The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-02
SUMMER DAYS IN OUR FLAT.
At FEW HOMEBRED GOLF PROFESSIONALS IN AMERICA
ONLY WITH THE WINDOWS DOES
ONE LEARN THE TRUTH.

quainted with my fiat. ! never knew IL
until the windows were up. although I
felt rather proud Of Il, all winter. II was
what the real estate advertisements call
an elevator apartment and II was a two
figure house. That has no direct reference
TO the rent, but bears a relation to Il. The
two figures make up the house number
n indicate that the apartment Is not as
far from Fifth avenue a. il might be. We
consider ourselves very superior on the
side street. as even the elevator boy says
that the house on the avenue has the
Sporty" tenants Of the block.
Nobody seemed Extensively sporty, how
ever, until the windows were open on the
rear courts. It was Of course a talking
machine that first impressed on us the fact
that ours were not the only windows open.
Then the varied repertoire Of the phono-
graphs made us realize how many OF our
neighbors were crowded into the small
area opening into hat court.
Just how pany OF these machines there
are we have never been able to tell exactly.
We are able to recognize tho voices of six.
IL Is the music they play that enables us
TO say whether it Is the family on the sixth
story that is enjoying itself or the Germans
with the sweet potato vines on the fire es-
cape who have surrendered to the delight
OF music. s
The sixth story ~phonograph plays only one
aria. It is the r~dccon'o from the first act of
"Boheme' sung by Enrico Caruso. This is
the beginning and end of the music trat
family hears. They make some variety
by chang ing the pitch OF tto instrument,
until the tenor solo might he sung by a
soprano. The screw Is turned until the
compass of the machine is strained TO de-
liver the high notes. Gradually it works
down to the right pitch. This talking
machine gives the lie to the pictures in the
back Of the magazines which show the
, happy 70 nily seated about the table with
the lamps liz listening TO the music. This
machine starts with breakfast food and
there are few minutes OF quiet during the
day.
One Of the others plays only two tunes
an English comic song MY Word" and
Gounod's 'Chantes, Riez, Dormez, > played
on the cornet with q wonderful and COM
pEicated run at the end. The sentimental
FrAnch song pleases the taste Of the family
most and it is frequently on tap during the
day. One OF the most gifted CT all the talk
ing machines plays 1T Happened in Nord-
land all the daytime and until the family
.~retires. There are apparently no other
rolls in the house, but this machine gives
all the popular selections from the opera.
It used to be fun trying to pick out the diff
ferent tunes. They do it so often now,
however, that the sport OF that is played
out.
There is other music in the fats besides
the talking machines and the automatic
piano on the floor above that makes the
ceiling sob with its rigid rhythm. Two
girls have taken an apartment in the rear
of our house, which was occupied during
the winter by an old lady and her daughter
who had come to the city to enjoy the
churches and religious lectures and adj,
vantages OF the metropolis. the
desperate desire that tenants have to rent
their apartments in summer could explain
the selection Of BERTHE and Lille as the
present occupants.
It is evident from their entirely audible
conversation that they are worried be-
cause the season has so far advanced with
out q place for them in some company.
They start out every morning at II and
parent success. Sometimes IL seems as II
they did not devote their thoughts TO the
profession with the single h~eartedness
that alone brings success. BERTHE is es-
pecially Indifferent in this particular.
H wanted TO try my voice right There
che announced the other afternoon, and
/ told him it was impossible and that /
could come back tomorrow morning.
He didn't seem to understand, but l could
not explain to him l had had Fights gin
rickeys In the afternoon"
BERTHE has a really good voice. It Is a
mezzo with a rich, lovely color and con-
siderable range, especially in the upper
register. But she seems tone deaf. Whether
IL 10 the fault OF her piano., which is also out
OF tune, her singing is a thing TO appal
Even the most unmusical person. When
ehe sits down and tries -Dearie" il is inn
possible to deny. the beauty OF her voice.
But 1t is 30 much CJS of pitch that even the
bows gather In the court and shout.
One night she tried a somewhat iorid
sir with such awful results hat the court
filed with people. Servants came to the
windows and the boys employed about the
ever Berthe reached her high notes the crowd
took them with her in an overwhelming
shrek.
One woman in the same building with
the singer, who evidently knew something
about music, sang the notes an octave higher
thar BERTHE did and in imitation Of her tune
lessnees. The servants in a hotel that looks
on the court joined in the rabble and all the
children in the apartments came out on
the fro escapes TO add their shrill tpebles
20 the great swell that went up the scale
with Bertie.
She had some friends in that evening
and the experience must have been IN
commonly mortlfylng Tor her, but she chung
20 her music and determined to finish the
Rong. The uproar grew 40 great that the
manager OF the apartments sent out for a
policeman. All he could do was to peer
about in the darkness and disperse the
crowd gathered in the court. His presence
had the desired effect, however. for BERTHE,
who defiantly sang the song all through
once more was followed up in her flights
only by a few quavering childish voices.
The next morning she omitted the usual
practice.
Jack Gays he thinks I make a mistake to
keep up my music" she confided to her
friend. He thinks | ought 10 go in for
straight acting. Do you think sO2 The
stage manager told me last season that Mr..
Frohman was watching me and was very
much Interested
More domestic sounds make the court
reverherate. 1t ia like an International con-
test Of some kind TO near the answers to
the calls from the janitor. When he rings
the bells for the various articles hat are to
be carried downstairs, the responses come
In every dialect, beginning with the genial
call OF a large negro cook who dwells a
fight higher on the other side Of the our
is ev'ybody happy this morning." she
shriehs, @~ev'ybody."
She is 80 obviously happy herself that
the mood Of her salute is contagious. IL
has plenty Of opportunity to affect the
most grouchy person for everybody who
approaches her is met with that cheerful