Connecticut western news., 1910-09-08
Metamorphosed By DOROTHEA HALE Copyright, 1910, by American Press
 Association.


 at his desk. He had given out that he needed one who could take woman's part to act, dance and sing. A girl about twenty years old. comedy, with a good figure and bright face, entered.
 ''Dance?" asked the manager.
 The girl replied by pirouetting about in good style.
 ''Singr
 full, round soprano and very sweet. The range was remarkable.
 "Act?"
 She recited a passage in a well known play.
 You are engaged"
 Miss Fredrica Harrow proved sue cess. She had in her a certain spirit of delivery that was especially appro- priate to the parts she took. One role she played was that of female Meph- istopheles. When the audience left the theater after the performance they felt that they had been under the in- fuence of deliciously bad girl.
 One Sunday morning the manager went to church It is possible for a manager of a burlesque troop to go to 1 church and with religious motives. But this manager did not go with such 1 motives. He went because he had heard that in the choir was a remark ably fine tenor. The services opened with tenor solo. The manager was astonished. There was Miss Harrow in mans clothes. He not only recog- nized her by her face, but through her voice, which was Miss Harrow's lower notes.
 But there was one difference between Miss Harrow soprano and Miss liar row tenor. The latter was as heavenly as the former was develish. She sang an Ave Maria" and it seemed that an angel rather than a mortal was praying to the Virgin. The manager did not wonder that the tenor was ex- citing attention. But he had no use for him in burlesque opera. He ex- pressed the good, and with that the manager was not concerned. l Where were you last night?' asked the manager the next day when Miss Harrow came to rehearsal.
 At home"
 The manager said no more. He had slept over the tenor's identity and had come to the conclusion that he could not be Miss Harrow. ./
 Not long after that a man in his troupe fell sick, and there was no one to take his part.
 How low are his lowest notes p asked Fredrica.
 The manager told her, and she said that she thought she could take the part. He also asked her to sing the lower notes. but she said she couldn't jump right into them; she must get 1t l by practice. She left him, agreeing 1 to be ready for the part when required
 Miss Harrow in mans clothes was a very different person from Miss Har- row in woman's clothes. In the first place, instead of singing the part in a 1 low soprano voice, she sang it as a tenor. In the second. she made fail ure in her action. Instead of being adapted to burlesque, she sang as if she were in oratorio.
 What the dickens is the matter with you?' said the manager after the first act. Your singing is all right indeed, it's a wonder for a woman but you act as if you were preaching a sermon"
 Miss Harrow hung her head and 1 looked hurt. However, she finished the performance, and before the man. ager could catch her to find any more fault with her she had gone home. But the next day when she went into l the theater he tackled her.
 There was something funny about 1 your work last night. How did you l get down to a real baritone, and what made you act like clergyman" 1 II told you that with a little prac- 1 tice 1 could do the low notes, and, as for my acting, the part is- different from those I've been playing. It is not a rollicking role.' | And it wasn't taken out of a hymn 1 book, either"
 'T'm sorry. I thought I could take i baritone parts sometimes"
 'So you can, but not where there's any deviltry in them"
 In a few weeks the regular baritone was down again.
 T think" said Fredrica, II can take that role. It's more serious"
 Who'll take your part"'
 "1 think can take them both."
 "Nonsensev
 "I'll show you how it can be done to- morrow at rehearsal" And she trip ped away.
 When the rehearsal came and the manager went on to the stage to con- duct 1t he was more bewildered than ever There were two Fredrica Har- rows, fine and superfne. Flows this?' asked the manager. staring from one to the other.
 Permit me-" said Fredrica. ito in | troduce my twin brother, Frederick Harrow. He has a tenor voice."
 Then she admitted that she had sub stituted him for herself in the mans part; that while she was all frolic he was religiously emotional.
 Well" said the manager. 'T want