The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-10-19
THE HATTTESBUR(5 NEWS

sides" she went on, 1T would MOI be
the money that ! should care about.
l can earn more money than I want,
and have little fortune of my own
the hundred thousand | offered you.
Oh, no! 1t would be the splendid
power to have the most beautiful
music In the world given as it could
be given nowhere else! The Joy of
singing myself-the parts l can sing
in the most perfect surroundings!
An orchestra picked from the whole
world of orchestras, the greatest liv-
ing leaders, the most faultless chorus!
And the scenery, and the costumes
everything as everything could be, if
1t were really, really the best that
can be had! Do you believe it is DOS
sible to have all that?'
oh, yes, and with your name to It,
too. Well have everything on earth
that money can buy to make perfect
opera, and I'll guarantee it'll pay after
the hrst two seasons. That is, II you'll
work at 1t as hard as / will. But
you've got to work, Miss Dome, you've
got to work, or it's no use thinking of
it. That's my opinion"
I'll work like Trojan!" cried Mar
garet enthusiastically.
She had enough experience in her
self, and enough knowledge of the
conditions to believe that her own
hard work, combined with Van Torp's
unlimited capital, could and certainly
would produce such an opera house.
and bring to 1t such artists as had
never been seen and heard, except
perhaps in Bayreuth, during its first
great days, now long past.
Then, too, he had put the matter
before her so skillfully that she could
look upon it honestly 'as a business
partnership, in which her 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 if 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. "As | understand
1t, am to put in what l can in the
way of ready money, and l am to give
my time in all ways, as you need it,
and my voice. when it is wanted. Is
that it,"
Except that when you choose to
sing, the company will allow you your
usual price for each appearance" an
swered Van Torp in a business-like
manner. you will pay yourself, O,
we both shall pay you, just as much
as we would pay any other first-class
soprano, or as much more as YOU
would get in London or New York II
you signed an engagement"
rs that fair?" Margaret asked.
why, certainly. But the company
which is you and /, will probabl,
rule that you mustn't sing in grand
opera anywhere in the states east o.
the rockies. They've got to come tc
New York to hear you. Naturally
you'll be free to do anything you like
in Europe outside of our season, wher
| you can spare the time"
"Of course"
well, now, suppose we might n,
well note that down right away, as
| preliminary agreement What do yo,
say?"
i say that I simply cannot refus,
such an offer!" Margaret answered.
| Your consent is all that's neces
sary,' he said, in matter-of-fac
tone.
He produced from an inner poke
a folded sheet of foolscap, which h,
spread on the corner of the table be
side him. He took out a fountain pc,
and began to write quickly The term.
and forms were as familiar to him a.
the alphabet and he lost no time; be
sides, as he had told the prima donna
he had thought out the whole matte
before hand.
What if Mrs. Rushmore comes il
just as we are signing it?" asked Mar
garet.
We'll tell her, and ask her to wit
ness our Signatures replied Val
Torp without looking up. 81 iudg
Mrs. Rushmore to have quite know]
edge of business"
You seem able to write and tall
at the same time" Margaret said
smiling.
Business talk. yes" The pen raj
on swiftly. There. That's about ali
l should say. Do you think you cal
read my writing? don't suppos,
you've ever seen it,"
He turned the page round, an,
handed it to her. The writing wa
large and perfectly legible, but yer,
different from the Commercial han,
of most American business men. An,