Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-26

charms. ana this is the voice that has
in it the qualities of softncss ana gen
ticneSs, that is low in pitch. that is
caressing. that is trainante. a brisk.
clear, we'll aCcentuated voice is not
dsplea sing: but on the other hand. il
is not attractive. One hears it without
thinking Of it at all. 1t never lays
firm hold on your attention and forces
you to recall it and think of it and to
desire to hear il once again And
then there is the raw, crude. half
baked sort Of voice that is the index
To a raw. crude. half-bakcd sort Of
character I suppose that more men
have been dsillusioned by a voice like
this than in any other possible way.
You see a woman whose face attracts
you. who has beautiful hair, who car
ries herself quite gracefully, who is
exquisitely gowned. and you think that
you would like TO know her. and perhaps
you take infinite pains to secure an in
PRODUCTION to her; and then she opens
her mouth. and from it comes a voice
that sets your every nerve on edge
and tells OF kind Of breeding and OF
a kind Of character and OF kind OF
soul that are entirely antagonistic to
everything that you have ever thought
or dreamed of as ideal.
A mans voice is most important
thing, but here there are varieties and
differences Of which everyone is con
scious The worst voice in a man is
high pitched squeaky voice that some
how makes you feel that its possessor
is either feminine or effeminate; that
he is either unbalanced. fretful and iull
Of whimS and petty prejudiccs, or that
he is weak and yielding and unstable.
The loud. rough. boistcrous voice; The
! hoW-wuw voice which many men pos
seSs is not a voice to which objection
need BE- made. 1t goes With whatever is
commonplace. IT is very usual and 1t
marks quite Enthusiastically the average
man The very deep. bass voice. which
some possess in speaking, is admired
by many women because they think
that it is manly. and because it Is S"
utterly unlike their own. Such a voice
is not at all displeasinG. 1t usually
goes with strong and Well-roiscd
character and disposition that IS
rather masterful but its poSs"ssor
never sees any of the finer points OF
any situation. but FORCES on his own
way. ohliVious to the nicctieS OF me
and resembling. as il were, human
buffalo such d voice was never made
for saying tactfu things or for pleas
ing those whose interest extends be
yond the physical. \ nasal voice IS an
abominat ton. 1t is much worse than a
harsh voice which. at the least IS
never ludicrous. The finest voice Of al
;s tho voice that has the dualltN 81
feeling. ana that instinctivcly responds
in All it's tones and EodulationS to the
thought and impulse and emotion OF
tho moment. Its range must u"
sufficient for it to speak with all inc
softncss of Il woman. and. when neg
cssary. with all the force and NlGor ana
prcciSion Of a mastery and manly
man: and it must have certain rlch-
ness in it's deeper tones that can con-
vcv To others the thrill that lies back
Of the spoken word. II has an inhnity
Of infections and each Of these m
Elections has a meaning of its own
which those who hear are conscious OF.
even though they may not understand
Such a voice can command and it can
caress: it can convey with but the
slightest change of coloring. approval,
sympathy. regret and admiration; and
Il can convey these wholly in ITSELF
! and irrespective of the words which 1T
( EMPLOYS a voice like this is the most
( dangerous voice. 1t is the sort of voice
/ that lulls suspicion fast asleep. That
! charms and soothes, pcrsuades. be
! guiles: that steals through the nall
I omen gates quite unobscrved, and that
! when heard in all its play Of emotional
expression can never be Forgotten
] Such q voice can say things that c"uid
/ be safely said in no other voice what
/ over. 1t can say things that appeal to
YOU intensely. that never give offence
that lngcr in your memory ana that
break down all the barriers OF tradi-
ton of convention. 1t is the voice OF
/ AIcibiadcs the voice of Wilkes. the
voice Of Aaron Burr. 1t is distracting.
II is delicious: it is deadly.-RaHord
pixie in New York Commercial Ad-
vcrtieer.