Morris tribune., 1900-03-10
THE WOMAN WHO SINGS
no Resting Place in New York for TIA,
Future PPima Donna.

NO Resting Place in New York for TIA
/. Future Prima Donna.
''You don't happen to know OF
deaf and dumb asylum where they
take boarders, do your" asked the girl
who sings. mo, l haven't lost ny
mind yet, but can't answer for the
consequences if my present woes con-
tfnue. Why, l haven't lived in one
neigh borhood long enough since 1
came to town to make single friend
and my address changes so often that
/ am afraid to trust my memory lest
I give the old one, and must carry 1t
plainly written where I can consult II
constantly"
s'But what on earth is the NATTER
asked the old friend from the country:
you haven't committed any crime.
have you? Then, perhaps you have
double, like the good hero in an Eng
lish novel, and"
Nothing of the kind. l have a..
voice. and that appears to be a crime
Of itself in an apartment house. When
papa rented the first fat, the agent
wanted him to take a lease for year.
IL we liked it after the first month.
Well, it was model building, no dogs.
cats or children allowed and We liked
it so much that we decided to stay
When papa went up to sign the lease.
he found that every individual tenant
in the place had threatened to move i
we staid-because l practice five hours
a day."
land you moved" said the old
friend from the country.
''We did; papa said he didn't feel as
if he could pay rent for the entire
haiildng The next place we went was
apleasant as to rooms and gorgeous as
10 decoration and the agent said he
was musical himself, so | went back
to my practicing, with renewed hope.
1t was worse than the other; the peo-
pie in the flat above used to pound on
the floor while did my scales, and the
ones across the way sent in to ask if
some one was i'll the first time i
pTacticed my great aria. Then, we
took house and practiced in peace
for three weeks, so that Prof. Won
Scalz said that would soon equal Pat
ii and told me to practice an extra
hour daily. Two days later, the man
next door told papa that he pitied him
for having a daughter who was insane.
BUT unless she was sent to an asylum
at once, he must complain to the po-
Hce, as her screams upset his Wlte's
nerves. We moved again and since
then we have led a nomadic life. When
papa does not come home at his usual
time, mamma is sure that he has for
gotten his address and gone to the last
3aace. We have to pay cash for ev
@rything because the grocer regards us
with suspicion and our friends from
aDut of town have not time to hunt us
I'D unless they stay a month. We
have boarded, taken furnished rooms,
ABUSES and fats-all with the same re-
0BHlt; as soon as I begin to practice,
The neighbors begin to complain and
then comes the agent. 1t is funny, but
The people who have crying babies,
barking dogs or screaching parrots
seOmplain just as much as the rest, and
The friends who used to say that my
7FDice reminded them OF Melba's, be-
Se0me cold as soon as move into their
Immediate neighborhood.
"Oh, tell you the path of future
aprima donna is thorny one, and the
&Bnty comfort is the thought that some
day the people who have refused to
live within block Of me, will have to
pay roundly for the privilege of hear
ing me sing!" And clearing her
4hroat, she whirled around on the
piano stool and went on with her
Nscales, until the woman in the fat
above sent the janitor to say that the
adoctor had told her she would die I'M
Hess she had perfect quiet for a; week.
And the janitor seemed to enjoy de-
1Tering the message.