The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-14

Ann sank back in her chair
My dear" in the great soprano 5
voice We're all the tones that had
quickened tears in the hearts Of au-
diences throughout the world. you
must not make IL any harder than it
is already. Don't YOU know that i
understand: that am a woman, and
that l understand your pain at part
ing" She moved a step closer. placing
her hand upon AIMS shoulder and turn
ing upon the two m"r.
''YOu have your choice. MIR. Merwin
-milkman or Voice. | had the choice
and Voice won. Ii has brought me
fame. wealth, honor, glory: it has lost
me all that my heart would have chung
to did | consider happiness alone. I do
not say that ii is always So but the
price of fame is often misery. The
prince of Fame must be paid and Fame
is a hard bargainer."
Ann looted up eagerly. timidly. yet
with a strange ferocity to catch the I'M
preston uIon her husband. What she
read upon his face filled her with swift
seIf-reprOa"h.
Il think I understand she whispered
softly. Il want the fame for him
yet he can nevcr be greater TO YOU
than he nov is" y me. Holmes finished
as again her utterance choked.
The SINGER stopped and picked up the
little worsteu shoe. turning it over and
over in her hands. Yes. the prlce ~
fame is great but / would be no artist
did l permit. without giving him his OPP
portunty the voice of your husband to
remain where it is. He will pay the
price: others will pay the price; but
that is the lot of the artist
Ann locked up at her. the light of a
great understanding sympathy upon her
face.
II think-I am beginning to under
stand. she whispered.
".
Strange the qups and WITNESSES of
Chance elusive Chance.
Years that seemed interminable. years
of goadng desperation. discoura cement.
self-sacrifice, endurance stretched be-
hind Henry Merwin as he halted mo-
ment at the stage door of the New York
Grand Opera House to allow one of the
stars TO enter. A bitter smile curved
his lips. lips that had frightened since the
days when the milk route alone OPP
pressed his mind. as he slowly made-up
in the male dressing room for a peasant
in the opening act of 'Pacliacci- He
was a chorus man-only a chorus man.
From below he could hear the strains
OF "Cavaleria Rusticana." which pre-
coded "Pagliacci'' and the voice of Ca
bosso, greatest of all tenors. Cabosso.
who stood where the ignorant young
nilkman had dreamed of standing: Ca
bosso. the announcement of whose sing
ing was sufficient to pack the great
house.
The soul of the artist within him strug-
gled impotently at his situation, the diff
ference between the dream and the
reality. Cabosso singing Canio. the Bit
ter, disillusioned pantaloon. when every
thing that life could hold was his: and
he, Henry Merwin, with voice no less
than that of the star, sang among the
peasants. Unconsciously he threw him.
self into the role of the man, compelled
to amuse the public with his antics. COM
PEELED to don grease paint when he
wished to smear his face with the blood
of rival and unfaithful wife. His lips
opened and the tenor aria at the close
of the first act poured from his throat.
He stopped abruptly as hand fell
upon his shoulder. biting his lips In mute
embarrassment as he looked up into the
eyes of the stage manager. 1t dawned
upon him that ne was transgressing the
rules of the house in singing. that. In all
likelihood, he would be discharged. And
suddenly he was seized with a vast.