The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-05-20
ACHANGE OF
VOICE
by LUCY K. WYNKOCP

She sang the principal part in light
opera and sang It remarkably well. In
deed. the manager knew that he could
not do without her. Bit Just at the
time the piece was becoming popular
Miss Manning was taken Ill.
Gordon. the manager. was beside
himself with disappointment He put
on Miss Manning's understudy. but she
did not please the public. The first
week that she sang there was per.
ceptible falling off of the receipts. The
second week showed that he must get
some one more capable of taking the
part or he would make considerab BILE
loss. He was in despair when he re-
ceived note from Miss Manning say
ing that she was much better. but that
her illness had affected her throat and
changed her voice. 1t was now more
like tenor than a soprano Her ply
stefan had given her permission to so
out the next day and she would call
on him.
When she appeared he sat down at
the piano and asked her to sing. He
was very much puzzled. Her voice
had become tenor. but high pitched,
and certain notes could not be told
from those of woman. He won.
dered IL he dare put her on again. II
would depend largely whether the
audience should be sufficiently pleased
with the lady's acting to overlook the
n of In hay IL we e. tvr
her
When she made her entrance upon
the stage the managers heart was up
In his throat When she began to sing
he watched breathlessly the effect
upon her hearers. They seemed to
be puzzled. Those who had heard
Miss Manning before were the most
puzzled of all. 1t was Miss Manning.
but not Miss Manning's voice. And
yet there was something in 1t they
liked. 1t seemed to them that the sing
err was trying to make up for the
change in her voice by her superior
action. No one had ever seen her play
her part as she was playing 1t now,
When the first act ended there was
a hubbub of discussion. All, or nearly |
all. had heard of her illness. and 1t had |
been published that 1t had affected her
throat Some claimed that her voice |
had been spoiled. some that it had been
improved. A few declared that 1t was
more like a mans tenor than WON
ans soprano All agreed that 1t was
not the same voice as before.
BY the time the opera was finished
the audience realized that they had
heard and seen something that. what
ever 1t was. had pleased them. The
singular change in Miss Manning was
noted by the critics in the next morn
ng's journals. and great deal Of GU
.iosity was aroused. Evening came, !
md there was full house. The Sec i
md night all seats were sold before q
he date of the performance and after
hat were engaged week ahead.
But one evening both the manager
nd the audience received a surprise.
The moment Miss Manning began to 4
ing 1t was plain that she had recov-
red her original voice. Some were
,leased: some were not. The change n
n her voice was accompanied by re- b
urn of her former inferior action. a
hose who looked for superiority in ac- l
ion were disappointed: those who ;
,oked to the music for their pleasure
Tere pleased. for in the voice they had !
card Immediately after the lady's
ickness there was often seeming h
train. II,
The critics in their mention of the N
natter In the newspapers were diver +
flied in their opinions. Some of them d
ad consulted throat specialists to n =,
earn how voice could be so changed :
Y disease and so suddenly recovered, :,
ut had not derived much information,
Ince the doctors had not treated the e,
atient. The change back to the origi- Il
al voice created as much comment as tc
10 change from the voice. Miss Man N
ing has completely recovered" said W
ne. "You don't mean It? Does she
ng as well as ever" Better" ~
Just go and hear her"
And 80 crowds fiocked into the the a
.er, and every night cards were put
,. Standing Room Only" The man
yer was delighted. What he had fear ST
| would be great pecuniary loss had til
rned out great pecuniary success. NJ
very day large profits were turned pt
to the bank. though Miss Manning Pe
aimed her share of the profits. ~ N,
n -
ina donna began TO lag. ge
Cant you manage to get sick again of
ID come out of It with different ST
'ice?" asked Gordon one morning aft
a thin house.
Certainly | can," said Miss Man a
ng. but doubt IL the public would -
as easily imposed upon a second II
ne. The critics might get on TO the :.
mbug." sc
What humbug?" II
III tell you tonight in the green =
om." a:
She went away. laughing. while Cor =
n looked after her with a puzzled
preston When he met her again
II evening she had with her a twin ,
Dther 4
This is my tenor voice." she said. r.
o help you and myself out when L
lid not sing furnished him as my C
bstitute. He couldn't do bis best ~,
,ause he was obliged TO use sort IS,