The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-18
A PLEASANT RECEPTION.
Reporter Thought Himself In a Mad
House.
washington Starr

wv dSiiuStOQ OIdT.D
About nine years ago." said one of
the Chicago correspondents, when 1
! was covering the hotels for nv paper
IN Chicago, Miss Emma Thursby. the
once renowned songstress, arrived in
town and took a suite at the Hotel
hlcheIleu. With view to a special
about the famous song birds of Miss
IhurSby's day, l sent my card UP to
her, and the bell boy returned with the
message to come right in A white
dproned maid admitted me to Miss
Ihursby's reception room and left me
there, saying that her mistress (who
by the way, had left the concert stage
a number of years before was dressing
ana would see me in a few moments
L sat down to wait. / had hardly a
chance to look around before 1 heard
evidently proceeding from the next
room. Which was screened from the re-
ception room by heavy portieres, sew
eral brilliant chromatic runs, apparent
ly proceeding from a feminine throat
followed by rendition of about ten
bars from one of the 'Ernani' arias
very faithful as to technique.
The prima donna is practicing as
she dresses l thought, and time seems
to have wrought no depreciation in her
vocal powers
so that you can fancy how 1 was
startled when the music suddenly
ceased and the same voice called out:
Who are you in that front room?'
Why, l started to reply, TIM
Get out of here at oncei' the voice
told you TO come here, anyhow
Here said l to myself, is nice
cordial treatment. After being invited
up stairs I'm coolly told to take my
leave. Wonder what I've done And
in quandary 1 picked up my hat and
cane and started to depart.
oh, never mind said the voice,
Mating me on my way TO the door. I
don't care whether you remain or not;
| it's a matter of the most complete in
difference to me, l assure you; quite So
believe me: ha, ha, hal
Puzzled? 1t seemed altogether the
! queerest proposition / had ever stacked
up against. Horrible thoughts of care
fully covered up insanity shot through
my head.
Il sincerely beg your pardon, mad
anne started to say, when 1 was in
terrupted with:
Why don't you sit down? You are
so fldgety! Just take seat, can't you
and wait until 1 am ready to receive
you? Oh, la! you nervous men. 1 am
not angry with you; / am simply an
noyed. until Oh, my gracious goodness
sakeS'- and the speech seemed to wind
up in the most prodigious yawn.
." This is about the limit 1 thought
to myself when l sat down again.
had interviewed a great many eccen-
trio parsonage but this seemed about
the most extraordinary reception /
had ever been given. The voice in the
next room burst into an Italian love
ditty. clear and sweet, if a trifie shrill
and l twiddled my cane and wondered
what 1 could say when the prima
donna appeared, in view of the way l
had been received. -
Dye like that?' inquired the voice
behind the portieres- A little thing 1
picked up in Venice-sweet and pretty,
but not much to it l begin to grow
away from the Italian music, anyway,
1 find. and were my career ahead in
stead of behind me l think L should go
in altogether for Wagner. Oh, the
deucer
The objurgation seemed queer
windup for a conversation so sanely
begun.
'How?' inquired.
Mind your own business said the
voice, sharply. Why will you persist
in meddling in my affairs? What claim
have you upon me, anyhow? You are
so annoyingi You fatigue me dreadful
ly; indeed, you do, "Oh. Leonora" =
and the voice began on few bars from
II Trovatore.'
w eli, L DIT leHSlH ceased 10 extract
amusement from being roasted like
this. and 1 arose to take my leave,
feeling just bit naughty and hot I'M
der the collar.
Madame | started to say, am
truly sorry if 1 have disturbed you. but
in venturing to send my card up to
you l had supposed that you would be
quite willing to receive me-a SUPPOSE
ton in which l was encouraged when
you sent me word to come upstairs at
once. Whatever annoyance l have
caused you / sincerely regret, believe
me; but, nevertheless'-
II had got this far when Miss Thurs
by stepped radiantly in through the
door of her private hall and held out
her hand cordially.
e" To whom were you speaking as /
came in, might 1 inquire? she asked
me, with a somewhat puzzled express
sion around her eyes
why 5said 1, I was under the
impression that / had the honor of ad-
dressing you. but
Her face lighted up merrily, and she
laughter. Then she thrust back the
portieres, and there sat on top of an
easel her famous parrot. The parrot
eyed me humorously for a second, and
then burst into hai ha-ing, that
threatened to deprive him of all his
feathers.
Has ne been ribald and insulting
to your asked Miss Thursby. He is
falling into the habit lately of treating
my guests shamefully, but he is old
and perhaps testy for that reason.
THE birds imitation of Miss Thurs
by's speaking tones was almost per-
feet, as / observed when she spoke. He
could sing and talk in nine languages,
l understood: but, for all that, in view
of the bad quarter of an hour he gave
me, 1 didn't grieve much when l read
the other day that Miss Thursbys
famous parrot, valued at $4,000, had
cashed in and gone to the great I'M
known"
Archie Fired the Girl.