Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-09-01
HIS TOP NOTE.

HIS TOP NOTE.
Miss Mary Emerson was acknowl
edged to be the prettiest girl in Brad
ford.
Among the many who sighed for hel
were two who seemed so far advanced
in the court they paid that they nigh
be called suitors. One, Charley Norton
was toward the front because he de
served to be there, for he was a goot
fellow, bright and earnest, albeit guilty
of harmless vanities, not to say the sell
conceit with which some people charged
him. His n dangerous rival was the
concert master of the Bradford orches'
ira, Theodore Schreiner. Schreiner' s ap'
pareDt lead in the race for Miss Elmer
sons affections was due wholly to his
boundless assurance. The proof of thii
came to him with unpleasant clearness
on the day when he proposed, only to BIZ
rejected. Mary let him understand dis
tinctly that she was promised to Char
ley Norton and that her accepted lover
had her entire affection and trust.
For a day Oh two Schreiner was mo
rose and inclined, SO he said, to suicide
Then came the annual charity concert
for which a long programme had beer
arranged. Norton, who was a popular
fellow and a good singer, was down fol
a song, and the piece he had chosen
was n of his own compositions. Al
manager of the enterprise l had encour'
aged him to sing the thing. I hadn't
heard it and, to tell the truth, cared
very little whether Or not it was meri'
torious. 1t struck me simply as a good
feature to advertise a song by a popular
local composer, written for the occa'
sion, y as l unblushingly announced in
big type on the billboards.
The fact was that Charley had ham
mered out the music in the ecstasy fol.
lowing his acceptance by Miss Emerson,
and the piece was privately dedicated
to her. The accompaniment was ar
ranged for the string band, and as il
was a simple thing there was no neces
sity for a conductor. Schreiner, as first
violin, marked the time from his desk
as we'll as played his part in it.
At the rehearsal the song went we'll
The violinists read their parts without
an error, and Charley sailed up to thu
climax, a very high note, in the mos
effective style. We were all sure that il
would be the hit Of the evening ant
that Charley would score a brilliant
success with that fetching top note.
81 hope So" he said good naturally
.'for if they want a higher note thar
that they will be disappointed. It's my
limit. I couldn't sing a half tone high
er to saw my life"
Evening came and there was a crowd.
ed house. Miss Emerson was in a con
spicuous box with the members of the
family. There were an overture, two OF
three arias by important talent, and q
violin solo by Schreiner before it came
Norton's turn. Norton was in the green
room while Schreiner's solo was in
progress, and then he was approached
by Gustave Mollenhauer, the first clar-
met Of the orchestra. Mollenhauel
looked worried.
Charley. said he, ''did you mean
it when you said you couldn't sing
higher than that top note in your song?"
Exact" replied Norton c%omposedly.
sit is B fiat. Why do you ask"
Because those fool violinists, led on
by that ill tempered coxcomb Schreiner,
won't let you sing B fiat"
"What the mischief do you. mean,
Gus3"
"You may well use the word mis-.
chief, Charley. Schreiner has put up a
job on you. When it comes your turn,
every stringed instrument in the band
will be tuned upa whole note. Schrei-
ner tells EN- that you want it that way
in order to make a more brilliant eli
a He wants you to break
Mollenhauer stopped abruptly, for
Charley was pale as a ghost. He had
awful visions Of the break in his voice,
the ridiculous squeak that would occur
if he tried his top note at the high
pitch set by Schreiner, the laughter Of
the audience, the modification, but,
above all, the exhibition Of himself be-
fore pretty Mary Emerson in the pro-
scenium box.
"Can't it be stoppedf' he gasped.
Mollenhauer shook his head. II tried
to say something" he answered, "but
the conductor called me down for max
ing a noise. The thing wasn't cooked
up till after the men got on the stage,
You'll have to sing some other note"
"And ruin the climaxP It won't dol
It would spoil the songl But, confound
it, what can l dof"
For a moment Mollenhauer was in as
great despair IS Charley was. Then his
face lightened.
"Have you another copy Of the song2"
he asked. Charley shook his head
gloomily.
How many measures is 1t from the
beginning to the top notef"
The composer singer counted his
manuscripts and answered, "Sixty-
seven"