Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-12-05

tried unsuccessfully to palm her OF on
her husband as her own. So after she
died and the man married again little
Mary was doubiy unwelcome and was
made to feel II in every way.
Harsh words. aud. alas. blows. were
principally her iot and the bitter bread
of dependence was her daily diet.
Withal she grew up brave little
thing-rather too serious and big eyed
and apprehensive, 1t is true, but her ma
ture seemed TO have been so filled with
sunshine that il could not be wholly dis
sipated and when let alone by her fos-
ter parents and the children about her
she would break into the most joyous
melody and sing, sing, sing for hours at
a time.
She was given only the raggedest of
CASTOR clothes, for the Jacksons were
no better off than their neighbors in
Hobbs court, and Mary was the last in
! the family to be thought of. Even the
rags were begru6ged her. This spirit in
her own home communicated itself cas-
lily TO all the people in the court, even the
children, and the child grew up in an
| atmosphere of taunt. ridicule and con-
| tempt. She was easily the most useless
! and unpromising living thing in Hobbs
court, for even the dogs were loved by
| somebody.
1t was when Mary was in her fifteenth
| year that a stranger drove into Hobbs
court in a shiny trap with bright red
wheels. He came to see lobe Heller
about a bull pup. lobe raised bull
| pups for the market, but generally trans
| acted business at the homes or offices
! OF his patrons. So the shiny trap and
, the gloved and groomed stranger was
! an episode in Hobbs court and all the
inhabitants were at the windows and
the children gathered about the trap in
| awed silence.
Then a strange thing happened. Mary
was singing somewhere in the Jackson
fat, next to lobe Hellers place, and the
notes of the song waited through an
open window. AS he came from obe's
puppery, the stranger paused aud lis
tened to the notes. He glanced up at
the window and looked surprised. Then
he walked up to the door, Knocked ard
was admitted. He asked Mrs. Jackson
II he might hear the girl. whose voice
he had heard outside, sing. To be sure
front room and commanded to sing. She
was so frightened that her Voice brone.
Then the man spoke kindly to her and
talked easily about many things. putting
her at her ease. Then she SAL s tor him.
Madam" said he to Mrs. Jackson.
may | take this girl down town with
me? She has a wonderful voice.
would like to have Signor Volenci hear
1t. 1t is quite probable l can put her
in the way of making considerable mon
, ey. Here is my card. Mr.. What's-his-
name-Deviler or Heller-the bull PUP
man next door, will tell you that | am
, responsible and mean no harm"
Mrs. Jackson glanced at the card
which read Benjamin Ekstein, Manager
, International Opera Company"
, When Mary emerged from the Jack
, son fat with the swell stranger. and was
? driven away in the shiny trap Hobbs
court nearly had a spasm. The calls
> Mrs. Jackson had that day broLe the so.
cial record of the court.
But that was nothing to the sensation
!. that was precipitated by the announce
a ment few days later that Mary Jack.
, son., the despised. the reviled. was tc
, appear at the Garrick theater and sins
: in grand opera. 1t was incredible ard
Hobbs court could not become recon.
ciled to it. And when some of the more
a prosperous and venturesome of tn,
q young fellows Of the court went to thu
, theater and squandered a half dollar
q (ooubtfully obtained) to sit in the gal
4 lery and brought home strange tales o.
, Mary (who figured, in the bill as Marie
: JacksonD appearing in a maze OF silk.
: and laces and other establishment.
. known only by tradition to the Hobb:
courtites, the wonder grew into bewilder
ment. And when the papers spoke O.
Mary as ''the child wonder" and "a
beautiful and dainty creature with {
voice OF marvellous sweetness and power
and range seldom possessed by tn,
, greatest prima donnas" and recorded tn,
fact that the new prodigy had tai en- the
o musical world by storm, Hobbs court
a became speeches. and gave the problem
, up. Hobbs court could understand bull
pups and strikes and rag men. bu
q this translation of Mary Jacl son wa:
. too severe strain on its thinking pow.
ers. The .Jacksons were more &C.
pressed than the rest. They had giver
over their legal hold on the child 10 Ben.
jamin Ekstein for $500 and had thought
1t was simply marvellous find. Now Il
began to dawn on them that they hac
sold gold mine for song.
A gay party sat in box at the opera
How remarkably like your Heller
that girl on the stage looks. Mrs Van.
derbeck," remarked ore Of the womer
to another. who is she, PGul?"
One Of the youre men glare toward
the stage. "Ch, that's the rev child
wonder, Marie JAG soHi, they call hel
on the bills. e stein found her some,
where or other in a hovel-and, by
George! she has a divine dice"
The girl began to sing. The woman
addressed as Mrs. Vsnderbec', leaned
forward. watching the girl with breath
less interest. The very intensity of the
glance attracted the SINGER involuntar-