The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-11-06

~ "niSA HeI voice, her
judgment, and her experience would
bear no contemplate proportion to his
money, and in which she herself was
to invest money Of her own, thereby
sharing the risk according to her for.
tune as we'll as giving the greater part
OF the labor. She felt for some weak
place in the scheme, cropping as il she
were dazzled, but she could find none
Il don't think / shall need time to
think this over" she said, controlling
her voice better, now that she had
made up her mind. GAS understand
1t, l am to put in what I can in the
way of ready money, and am to give
my time in all ways. as you need It.
and my voice, when 1t is wanted Ia
that it,"
Except that, when you choose to
sing, the company will allow Won vour
usual price for each appearance" an.
swered Van Torp in business-like
manner. you will pay yourself. or
we both shall pay you, Just as much
as we would pay any other first-clas.
soprano, or as much more as Won
would get in London or New York n
you signed an engagement"
rs that fair?" Margaret asked
Why, certainly. But the company.
which is you and !, will probably
rule that you mustn't sing in grand
opera anywhere in the states east If
the rockies. They've got to come to
New York to hear you. Naturally
you'll.b be free to do anything you like
In Europe outside Of our season, when
you can spare the time"
"Of course"
We'll, now, I. suppose we might a,
well note that down right away. as a
preliminary agreement What do Won
say?" Wv '''
I say that I simply cannot refuse
such an offer!" Margaret answered.
Your consent is all that's neces.
sary," he said, in a matter-of.fac.
tone
He produced from an inner nocket
folded sheet of foolscap, which he
spread on the corner of the table he.
side him. He took out fountain pen
and began to write quickly. The terms
and forms were as familiar to him as
the alphabet and he lost no time: be-
sides, as he had told the prima donna
he had thought out the whole matter
before hand.
What if Mrs. Rushmore comes in
Just as we are signing it," asked Mar.
garet.
We'll tell her, and ask her to wit
ness our signatures" replied Van
Torp without looking up. II Judge
Mrs. Rushmore to have quite knowl-
edge of business"
"You seem able to write and talk
at the same time" Margaret said.
smiling.
Business talk, yes" The pen ran
on swiftly. There. That's about all.
l should say. Do you think you can
read my writing? / don't suppose
you've ever seen it."
He turned the page round, and
handed it to her. The writing was
large and perfectly legible, but very
different from the commercial" hand
Of most American business men. ANY
one word, taken at random, might
have seemed uniformed, at first sight,
but the appearance of the whole was
oddly strong and symmetrical. Mar
garet read the clauses carefully. She
herself had already signed good
many legal papers in connection with
her engagements and her own small
fortune, and the language was not so
unfamiliar to her as it would have
been to most women.
Shall l sign first?" she asked,
when she had finished. my own
name? Or my stage name?"
Your own name, please" said Van
Torp without hesitation. 1.-THE others
only binding in your profession, be-
cause you appear under it, and it's
your business STYLE"
She wrote Margaret Dome" at the
foot Of the page in her large and rath-
er irregular hand, and passed the pa
per back to Van Torp, who signed it.
He waved the sheet slowly to and fro,
to dry the ink.
Its only preliminary agreement"
he said, "but it's binding as far as it
goes and I'll attend to the rest You'll