Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-07-24
Metarnorphosed
a. DOROTtiEA HALE
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

ASSQ<a 11< " ~ WIN haoG - 'Safe4 y
part TO act. dance and sing. A girl
about twenty years old, comely. with a
good figure and a bright face. entered.
Dancer asked the manager.
Tie girl replied by pirouetting about
In good style.
"Sing"
She ran the scale. Her voice was a
full. round soprano and very sweet.
The range was remarkable.
'Acty'
She rscited passage in well
known play.
You are engaged"
Miss Fredrica Harrow proved sue
cess. She had In her certain spirit
of delivery that was especially appro-
pirate to the parts she took. One role
she played was that Of u female Meph-
is,opheles When the. audience lief;
the theater after the performance they
felt that they had been under the In
fuence of a deliriousiy bad girl.
One Sunday morning the manager
went to church. II Is possible for a
manager OF burlesque troop to so to
church aud with religious motives
But this manager did not go with such
motives. He went because he had
heard that In the choir was remark
ably Hue tenor The services opened
with q tenor solo. The manager was
ssfonished. There was Miss Harrow
in mans clothes He not only recos-
nized her by her face. bur through her
voice, which was Miss Harrow's lower
notes.
But there was one difference between
Miss Harrow soprano and Miss Har-
row tenor. The latter was as heavenly
as the former was develish. She sang
an ave Maria" and 1t seemed that
an angel rather than 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 e.
pressed the good. and with that the
manager was not concerned.
where were you last nightT asked
the ma nager the next day when Miss
Harrow came to rehearsal.
lat home"
The mauager said no more. He had
slept over the tenOr's identity aud had
come to the conclusion that he could
not be Miss Harrow
Not long after that man In bis
troupe fell sick. and there was no one
TO take his part.
How low are his lowest uotesr
asked Fredrica.
The manager told her. and she said
that she thought she could take the
part He also asked her to slug the
lower notes. but she said she couldn't
jump right into them: she must get II
by practice. She left him. agreeing
10 be ready for the part when required
Miss Harrow IN mans clothes was
very different person from Miss Har
row in woman's clothes In the drsf
place. instead Of singing the part in
low soprano voice. she sang IL as
tenor In the second. she made fail
ure In her action. Instead Of being
adapted to buriesoue. she sang as 10
she were in oratoria
What the dickens Is the matter
with youf" said the manager after the
first act Your singing. Is all right
indeed. it's q wonder for a woman
but you act as II you were preaching
a Sermon"
Mise Ha4ow hung her head and
looked suM However. she finished
the performance. and before the man
aaer could catch her 70 find any mors
fault with her she had gone home
But the next day when she went int
the theater ne tackled her,
There was something funny about
your work last night. How did yor
get down 10 q real baritone. and wha'
made you act like q clergy man:"
II told you that with q little prae
tice | could do the low notes. and. a.
for my acting. the part Is dihereui
from those I've been playing II Is
not q rollicking role"
And it wasn't taken out OF hymn
book. either"
I'm sorry thought could take
baritone parts Something's"
so you can. but not where there's
any oeylltry I'd tbeH
In a few weeks the regular baritone
was down again.
Il think said Fr~drica. Il can take
that role. It's more serious
Who'll take y0us parfy
I think 4 can take them both"
Nonsense"
IN show you how II can he done to
morrow at rehearsal" and she trip
ped sway
When the rehearsal came snd the
manager vent on 70 the stage 10 e,sn.
suct IL he wss more bewiiderrd thar
ever There we're two fredrirs Hsr-
rows. 6ue and snper6oe.
-How's rhlsT- ssked rhe Manager
staring from one 10 ibs osn-r-
Permit me- said Fredrica- to IN.
- -