Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-06-09
CHAPTER VIII

We'll, I butted in all right" said
Balcomb, cheerfully. Il suppose you're
saying to yourself that it's another
case of the unfailing Balcomb cheek"
You're peach, Jack. and no mis-
take, as I've said before. I wish I had
your nerve"
But say, they just had to have me
in this show! 1t proves how every
little thing helps as we toll onward
and upward. You know I was tenor
on the glee club at college, and you'll
remember that when we came over to
town and gave that concert for the
benefit of the athletic fund l was a
winner, all right. Well, I'm going to
throw my whole soul into this thing
You'll leave an aching void if you
do"
Thanks, kindly. AS I was saying,
I'm going to do myself and Mrs. Carr
proud She's one of the grandest wom-
en- we ever had in this State. Mrs.
Carr knows that all this woman's suf-
frage business is so much Thomas Rot.
She works her sisters just for fun. and
they never catch on a little bit. She
just has to be president of things. and
Leighton thanked his stars that Mrs.
Carr had discovered her tenor without
his help. He and Balcomb were stand
ing in the Carr library, where the last
undress rehearsal of "Deceivers Ever"
was about to begin. Leighton, who
was stage manager, also sang in the
chorus, which appeared in one act as
foresters and in the other as soldiers.
90
erything she did. Her reason for in
sisting that the Dramatic Club, of
which she was president, should give
comic opera was thoroughly ade-
quate, for at this time she was exploit
ing young musician who had lately
appeared in Mariona. and who vas not,
let it be remembered. a mere instructor
in vocal music, but a composer as we'll
He was a very agreeable young man,
who wished to build up a permanent
orchestra in Mariona. and Mrs. Carr
was backing this project with her ac-
customed enthusiasm. Nothing could
help matters forward so we'll as a So
cial success for Max Schmidt He had
written an opera, which many mana
gers had declined for the reason that
the music was too good and the book
too bad.
"Deceivers Ever was the name of
the work, and Mrs. Carr was preparing
to produce an abridged version of 1t on
the night before Thanksgiving. The
scene was set in Germany, and there
were six men-the gay deceivers-au
of them officers in the army. The chief
girl character was the daughter OF a
new commandant of a post. but at a
ball given in his honor she changed
places with her maid, and no end of
confusion resulted. Mrs. Carr had
urged Zelda to take the principal role.
and Zelda had consented, with the I'M
Outstanding that Olive Merriam was to
be elected a member of the club and
given part in the opera.
While Leighton and Balcomb stood
! talking in the library, Herr Schmidt,
| in the drawing groom, Iectured the rest
| of the company in his difficult English.
He now fell upon the piano with
crash and nodded TO Zelda, who began
| one of her solos. When this had been
sung to his satisfaction, the director
/ called for Olive and Captain Pollock
Pollock was greatly liked by the
| people he had begun to know in Mario
/ ma. The men about the Tippecanoe
| Club had the reputation of scrutiniz-
/ ing newcomers a little superciliously
/ in the way of old members of a small
! club, who resent the appearance of
/ strangers at the lounging- room fire
/ side But Pollock fitted into places as
/ though he had always been used to
| them. He told a good story or he
sang a song well, when called on to
do something at the grill-room Satur-
! day nights. Mrs. Carr had given him
one of the best parts in the opera
The young officer and Olive carried
| off with great animation a dialogue in