Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-22

drawn from the smaller towns OF the
South. Others in the company were
the relics of the old days of negro
minstrelsy, and still Others recruited
from the church choirs in the large |
cities. Silas was an adaptable fellow, |
but it seemed little hard to fall in |
with the WAYS of his new associates, |
Most OF them seemed as far away from |
him in their knowledge of worldly |
things as had the walters at the SEiinas
few years before. He was half afraid
of the chorus girls, because they seemed
such different beings from the muse
girls down home. However, there was
| little time for moring or regrets. MIR.
Frye was, it must be said, an indie
fatigable worker. They were rehearsinR
| every day. Silas felt himself learning
to sing. Meanwhile, he knew that he
was learning other things-a few more
eleyancies and vices. He looked upon
1 the FOUNDERS" with admiration, and
determined to be one. So, after re-
| henrsals were over, other OCCUPATIONS
held him. He came to he known at
the clubs and was quite proud of it,
and he grew holder with the chorus
girls. because he was to be a star.
After three weeks of training. the
company opened, and Silas, who had
never sung anything heavier than
bright Sparkles in the Churchyaid, "
was dressed in Fauntleroy suit. and
put on to sing in scene from "Rigo-
letto. -
Every night he was applauded to the
echo by 'the unskilful, ''iuntil he came
to believe himself great singer. This
belief was streng thened when the girl
who performed the Spanish dance me-
/ eli har nfapttnpS him Hn
was very happy and very vain, and for
the first time he forgot the people down
in little old Virginia cabin. In fact,
he had other uses for his money.
For the rest of the season, either on
the road or in and about New York, he
sang steadily. Most Of the things for
which he had longed and bad stIiven
, had come to him. He was known as a
rounder, his highest ambition. His
waistcoats were the loudest to be had.
He was possessed OF Fictitious ease
! and self-possession that was almost
! aggression. The hot breath of the city
: had touched and scorched him, and had
/ dried up within him whatever was good
and fresh. The pity Of it was that he
: was proud OF himself, and utterly un.
/ conscious of bis own degradation. He
, looked upon himself as a man of the
, world, fine product of the large oppor'
tunities of great city.
Once in those days he heard Of
. Smith, his old-time companion at the
0 Springs. He was teaching at some
small place in the South. Silas laughed
contemptuously when he heard how
his old friend was employed. "Pooi
g fellow" he said, what pity hi
9 didn't come up here, and make some
9 thing out Of himself. instead of starving
s down there on little or nothing" ano
be unused on how much better his fat,
had been.
!. The season ended. After brief periot
+ of rest, the rehearsals for Ftye's oper,
l. were begun. Silas confessed to himsel
d that he was tired; he had q cough, too
IL but Mr.. frye was still enthusiastic
and this was to be the great triumph
1t both for the composer and the tenor.
"Why, l tell you, man." said Frye
;, tits going to be the greatest success @
10 the year. am the only man who ha
a ever put grand opera effects into conf
10 opera with success. just listen to th
" chords of this opening chorus" An
7e so he inspired the singer with some G
lie his own spirit They went to wor
1T with will. Silas might have bee
N reluctant as he felt the strain upon bill
In grow, Out That u6 udu spent all u
% money, and Frye, as he expressed j
was putting up for him" until tn
id opening OF the seA,on.
he Then one day he was taken sick, an
although Frye fumed, the rehearsal
Y had to go on without him. For awhi
is his companions came to see him, an
i'd then they gradually ceased to come. S
,k he lay for two months. Even Sadi
Il his dancing sweetheart, seemed to ha'
is forgotten him. One day he sent Il
tn her, but the messenger returned to 81
let she could not come, size was busy. 81
gu had married the man with whom 81
We did a turn at the roof garden. III
ms news came, too, that the opera hi
,r, been abandoned, and that Mr.. Frye b;
re- taken out company with new teno
he whom he pronounced far superior
:" the former one.
Silas gazed blankly at the wa
his The holloSness of his life all car
RS. suddenly before him. All his fal
m. ideals crumbled. and he lay there wi
oe. nothing to hope for. Then came ba
IA. the yearnings for home. for the cab
lid and the fields, and there was no oisgr
hit in his memory Of them.
'ng When his strength partly returne
tai he sold some of the few things th
in remained to him from his pIospeio
,ut days. and with the money purchased
cid ticket for home: then spent, broke
rs hopeless, all contentment and SIMPLEX
ia gone, he turned his face towards
|