The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-07-11
forrtnaLl

AAAeA n NAAoA VI ANA hStNN 'A~ "e'- ~ gagged.
 Leonaretta sang 30 woll that she was soon cast for one of the inferior parts. At the first rehearsal after the assign ment she astonished the manager by singing deep contralto. Few women could reach the notes she struck.
 What's the matter with your voiceT asked the manager. astonished.
 Don't know, sir"
 "You have been singing soprano for two weeks. and now you havo bloomed Into a cOntralto."
 sometimes my voice Is much lower than at others'
 Your part Isn't written for a con tralto. I'll have to change it or change you. don't want to do either"
 q may be able to sing soprano when [ go on in costume"
 The manager studied the matter. looking the while at the girl curiously It was a very strange case.
 "well," he said presently. "Pll have to make some change fin the part and have it ready in case you come before the audience with those profundo notes"
 LeOnaretta sang contralto till the evening of the first performance, when she came to the theater looking pale and thin.
 By love-" said the manager, you ook as if you'd been keelhauledl hope there's no new voice to provide for"
 "Pye had q sick spell" replied the girl. "I think my natural voice has come back"
 "WhatT
 "I shall sing soprano tonight"
 The manager hurried or to attend to another matter. but hls mind was on the girl and this remarkable change of voice. When LeOnaretta went on, she sang soprano like a bird and so delight ed the audience that the manager was delighted also and east her for higher part at the next performance.
 One morning Leonarctta was In the managers private office drawing her salary when he looked up ut her and said:
 I'm going to put on piece next week with q mans part In it that would Just suit that contralto voice you took on not very long ago. Now, IT you could only call 1t up at will, I'd cast you for the part and pay you $50 a week"
 "when Is the first rehearsalT"
 "On the 18th"
 'I may sing contralto by that time.'
 "You mayT
 "Yes."
 What makes you think sor'
 Well. I'm liable to a relapse at any time and haven't had one for a long while. It's due now"
 Nonsense"
 He engaged a baritone for the part, who deserted three hours before the performance. Leonaretta was with the manager when he received the unwel- come news.
 "Pn take the part" she said.
 "Youi Has your voice relapsedr
 Not yet. but think it will before 8 o'clock this evening""
 Well. upon my word! Do you mean to say that
 "TIl be here ready for the part, de- pend upon it." And she skipped out before the manager could recover from his astonishment.
 Az g.iO ,f,Innlr aha vranN nn with nun of the finest baritone voices that had been heard in that house during the season. She had been announced yer bally as SignOr Barilli to take the part of the man whose name was on the programmes. At the end of-each act slgnor Barllll was called before the curtain and at the end of the opera re- eelved a perfect ovation.
 "Now, see here" said the manager after the performance. You're a won der. You're worth much more than l am paying you. A girl who can sing soprano or baritone at will is worth a fortune. We start on the road next week, and if you'll go with me and will guarantee to sing the different parts as I may require I'll give you a hundred week and all expenses. You see. save the salary and travelling ex- penses of one principal role. I'll make you another proposition" He dropped his buslnesslike tone and spoke fer yently. "You know very well that you have long been my favorite In the com- pany. Indeed. l may say that ever since first saw you I've been dead gone on you. VIII you marry mel"
 The girl burst Into q laugh.
 "Come home with me-" she said. land talk it over"
 The manager consented, and when they reached Leonaretta's lodgings she excused herself for a few moments. She soon returned hand in hand with a young fellow, the very counterpart of herself, her twin brother.
 "I am Leonard Traver," said the boy, "and this Is my sister. Leonaretta. When she fell III some time ago, took her part. though I couldn't sing so- prano. Tonight sang the baritone part and received your proposition of marriage My sister would answer it, but now that you know there would be two, salaries and expenses to pay in- stead of one l presume 1t Is with drawn"
 "You bet it isn't" said the manager, clasplng Leonaretta in his arms.
 MARION RUBY BARCLAY.