Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-02-01
cAApTER IM


& Armand MOnCnhELuHu WhOto ouSAa
fvolnminous Memoirs during the fairly
long period of his co-management that
I'VE may well ask II he ever found time
90 attend TO the AFFAIRS OF the opera
Otherwise than by telling what went
on there. M. Moncharmin did not
know a note Of music. but he called
che minister Of education and fine
arts by mis- Christian name, had dab
hled little In society journalism and
enjoyed q considerable private In
come. Lastly, he was charming fel-
low and showed that he was not lack
ang in intelligence, for. as soon as he
made up his mind TO be a sleeping
mariner In the opera, he selected the
hest possible active manager and
went straight to Firmin Richard.
EIrmin Richard was very distin.
guished composer, who had published
y mumber OF successful pieces sof all
hands and who liked nearly every form
~ music and every sort OF musician.
Clearly, therefore, II was the duty Of
every sort OF musician to like M. Fir
min Richard. The only things. to be
maid against him were that he was
Enther masterful In his ways and en-
lowed with q very hasty temper.
The first few days which the part
mers spent at the opera were given
over to the delight OF finding them
helves the head OF so magnificent an
enterprise; and they had forgotten all
shout that furious, fantastic story OF
the ghost, when an incident occurred
that proved to them that the joke
b Joke It were1Mas not over NJ.
Eirmin Richard reached his Office that
morning at eleven O'clock. His secre-
Anry. M. Remy. showed him half q
dozen letters which he had not opened
because they we're marked private"
One Of the letters had at once at
aracted Richards attention not only
because the envelope was addressed
III red Ink, but because he seemed 70
have seen the writing before. He soon
remembered that 1t was the red hand
writing ID which the memorandum
book had been so curiously completed.
he recognized the clumsy childish
Annd. He opened the letter and read:
Dear Mr.. Manager:
II am sorry to have to trouble you
10 a time when you must be 80 very
busy renewing important engage
ments, signing fresh ones and gen
orally displaying your excellent taste.
4 know what you have done for Car
aotta, Sorelli and little Jammes and
tor q few others whose admirable
uualities Of talent or genius you have
suspected
.'Of course, when use these words,
4 do not mean TO apply them to La
Earlotta. who sings like squirt and
who ought never to have been al
aowed to leave the Ambassadors and
the Cafe Joaquin; nor to La Sorellt.
who owes her success mainly to the
cOach.hmlders: nor to little Jammes,
who dances like calf In field. And
i am not speaking Of Christine Daae
Rith6r. though her genius Is certain,
whereas your jealousy prevents her
from creating any important part
when an Is said, you are free to con-
nnct your little business as you think
4ast, are you not?
All the same. should like to take
agantage OF the fact that you have
not yet turned Christine Daae out OF
&Dors BY hearing her this evening in
nhe part OF Siebel, as that OF Mar
srita has been forbidden her since
sr triumph Ok the other evening; and
4 viii ask you not 20 dispose Of my
bin today nor on the following days,
nar / cannot end this letter without
slllng you how disagreeably sur.
Isea I hare been once Or twice. 70
af a arllslDg At the opera that
box Ind been sold, AZ the box
N1ce. ~ gour orders
~ fif not protest aret because
Iits scandal, and. second. because
q oneht that your predecessor
Elnl lenns and F1lisnys Wh0 wsrs
mr4l nhneralnN ftl ma had ntViack.