The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-06-20
heSy1nphony

he people oe The Latin quarter.
Whose patronage tie house solicited.
ed moee especially this Friday
night 4 seemed. The manaese knsW
wv such IN unusual number ~
bowed and pushed each othsr In thsls
aagssness % gse near the door. i,
The winners q The covstsl dollars
would not squandsr them this week
Instead. they would ssnd them direct
y to the homeland, whore relatives
and friends were In terror and suf.
fsring.
'"They can't al 90 on, Steve" said
the manager to his assistant, "we'll
have to thin them out. See what
kind Of q turn each ono does and
take the best: get the funniest ev.
cry time. The people have cried
enough this week-they're paying ia
be amused tonight 30 be careful not
to get any weeping.willow acts.
Hustle up, now! I'll look after the
seating. The law allows us to squeeze
In 100 more"
The assistant hurried behind the
scenes and began sorting the per
formers. It was no easy task, and
many were the threats and curses 90
one after another WAS refused Q
chance to 60 on. He had almost IN.
ished his selection when he came "a
Q swafthy little man In the costume
Of sicilian peasant.
"Hullo!" said the assistant. what
do you do. Speak up?"
me playa de pian." said the little
man. moving his fingers over an
imaginary instrument. me playa
good. Ye-es."
mo pianists." said the assistant,
moving on. people no like. Get the
hook. Understands"
"But-me playa nice. Me no gotta
da hook. Me maka da plan to TALK"
mo doubt you can make it walk.
but can't let you try. Next"
The little man turned away, NUT.
tering as his fellows had done, and
the curtain went up for the first per.
former.
There was something wrong with
the audience that night. It was ex.
tremely critical and hard to please.
The merriest jokes fell fiat and the
cleverest trickster was only family ap
plauded.
TITS funny" said the manager as he
and his assistant met in the rear Of
the hall. "What ails them? That last
song was well done and mighty
catchy. Why don't they clap?"
Il don't know" said the other,
gloomily. "At the rate they're turn.
ing 'em down the whole bunch could
have gone on. What! I told that
fellow to keep or"
The little man In Sicilian costume
was standing in the middle Of the
stage. He looked a bit of old Italy
with his curly locks and long gold
earrings. Il come to play 70 you Of
the homeland" he said in his native
tongue. Il have the music that can
make you see 1t as 1t lies in the sun
light. It will make you see the sea
the olive groves and the clear blue
SKY. L1sten!"
The audience grew suddenly still
as he seated himself at the piano and
struck a few soft chords. Then the
notes began to weave themselves in
to story. and as the musician un
folded 1t to his listeners his face
grew rapt and was beautiful.
When he stopped, the crowd brok,
Into frenzy Of applause. Men sobbed
and women screamed.
"whatll he do NEXT" asked the
manager. "The man is q wizard
That's fine! He's playing the Italian
National air. Hurry up, Bowley, and
throw the pictures Of the king and
queen on the screen before they stor
singing. The roof1l fall with theil
noise"
When the lights were turned OF
again the excitement had spent itsel1
q little. the man who had caused It IL
was gone. A reporter for one Of tn.
dailies came hurrying up and seized
the manager by The arm.
! How'd you get him. Davy!" b,
asked. Where is he? want to IN
terview him. Quick, before he q
capes!"
Hes gone already" said the man
eSer. i wanted to see him, too. He,
Just the man for the place"
Tho rnnnpfar .<~~,.als 49,