Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-02-20

shine, grooming his damaged head.
Kelensen. wrapped about in his beautiful red robe,
was pacing up and down the rooms, pausing now and
then at the piano to strike a few chords and all the
while singing tremendous basso roles. Often he came
to the window, seemingly to look. over Mt my house,
and once, catching sight of me. he waved his hand
in friendly fashion. turning away at once TO 20 on
with his study. The more thought of 1t, the more
it seemed to me that I had heard the name Hendrix
Kelensen before. I have kept little track OF musical
matters in late years. I knew Bob Tradigan to be
fond Of those things, however foolish as it may seem
in a man Of his years. and this morning called him
by telephone at the Presbyterian Hospital and said:
"rradigan, have you ever heard Of an opera singer
named Hendrix Kelensen?"
What? Kelensen? Man alive. you do not mean to
say you have never heard of the great Kelensenl Why,
the world has never known such a voice. I heard him
early in the week in Aida and he sings again on
Friday. But why do you ask?"
"Oh. | find that he is my %neiehbor. and some CIR
cumstances which I cannot go into now have caused
me to become greatly interested in him. Have you
the ordinary"
We'll, really nothing moro than vague gossip.
There has always been speculation as to why there
were so few roles that he would sing. l have noticed
that he seldom or never sits down when singing.
Also, he Is eccentric In that he keeps entirely to
New York for concert work or tours. I know from
my personal acquaintance with her that Madame Men
tona has been in love with him FOR two seasons. yet
ne never sees her anywhere but on the stage or about
the opera house. though he wrltes her the most beau
tful letters every day. She IS a. dear creature, ono
of the sweetest Of women, and he apparently has no
Ties In the world to prevent his marriage to any one
whom he might love. Certainly his old mother, who
lives In the little village of llvndam. Holland. would
not constitute an obstacle. His story. as I have heard
II. Is that when a mere lad, his mother having been
left a widow and he the only child, he left home and
went to sea. On one Of his voyages somewhere I'm
Australia bis letters and rcmittances ceased. Later
she heard his ship had been wrecked and she rave
him up for dead. After two years had passed. there
came a letter from San Francisco with u good round
sum in it and bearing the news that Hermann Gross,
the late manager. had heard MIN singing one day
IN a barber shop where be was the cashier, had said
that he was naturally a great niger and after a year
or two of study could go into opera. He has been
singing three years now, and he and Gross we're the
closest Of friends TIL the latter died last year. Mad.
anne Mentona has told me OF the visit which she paid
to the mother in Ryndam in the summer. Frau
kelenscn now has q fine house bought from her sons
earnings and is very proud and happy, only she
grieves deeply that Hendrix will never visit her.
Since you are interested, Siddons, why not go with
me and hear him when next he sings? I think it is
Friday night"
had a message from Tradiqan later and we went.
Madame Mentona was not In Inc cast that night and
Mrs. Tradigan had asked her TO join the party in orr
pox or course, kelensen was almost the sole topic
OF the conversation.
Throughout the evening whenever no was m tbo
stage was oppressed with a feeling OF uncertainty
and anxiety which I could not altogether analyze.
d diS sins fnaco was a superb ri, his dramatic action won
most peculiar way. Just what it was 1 could not
tell.
After the opera Mrs. Tradiean. Joined nv Madame
Mentona. sent him n line inviting hin to srpper With
us. but he declined in a most doferential reply. There
are two sentences of his note which have stuck in
- "Hh AN'N i1I OIL IL htoptI impression In
view OF what | now know:
n.n This would have been one Of the pleasures for
my life which are worth while, but I am denied it.
go to mine own place. but | leave my thoughts 70
attend you, and If you could but read them all I am
sure you would forgive me, and realize my profound
gratitude"
Every little thing about him was family tinged
WIN some element of mystery. and some things which
the two voices, the two chairs, his exclusiveness. his
his odd mannerisms. that terrible face, that
awful cry? ~
l reached homo that night about one o'clock and
was letting myself in quietly after seeing that the
house across the way was still lighted. though the
shades were drawn. when something impelIed me to
look back. kelensen was Just raising the shade.
could see entirely through the lighted rooms. Filled
with curiosity, I LEFT my stoop and walked nesrer
myself In a deep shadow.
He was standing with his hand on the cord of the
shade looking out. when suddenly he seemed snitten
with the most terrible commissions. got but one
glance, for he contrived to drag down the shade.
Again that horrible cry broke forth on the night
It struck me with a chill when I first heard it. now
the effect was trebled. My hair tingled nv eesb crept
on my bones and l shuddered with unexplainable
Within, the light was extinguished and a perfect
bebble was going on. The voice of Kelensen was very
easily distinguished. but not more so than the fran
Querulous, thin whine and chatter Of the other
Of the terrible unknown Thing. They were quarrel
Ing violently and Kelensen was uttering commands.
The Thing WIS refusing to obey. Now the awful
twisted race and tossing arms showed at the window.
then | saw Kelensen, and instantly some mighty
power dragged both down and out Of sight behind the
shade.
| darted from my hiding place and was about to
hammer on the door when | stopped to consider.
What could have happened! The more | resolved
matter in my mind the more a profound panic
took possession of me and. after about ten minutes
of standing there in the light snow. / suddenly rushed
madly across the street Into my own house, shut and
bolted the door behind me, and, when | went to bed,
It was with a pistol lying on a chair beside my
pillow.
When I awoke after a bad night Kelensen. as usual,
was pacing up and down, singing blithely, stopping
now and then at the plano. There was not a sign
about him or about the place of the tragic crisis Of
the night before.
This day. after the singer hal left the house, I
old Peter Hahn dart into the rooms and look
about. Fully a halfscore OF patients were
waiting for me, but I left them to their own devices
and went over.
Old Peter met me In the hall.
See! Sect" he exclaimed frnntically. Look for
He has just gone out alone and yet a mo-
ment ago two men were In here. One should be here
and there is none-ach, there Is none"
In his hand he was holding two unseaIed letters,
nervously pulling the enclosures from the envelopes.
One | saw was written in Chinese and from it q New
York draft futtered out and fell to the floor.
What have you there?' | said.
"He gives me these each month. should mail
them and he pays his rent, But he will pay me no
more. He should go. | cannot stand such things"