Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-01-31
in order to make q more brilliant eli


max. He wants you to break
Mollenhauer stopped abruptly, TO,
Charley wss pale as a ghost. He had
awful visions Of the break in his voice,
the ridiculous squeak that would occu,
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-
j sceniuln box.
Cant it be stopped?' he gasped.
Mollenhaucr shook his head. II tried
to say something, he answered, "but
the conductor called me down for MAX
ing noise. The thing wasn't cooked
up till after the men got on the stage
You II have to sing some other note"
"And ruin the climax? 1t won t do!
1t would spoil the songl But. confound
1t, what can dor
For moment Mollenhauer was in az
great despair as Charley was. Then his
face lightencd.
"Have You another copy of the song ?"
he asked. Charley shook his head
g!oomily.
"How maly measures is it from the
beginning to the top note?"
The composer singer counted his
manuscript and answered. "Sixty-
seven.
"All right, then. said the clarinet
ist, "you 60 ahead and sing your song
for 81 measures; then open your mouth
as II you weru going to lift the roof and
keep still. I'll do the rest. Here. let me
see your copy.
Feverish with excitement, Molten
haner examined the song, committing
its final measures to memory. Charley
cav what he intended to do, and, though
the singer was somewhat cheered, he
was yet very nervous. What if Mollen-
hauer should count wrong? What if he
should come in half measure too soon
or a measure too later What if every
body should tumble
He was urging those doubts on the
clarinetist wien l sent 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
ing his instruments unearthly high. and
surprising Gus knew his business l paid
no attention to him, but watched Char
ley, for | anticipated his success and
was eager to enjoy it.
The first part of the song was splen-
didly done. Charley S nervousness SEEM
ed to disappear after he had taken
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 saw him turn
toward Miss Emerson box,
and saw her smile encouragingly upon
him. | happened also to glance at
who was saving away de-
corously, looking out of the corners Of
his eyes at his fellow performers. There
was u smile on Schreiner's face too
but l thought nothing of it till
it changed to an expression of amaze
mont and unmistakable chagrin, Char
ley's lips We're parted wide, his face was
ovcrsprcad with rosy color. his eyes
were fixed on the chandelier, all just as
it should be for tenor climax. and the
top note of the song was sounding
clear and sweet without a
suspicion of that forced quality that
Injuries such effect.
| thought had never heard Charley
give such pure tone. and ! was de-