The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-09-06
A SOPRANO
TENOR
BY NORMAN THoRNDYKE

After number OF ventures in mu-
sico theatrical way organized a comic
opera company, which | took "on the
road Ny singers were not such as
one expects 10 hear at the Metropolitan
opera House in New York. but were
COOL enough for the audiences they
were intended Tor Whom / was cN-
amluing candidates for ny Hrst ladys
pant young woman came 10 me- who
desired the position | tried her voice,
but could not quito place g. II was
not exactly soprano nor was it OK.
actly an alto, being between the two.
Sometimes II sounded little like a
mans tenor | did not exactly fancy
II, but No other woman presented her
self for the position except one who
wanted too large a salary, and / en-
gagged the applicant Miss Winifrcd
Richie she gave rs her real name aud
told me that I was at liberty 10 use IL
ON the bills
Miss Richie was very good looking
young woman. She was attractive in
all respects excepting that in ordinary
conversation her voice was pitched
rather low for a woman aud seemed u
trlflc harsh But this did not prevent
her turning the heads Of several Of
the male singers Marlonelll, my tenor,
whose real name was O'Grady, became
desperately smittcn with her. and his
attentions being not to her liking was
In constant dread ~ losing one or
both Of them In the middle Of the sea
sou AMI out on the road, where could
not repair the deficiency.
The trouble with O'Grady was that
he was not man ~ any refinement,
and no rebuff could stand him on one
day my leading lady came 90 me and
said that II did not find way ~
relieve her Of hi attentions sffe would
take the matter into her own hands.
what course will YOU takcT ask.
90. VIII you stick a pin In hlmf"
NO. III stick nothing into him, hut
he'll get an eye that viii keep him on
the boards Tor week"
smiled at the idea OF woman
rcpeimg a lover iH such fashion Then
| asked her ia what way O'Grady Of
Tended her. She replied that IN love
scenes on the stage which they wcr'
compelled TO act together be was much
more dcmoustratiyc than was ucccs-
sary On stage embrace.
had a talk with OGrady. IN which
| told him that Miss Richie would no
longer accept his attentions, and m-
less he would let her alone / would
send him OF a.. soon as ! could replace
him But my warning was not encc-
tive In the very next performance
be offended. again Nothing occurred
until the curtain was lowered az the
end II the act when Miss Richie land
ed blow on O'Grady's eye that turn
ed Il slckly green.
was much put out with Miss Richie
Tor incapacitatlng my tenor and rated
her soundly.
Miss Turnlcc. my undcrstudy," she
said. rs quite capable OF taking my
part. and will take o'Grady's part"
What
I'm take o'Grady's part. l can sing
tenor
After she had convinced me that she
was serious | tried her voice and found
that Il was far better tenor than SO
prano.
What does this mean | asked her
ut means that can sing in two
different voices"
The next performance was given rs
she had suggested, Miss Richie being
dressed as man. and she produced II
far better impression than OGrndy
Indeed, as man singer she was OF
far more value 70 me than O'Grady
or than she was In sopranos part.
His love for Miss Richie had not
been enhanced by the blow he had re
ceived from her, and now that he had
been discharged on account of il he
was in fury with her He rushed
into the wings and began TO abuse her
When she had given him the black
eye she had taken him unawares. Now
he confronted her as an enemy. But
she had the advantage OF being untram-
meled by skirts and stepped toward
him with cllnched fists Naturally
avcrse TO such an alteration with
woman he had 50 recently loved, he
-retrcated. But she followed him up
and by quick stroke landed her fist
under his jaw, lifted bm on his feet
and sent him sprawlins ON the boards
Hearing something drop, | ran to
the scene Of action and prevented any
more lighting put O'Grady out and
told him not 30 show himself to me
or amy Of my company again.
Tho next day | made new contract
with Miss Richie, doubling her SALARY,
10 sing tenor parts aud put her under
study permanently IN her place. My
tenor was soon recognized by few
persons who had seen him In wom-
ans part and II began 10 be whispered
that he was Miss Richie and not
Signor Marascherio, Ms he was adyer
tised The fact that had a woman
singing mans paris drew the curl.
Gus, ana my attendance increased In
time they became SO large that | gave
my tenor another raise. aud finally he