The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-20

were poor, and how she was forced to
| realize early in life that whatever she
accomplished must be thru her own
EFFORTS. She was sure she had a good
voice, and this she determined to Gull
t1vate and make the most Of. She
| took position In a store, saved every
cent she could, and after several years
had enough ahead to take her to Chi
| cago. There she studied music for two
years. And you may be sure that she
studied hard. She made rapid prog
| ress. Finally she felt that she was
! ready to begin work on the stage Her
teacher, friend of mine, sent her to
me to seek advice. AS soon as she
had told me her story and sung for
me I said to her: my dear, you are
simply made to succeed. can't start
you and can't stop YOU" In another
month she had secured a splendid po-
sition with the Grace Van Studdiford
Opera company. and she wrote to
thank me for what I had told her.
That girl has brains; she is bound to
succeed.
Not two days after this brave young
woman had been to see me a girl Of
an entirely different type was sitting
In my mushroom one morning. The
moment I came in she began to cry.
My dear child" I said, whats the
matter?''
"Oh," she moaned. HI'm discour-
aged. I want to go on the stage, but
they won't have me. I'm simply tired
of life.''
'Well," I said, "what have you
done? What manager have you been
to consult?''
She confessed that she had not been
to see any manager. I asked her to
sing. She had fairly good voice.
Now" I said, delighted at her
voice, what you want to do is to quit
crying and get to work. The mana
gers are just crazy to get voices such
as yours. You go down tomorrow
and see Manager Jones. Tell him you
want a place in his chorus. Tell him
he's got to give you a place. If he is
busy and won't see you, go back again
next day. If he's busy then, return the
third day. Don't let him turn you
away. Don't let him escape you.
Make him hear you sing above all
else. And don't let him know that
you can cry ST. :
Some two weeks later she wrote me
a note. She had been obliged to go
four times before she could get even
word with Manager Jones. But she
kept at it as I had advised and at last
the opportunity came. One song was
enough. The manager engaged her on
the spot And she was very thankful
for my advice.
There is still another type of girl
and am sorry to say there are many
OF this type. Here is a sample:
She was understood, and not hand
some. She came to my house in
charge of her aunt, a very severe lady.
I asked her to come into the music
her aunt, followed. Now, when girls
come to see me, I would rather have
them leave their relatives at home, or
at least in another room. Girls must
be self-reliant.
Well, the aunt began to fuss about
the girl, to undo her collar so as to
free her neck, and to tell her how to
stand. Finally the girl began to sing.
She had not the shred of a voice. I
was amazed.
Why stammered, "what do you
expect to do on the stage? What is
gTea sr h@ g sss sa t9 be Gsst
finished my musical education. I
want to be the prima donna Of the
Bostonians, and I want you to help
me get the place"
There was assurance Of a kind for
you, but assurance without talent,
without balance, without brains.
They wouldn't put you in the
chorus of the Bostonians, let alone
give you a part told her I don't
believe In beating about the bush with
people of that sort.
You should have seen the severe
aunt when I said this. She buttoned
the girls collar, put on her jacket and
fairly bounced out Of the house.
I've always heard" she said, "that
you were very fine woman but now
know you are an ugly brute''
Amused, l watched the two walk
ing up the street, the aunt talking
loudly and gesticulating like a mad
man. I said to myself: "They think
they are hurting my feelings. Poor
souls, they are only standing in their
own light