The San Francisco call., 1904-08-07

cook anythingl" "Oh, can you!" his
mistress would gnash helpless white
teeth to say. When she first got into
her house she had no cook, and could
ask Nora Bayes about their first dinner
at IOlS Green street.
Nora Bayes?"
"A jolly, fine fellow" Miss Morton
dubbed her soubrette confrere. yes, 1
made Nora set the table and we had
though l say it that shouldn't good
dinner. You haven't met Nora yet?
You should. She's as springy as a lit
tie piece of elastic. Funny, no end.
Just the same off the stage as on.
Every night she stamps past my door,
Miss Morton put every pound she has
into the clump! clump! with which she
initiated Miss Bayes' stamp across the
floor-"and sings out, Goodnight,
Doddy" You know, I'd miss it awfully
if that girl forgot to say that!"
She's very bright" ! testify then,
and ask: Are those her own songs,
that Immortality funny one about going
to hunt for beer and not for deer and
the rest?"
I don't know" Miss Morton replied,
shouldn't wonder, though. It's like
her"
I thought So" I said Curious
Fischer's should get hold in so short
time of two such clever minxes as the
Bayes and the Aug"
Sure" said my neighbor. Sugar."
as we wandered over to the tea table.
Miss Aug is enormously clever"
so clever that don't know why she
is not doing something more than vau-
deville specialties.
shall 1 tell you?" Miss Morton
asked It's nerves. That girl is all
nerves. She thinks twice as fast as she
can speak, and when the time comes
for her to play most Of her vitality is
gone"
A step was heard here below the open
window and the actress laughed as she
ticketed it, Mr.. Conger, my husband.
Very happy?" 1 laughed back.
'Oh. yes" Mrs Conger said. She
added, It's all new yet
How new?"
Eighteen months" she confessed
Mr.. Conger was one of Frohman's
men, you know. He was the original
little Billee in 'TriIby.' He's given up
the stage now" l did not ask if this
were in Difference to Mrs. Conger's de-
sire, for the gentleman came in here. I
fancy not, however His round, rosy,
clear-eyed, clean-shaven face looks
rather like that of person accustomed
to decide his own fate. He had just re-
turned from a swim.
Every day he goes swimming" Miss
Morton pouted. I'm beginning to sus-
pect things
Another mermaid?" 1 suggested.
Exactly" she nodded. but beyond
trying on me the dog and the porpoise
story Mr.. Conger was not to be in
weighed into the interview.
With a business ss-before-pleasure air
/ said then: Now, you will please tell
me your favorite role, and the rest. and
about the Daily times and so on
Miss Morton put her elbows on the
table and her plump cheeks in her
hands to the tale. My favorite role?
Oh-Mignon."
You've done grand opera. then?"
''Oh, yes she answered. "Santuzza,
too. I sang that against Calve in Chi
cago."
N.Y." ! exclaimed respectfully.
''Yes-show her those notices, Fred
dy," and Freddy from some corner.
cheerfully dug up a ST. Louis notice of
Miss Morton's Santuzza, eminently
complimentary.
st. Louis" Native" Comparison
with the best" I read, and asked:
Then you are from st. Louise"
L am a Southerner." she put it. Il
was singing then with the Schiller
Opera Company in The Pirates of
Penzance, and so on. Well, one night
Mr. came to me-this was in
Chicago-and said, I've got an ad. for
us Spring it, I said. 'Calve opens
next Monday (this was Friday in
"Rusticana"-so. will WEI 1 didn't
know line of it then, but we opened
all right"
1 was in the fb'gosh frame of mind by
this But Miss Morton neglected to
show me her Chicago notices. I must
remind her.
In light opera
"Oh, I know" interrupted. 40 Mi
mosa San"
Yes" she agreed, I've sung the
part 765 times. 1 like The Fencing
Master very much, too"
How long were you with the
Dalys?"
Five years. she-did she sigh?
Just imagine" she threw in, Sir
William Jardine bought the Ameri-
can rights of The Geisha,' and gets
10 per cent of the gross receipts every
time it is played. Wish 1 had 'em!"
Who taught you to sing, Miss Nor
ton?"
Madame Murio-Celli," she told
me. lin Italy. But the person
learned most from is Nine. Sarah
Duff. I've just been with her in Paris
this year. She is Chicago woman
who now assists Henry Russell"
Alice Neilsen's Henry Russell?"
The same, and a magnificent teach
er," Miss Morton heartily testified.
In twenty minutes-the man is
voice doctor not a teacher proper-he
will give you an absolutely new un-
derstanding of voice production If you
are not fool, a full control over all
you've got in the way of voice He