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

as if you We're going to lift the roof and
keep still. I'll do the rest. Here, let me
see your copy"
Feverish with excitement, Molten
hauer examined the song, committing
it's final measures to memory. Charley
saw what he intended to do, and, though
the singer was somewhat cheered, he
was yet very v What if Mollen-
hauer should count wrong? What If he
should come in a half measure too 0
or a measure too late? What if every
body should tumble
He was urging those doubts on the
clarinetist when I sent a callboy to
tell him that it was his turn. | wonder
ed when he passed me on his way to the
stage why he looked SO frightened, and
l wondered, too, why Gus Mollenhauer
went to his place just back of the violas.
Gus was never known to sit on the stage
when he had nothing to do, and there
was no part for him in Norton's song.
Nevertheless / saw Gus take up his B
fiat clarinet and test the tune of it to
the A that Schreiner was scraping on
his fiddle. Knowing nothing about pitch
I didn't dream that Schreiner was tun.
ing his instruments unearthly high, and
supposing Gus knew his business l paid
no attention to him, but watched Char
ley, for I anticipated his success and
was eager to enjoy it.
The first part of the song was splen-
didly done. Charley nervousness SEEM
ed to disappear after he had taken a
glance at the box where Miss Emerson
sat. In truth, as he told me afterward,
he was moved and steadied by despera-
ton.
Just before the climax I saw him turn
suddenly toward Miss Emerson's box,
and l saw her smile encouragingly upon
him. l happened also to glance at
Schreiner, who was saving away de-
corously, looking out of the corners of
his eyes at his fellow performers. There
was a smile IN Schreiner's face, too,
but I thought nothing of it till
it changed to an expression Of amaze
ment and ~unmistakable chagrin. Char
ley's lips were parted wide, his face was
overspread with rosy color, his eyes
were fixed on the chandelier, all just as
it should be for a tenor climax, and the
top note Of the song was sounding
beautifully clear and sweet, without a
suspicion of that forced quality that
sometimes Injuries such effect.
I thought l had never heard Charley
give such a pure tone, and l was de-
lighted, but following Schreiner's
glance, for his keen ear had detected
the fraud instantly, I was just in time
to see M%ollenhauer taking his clarinet
from his lips. Then I understood.
The clarinetist was but five or six
feet behind the singer, and there was
not one person in the audience who
failed to believe that the top note came
from Charley's throat. A couple Of
chords from the strings to close the
piece were inaudible on account of the
tumultuous applause. Charley went out
to bow again and again, but nothing
could induce him to give an "encore. .
He knew that the trick would not sue
coed twice. The ugly Schreiner would
have done something tospoil it a second
time.
And up in the box Miss Mary sat
smiling, enjoying her lovers triumph
and when, months after they were mar.
ried and she taxed him for the reason
why he never could be persuaded to
sing the charity concert song, even in
private, he told her it was because he
never could produce again that silver
top note. Then he confessed how it was
done, and, like the true oma that
she was, she kissed him and told him
it wouldn't have made the least differ
ence to her if his voice had broken in a
thousand pieces.
II know that now" said Charley,
''but it would have tickled Schreiner.
The trick was worth the fun for his
discontinue. Frederick R. Burton in
Chicago News.