The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-26


vorably received" wrote Armor to me-
"He said queer things about me, hoping
that Kate would hear of them. l made
| him recant, and then I proposed and
/ was accepted. When Stroebel heard
! that he tried to shake my nerve one
night when / was singing new part
| and he packed some Bowery ruffans in
the gallery to hoot me. He wanted TO
| discredit me and drive me out OF my
calling. But he had mistaken his man.
| 1 made such a success that 1 was at
once offered an engagement by another
manager. So 1 left Stroebel at once.
| He was getting too ugly. He threaten
1 ed to sue me for breach of contract. But
you are lawyer enough to know that
| theatrical contracts are no good, at any
rate in this country. / married Kate
and we are singing together now. We
are doing so we'll that / can afford to
go to Paris next year and finish my
preparation for grand opera"
Well, he did it. He went to Paris,
studied there again and got hearing.
He sung in other continental cities, too,
| and made fair name for himself. Then
he came 70 London again, with the
wish of his heart expressed and sealed
in a contract He was to sing in grand
| opera at Covent Garden. But they
gave him only one part, and he sung
| that three or four times on off nights.
And it wasn't Faust" Nobody cares
for off nights except the music lovers,
and they have no influence with opera
managers. They don't buy guinea
stalls and subscribe for expensive
boxes; they don't make a singer fash
ionable. And until you're fashionable,
| 1Sp1 tp don't get
l have heard men say the same thing
about the bar. But / am not telling
tales about my own profession.
In the next winter Armor got on we'll
enough at st. James hall and such
places, and after a while the hostesses
of the West End discovered him, and
paid him many guineas to sing in their
drawing rooms. forgot to say that his
wife had retired from the stage. But
l haven't forgotten that she was a de-
| lightiul little woman, with more tact
than a corps of ambassadors. She
worked for Richard in a thousand and
forty ways, giving little luncheons, 60
ing to receptions. getting introductions,
manipulating influence. And these
things make the difference between
success and failure in London, unless
you have a Goi-given genius. / don't
believe Armor had it, but don't mind
acknowledging that about this time
discovered that he sung superbly. 9th
ers found it out, too, and began to talk
of him at Mayfair dinners. The talk
reached to Covent Garden and Fleet
street, and the rising star was offered
something decent for the next seasons
opera. That was just after he had
made hit at st. Petersburg. London
never discovers a singer. If Armor
had put a ski or "imini'' at the end
Of his name he might have won the
battle sooner.
1t was stirring night at Covent Gar
den when Armor made his first appear
ance there as a star. He sent the prom
ised stalls to the Temple. His success
that night was genuine. After that
his future was unquestioned. The crit
les asked, Whence comes this man?"
as If they had never heard of him be-
fore. Some Of the superior minded
they We're mostly of the younger lot
said that Armor hadn't the classic
touch, that his style sometimes sug-
gested hero of opera comique. But
the critics are of no consequence when
a man has the power of Richard Ar
NOR who knew quite as much about
singing as they did. And besides, he
could act. For some superior minds,
this is an objectionable offense in an
operate hero. But the curtain fell that
night to hearty applause. Stroebel, who
had gone into grand opera, cabled over
next day from America Offering Armor
startling terms for q season. The offer
. was declined.
Don't be fool" said I. make your
hay while the sun shines. Your thea
, trical people are improvident. Who
knows how long your voice will last %
. You ought to be newspaper man."
Armor answered, "since you know so
well what is best for singers. declined
. Stroebeps offer for very good reasons.
First, because he hasn't apologized;
second, because, if he came on his
knees l couldn't accept his offer I'm
, already engaged in Paris and Vienna,
. and the czar has commanded me to
sing again at Petersburg"
We were at Armor's fiat in Paris
feasting in honor of the London tri-
umph. The new singer had made his
home there, and had put every penny
he possessed into fitting it. II must
, have the right surroundings" said he.
They are necessary to me. And people
judge you by these things. Besides,
want a dainty home for Kate and the
children" 1t was four years since he
had carried off Kate Landon from the
. wrathful Stroebel. He had earned his
right to comfort. And, by the way
don't wonder at StroebePs wrath.
Armors father, and all the family
had come around. The inns of court had
come round. Everybody come round
Stage people had become fashionable
, by that time. We used to be content
with buying their photographs, but
now we had the originals to dinner.
The new star blazed over the contin-
| ent. He was absent year. He was
working hard. He was convincing Eu-
rope that an Englishman could sing as
well as Hungarian or an eX-cabman
OF Gaul But he had not yet reached the
; top of his profession. Another season
> would put him there with its new
: roles and fresh chances. knew
/ little about his art, but could see
/ that In ten years he would be rich man.
He was putting his business into my
2 hands. And so the time flew.
. | l ran over to Paris the autumn he re-
| turned from Russia. He was to sing al
the Grand opera house for the first time
as Faust. 1t was fete night. The re-
public was entertaining an Eastern po-
tentate, and all the world would be
there In diamonds, and red ribbons, and
r sparkling colors. 1t was a singular hon.
. or Tor foreigner, and above all Bri-
ton TO have been selected as the chief
a singer OF the night. For, although the
a French talk good deal about art tney
thlnk good deal more of patriot
: ism. Armor had the ball at his foot. lie
: had now only to send it to the goal