Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-02-02
CHAPTER XIX

Mr.. Will Hackett was not the man to
suffer very severely from the qualms of
conscience. He had left his wife base
ly, and in his heart he knew just as well
as anybody could have told him that he
had acted like cur. OF course. that of
itself was a disagreeable thing to know,
and equally of course it was easy to be
sure that no harm would befall her, and
TO promise that in due time he would go
back to her with his pocket full of dol
lars and more than make up for ev-
erything. And, side by side with this
excellent intent-whica he knew admira-
bly, well he never intended to carry out
was the natural sentiment of ill-usage,
and a sort of forgiving resentment. Good
wives make good husbands; and if Mary
had known how TO keep him, there was
the making in him of he knew not what
of amiability and good fellowship. So,
on the whole, he went away with a light
heart
His first appearance in New York was
fairly successful He took something like
first place in the second rank of singers
known TO the American public, and his
name came TO be a safe draw wherever
he was announced to sing
But if the manager could see that the
chief tenor of his concert troupe sang
only at his bidding, there were things
much more important to the tenor's pros
perity and his own to which he could not
attend. He could not insure that VIII
should be early 10 bed and early to rise
or that he should go TO bed sober and
rise with his throat unparched He
could not insure even that this imprac-
tieable tenor should not dine heavily an
hour before q concert. and sing rather
badly and wildly after it.
You're making n dreadful idiot of
Yourself" be would say at times. for
familiarity with many men had taught
him candor. land you'll regret il lot
more than ever | shall. dare say you'll
last my time out. even as you're going.
I'm beastly disappointed in you. of
course. and it's no use pretending .hat
I'm not. But I'm speaking for your own
good now. though I'm not likely 20 do
YOU much You'll be about as pretty
10 listen TO as 4 raven in year or two.
Now if you'd only live straight and work
a bit you've got lifelong future. Go
as you're going and I'll give you three
years TO ruin yourself in
To this harangue WIZ listened often.
times, il it came early in the morning
and his head was aching. not without
brief inward reproaches. Meantime he
lived in clover. OF the growth he cared
for and his salary being paid weekly he
generally had plenty OF money in his
pocket. He became very gorgeous in
raiment. and had rather more OF the
music hall than the concert platform air
about him.
Picking up gold and silver. he OF course
forgot 90 send any OF his gains to his
wife. Old Howarth was well to do,
and could take capital care OF her. There
was no doubt about il. and he never per
mitted himself TO doubt that the care
was taken. AT any rate he refrained
from making Inquiries. and SO escaped
any burden which might have been laid
upon his conscience. Meantime the
money came in gayly, aud for a man
who had as little OF forethought as he
had il seemed inevitable that it should
continue 10 come in always.
AS time went on he and his manager
came over and over again TO open Quar- |
rel. and each grew heartily weary of the
other. Hacketts constant cry was thar
the man who had found him out and
NECuGO NAS way ~ ARENUlN Tor MN
fattening on his work. The managers |
retort was that the work was always 4
indiferently done and often Il, done 4
Each grew anxious TO escape from the I
contract. and after many days the man |
ager found his chance. The popular /
tenor had dined unwisely as his habit /
was, but on this occasion he was pro-
hibited from appearing on the platform
and an apology was presented 10 the |
public in his behalf Next morning /
formal letter reached Hackett to the ef- /
feet that the contract was dissolved, and |
that IL he felt himself aggrieved he might I
seek legal remedy. He felt himself ag
grieveS. and he sought his legal remedy. /
The case went against him. The public
ts0nd tb< details amusing. aud Hackett /
fpund himself out Of employment and