of course,
and forgot all about the incident little
later, whom they were all in the parlor
singing together.
Ann Eliza did not forget. She had sew.
eral interviews with the publisher, and
then she went to theater and sang with
only the orchestra leader, who played her
accompaniment on plano, and the stage
manager for audience
She wanted much to tell Harold, because
she would enjoy his horror over what she
was doing, but she knew he would tell,
and she did not quite like the idea of her
father knowing.
SO, when the stage manager had told |
her to practice half dozen songs before |
her mirror, so that she would know how |
to look while singing, and to come back |
In month and he might give her chance
to do turn" she kept it all secret.
But how she practicedl
Then one evening she told her father and
Harold that she had accepted an engage
ment to sing in vaudeville theater and
that her engagement began the next night
Papa Hope looked dazed, and was silent
He could not understand, and even when
he found his voice he only repeated in q
shocked tone:
"Why, Ann Elizal Ann Elizap'
But Harold made up for the others lack
If comment. He drew himself up stiffly-
lie was ambitious to become fioorwalker
md was practicing naughty and digni-
led mien-and regarded Ann Eliza with
ook of mingled soorn and horror before he
reclaimed: Ann Eliza Hope, you shock
nd grieye me! Imagine the chagrin of
3eeckman, who thought of you as his fu-
ure wife, when he hears that you even
ontemplate making yourself show on
he public STAGE
Harold was proud of that speech and OBJ
eryed with much pride that it caused tears
0 come to John Hopes eyes. 1t brought
violence of quite different kind of emo
lon into Ann Eliza's gray eyes, and they
mapped as she replied: II guess you don't
now what you arc talking about, Harold
'esckman. I'm not going to make
now of myself I'm going to dress Just
do here in the evenings, and sing the
,me songs, and'-there was note of
'iumph in her voice now-"I'm to have
Is week to start with and Ss5 if / make
hit" Harold started little az he heard
10 amount Of the salary, but he said:
$50 your way, Ann Eliza, but return
lie ring I gave you before you disgrace
'urself for pelf."
He got the ring back so quickly and with
lch look that he could not command
lother speech at once.
Then John Hope spoke in a fearful,
manner about his honest name
ing dragged in the mire and the memory
his sainted wife being polluted and
ppy home broken up. Harold urged on
'hn Hopes poor rage until there was o
ry unhappy scene, ending in Ann Eliza
tving her home much in the manner of
roine5 in melodramas.
If l should tell you the name under
nich Ann Eliza made her vaudeville de-
1t, would not have to remind you of ,
C instantaneous hit she made-how all
wv York tlocked to the theaters where
G sang the simple popular songs of the
'eet-nor to remind you of the fabulous
y she received
Now Harold is her husband and is sup
rted by her in luxurious idleness, and
r father is her manager, having given up
! work in tho steamship office at tho
ne time Harold resigned from the de-
rtment store.
Charley works away merrily in the 8,
amship office and only sees Ann Eliza i,
nday evenings when they sing popular
lgs together In her beautiful apartments.
rold's baritone and John Hopes tenor
never heard in these Sunday evening
lcerts, for Harold and John are seldom n
n NnrftV n,,lr