Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-03-11
THE HARP CAME BACK
Incident In the Career of an Old
Time Opera Manager.
A SURPRISE FOR MARETzEK.
Il Came at q Time When Max Was
Broke and the Sheriff Had Levied
Upon All His Stage Properties-Mme.
Mareszek's Thanks to the Carpenter.

Maretzek's Thanks to the Carpenter.
In the old days in New York city,
before there was Metropolitan or a
Manhattan Opera House and when the
center of the theatrical world was
around Fourteenth street, Max Maret-
eek and Strakosch were prominent at
the old Academy Of Music. There was
keen rivalry between them. Stra-
kosch had Nilsson, and Maretzck was
exploiting Di Murska.
By some error Of dates both were
booked for New York at the same
time. Strakosch was at the Academy
and Maretzek. having closed a poor
season elsewhere, had halted In New
York before going to Philadelphia and
secured a week at the Lyceum theater
on Fourteenth street. There were
strong bills at both places. Each man.
ager had his friends, and the bill
posters had a busy time Of 1t. A round
of bills for one company was no sooner
posted than the rival billposter COW
cred up the poster with the rival COM
pany's sheets.
At last, for the matinee on Satur-
day. bills at both houses were sudden
ly changed, every vacant fence place
plastered over quickly, and with a
pelting storm in the morning the man.
ayers began to put out paper" to Gil
the houses. Alfred Joel was the bust
ness man for Maretzek and an adept
at "papering" when necessary. With
a house packed from parquet to gal
lery Joel had counted the boxes, found
only 500 In the house and announced
it to Max when the curtain fell be-
tween the acts.
This was serious to Max. The ever
ready money lender who had put up
for him" had lien on the box office. a
sheriff's officer was in waiting on the
stage, and 1t was question of re-
plevin before the properties and cos
tunes could be liberated to follow the
company to Philadelphia early next
morning.
well, Alfred" quietly said Max. 81
guess I'm used to trouble. But there
is a good. big house anyway" Then,
turning to his wife. who was the harp
list Of the orchestra. he clasped both
her hands, kissed her and remarked:
"Let your fingers do their best. l
want to hear you play. 1t does my
heart good. you know, even when
there's trouble"
There was hustling after the per-
Torrance. Legal talent was at pre-
MUM, creditors were obdurate. every
thing that was supposed to be Maret-
zek's was temporarily In 'hock," and
Nine. Maretzek in tears. with longing
looks at the harp she valued.
The scene Of negotiations was trans
ferred to the greenrOom just as the or
fcers making the levy were searching
for more. and when their backs were
turned the old stage carpenter buried
Nine. Marelzek away. then called her
back again five minutes after ana
pointed TO the orchestra.
The harp had disappeared. Clearing
out everything Oh Sunday morning
while the boxes Of properties were 10
ing taken away. Max and his wife
stood in the center of the darkened
stage. Both were crying. The insiru-
ment they valued most had been taken
from them. Other things had been
liberated. but no harp. and with q
scene of grief that 10 others than
themselves could have appreciated
they were silent.
Then Old Man Guernsey stood be-
tween them and waved his band acove
them into space. There were creak'
ing Of pulley wheels. al injunction
from the carpenter to "look out tos
your heads" and. lowered from above,
came Nine. Maretzek's harp. landing
on the stage between them.