The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-01-06
THE PRlMA DONNA AND
THE HAUNTED HOUSE,
An Adventure as Well as Venture of
Suburban Real Estate That BefeIl
Aida Hemmi, Soprano With the
Abcrn English Grand Opera Com
pany.


Possibly most of us at one time or
another have had an ambition to
shine as u landed proprietor" said
Aida Hemmi, prinabdonna soprano
with the Aborn English Grand Opera
company. 81 recently gathered to-
gether all my loose<capital. and for
several seasons | stinted and saved,
so could buy home near the great
metropolis, where might find the de-
lights and comforts one hears 81
much about, not oply from friends
who have country ZONES, but from
the very plausible# gentlemen who
make it d busfnessto sell country, Or
rather should say5suburban real es-
tate. ''
"In time" continued Miss Hemmi,
my fund grew to substantial proper
lions, and dreams Of the kind OF a
place would like to buy were my
hourly companions. Z think | ideal
lied the sort ora home wanted, and
confided my ambition to my friends,
and then my first troubles began.
found, strange to say, that what !
wanted my friends did not like, and
what they liked, | did not want. Then
the enterprlsing real estate men be-
gan to make their calls on me, as
Lad written several of these gentle.
men, telling them was in the mar
ket for a suburban home. After the
real estate men began to call, the en-
element OF securing a home began in
earnest. There were frequent auto
mobile trips down the Jersey coast,
and over through Long Island But Il
! made no difference what | found, 1t
! never suited my friends, and It never
occurred to these friends to consider
:, my wishes IN the matter Of my pro.
posed home, for by that time they had
Ocgun to think that they had right
10 be consulted in the matter of the
purchase. Well days, and even weeks
passed in this way. and passed with
ont my securing 4 title to home.
One day by the merest chance, |
learned of a rural seat for sale on
Long Island, and being tired and
bored by the suggestions of my
friends, quietly put on my wraps,
and taking my auto, went in quest Of
the place, taking the greatest care not
to mention the matter to my friends,
only phoning the agent to meet me
there. When | reached the house, the
agent was there to greet me, and he
was one of those chaps, who as they
say in the profession, gets over the
footltghts, 1t may have been art on
his part, personal magnetism or per-
haps 1t was the psychological hour,
but he sold me that house." added the
prima donna.
~ returned to the CITY," continued
Miss Hemmi, land surprised my
friends with the announcement OF my
purchase. and they, strange to say,
did not take the news in the cheerful
way l expected. But their attitude
cid not In the least disturb me, and
the following day, taking a woman
friend, my maid and couple Of do.
mestics, | started in my car, for
home It was an ideal day, the birds
sang. the breezes blew, and all nature
looked like a scene from Madam But
terFly,' and reminds me of that plain.
tive song OF Azucona in II Trovatore,
lack to Our Mountains and as Gus
automobile sped out in the country, II
hummed that beautiful song in sheer
JOY and happiness. and. thought Verdi
must have composed 1t on just such a
day. When the new home was reach
ed, 7 noticed on the lawn, here and
there, clusters of flowers peeplng out
III the morning sunshine, as II to vel.
come tleirnew mistress.
soon we were at work in the new