Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-10-18

q THE HARP CAME BACK.
A Story of Mnretxek In the Days
when He Was broke.

when He Was Broke.
Before there was n Metropolitan
| Opera House, and Abbey or Grau had
branched out as managers of opera,
Max Marctzek aud Strakosch were
prominent at the old Academy Of Mu-
| sic. There was keen rivalry between
| ,hcm. Strakosch had Nilsson and Ma
| retzek was exploiting hi Murska.
BY some error of dates, both were
booked for New York at he same time.
Strakosch was ut the Academy and
Nmretzek, having closed poor season
elsewhere, had halted in New York be-
fore going to Philadelphia, ami secured
| d week ut the Lyccum theater, on -Four
teenth street. There We're strong bills
at both places; each manager had his
friends, and the billposters had busy
time of it. A round of bills for one
company was no sooner posted than
the rival billposter covered up the
poster with the rival companys sheets.
At last, for the matinee on Saturday,
bills mt both houses were suddenly
changed every vacant fencn place
ing storm in the morning the managers
began to put out paper to fill the
houses. Alfred Joel was the business
man for MaretZek, and an adept at
.papering" when necessary. With a
house packed from parquet to gallery,
Joel had counted the boxes, found only
500 in the house, and announced 1t to
Max when the curtain fell between the
acts.
This was serious to Max. The ever
ready money lender who had put up
for him" had n lien on the box office. n
sherif's officer was in waiting on the
stage, and it was n question of replevin
before the properties and costumes
could be liberated to follow the com
pany to Philadelphia early next morn
Ing.
well. Alfred" quietly said Max, Il
guess I'm used to trouble. But there is
good big house. anyway" Then,
turning to his wife. who was the harp
ist of the orchestra, he claspcd both hcl
hands, kissed her, and remarked: Let
your fingers do tlieir best. | want to
hear you play. 1t does my heart good,
you know, even when there's trouble"
There was hustling after the perform
ance. Legal talent was at premium,
creditors were obdurate, everything
that was supposed to be Maretzek' $
was temporarily in 'hock.' and Nine
Maretzek in tears, with longing looks
at the harp she valued.
The scene of negotiations was trans
ferred to the greenroom. just as the OF
ficers making the levy were searching
for more. and when their backs were
turned, the old stage carpenter hurried
Mrs. Maretzek away, then. called her
back again five minutes after, and
pointed to the orchestra.
The harp had disappeared. Clearing
out everything on Sunday morning,
while the boxes of properties were be.
ing taken away, Max and his wife
stood In the center of the darkened
stage. Both were crying. The instru-
mcnt they valued most had been taken
from them. Other things had been
liberated. but no harp. and with Il
scene of grief that no others than them
selves could have appreciated they
were silent.
Then old man Guernsey stood be-
tween them and waved his hand above
them into space. There were a creaking
of pulley wheels, an injunction from
the carpenter to look out for your
heads" and. lowered from above. came
Nine. Marctzck's harp, landing on the
stage between them.
Now you've got it again, get it away
quick" said Guernsey. stop crying
and he thankful. That's all
He moved off without waiting for
thaniis, and n pathetic scene with Max
and his wife closed the incident. To
them the harp was as part of them
Selvcs-to lose it was more than n mis-
fortune. and. in a broken voice. the
lady called the carpenter back to her
please let the harp thank you" said
she, land listen. 1t will speak with
my hands on this Sunday morning
She placed herself beside it, seated on
a box. and with a smile that chased
away the tears, gave, for n moment or
two. as only she could give it, the air
of the doXology. Praise God, from
whom all blessings flow.'-New York
Times.