The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1917-09-15
A SOPRANO
TENOR
3, NORMAN THoRNDYkE

opera company. which i took ION the
road" My singers were not such NJ
one expects to hear vt the Metropolitan
Opera House In New York, but were
good enough for tho audiences they
were intended for. When was ex-
aiming candidates for my first lady's
part young woman came to me who
desired the position. l tried her voice,
but could not quite place 1t. 1t was
not exactly soprano nor was 1t ex-
actly an alto being between the two.
Sometimes 1t sounded little like 4
mans tenor. ! did not exactly fancy
It, but no other woman presented her
self for the position except one who
wanted too large a salary, and l en-
gagged the applicant. Miss Winifred
Richie she gave an her real name and
told mo that was at liberty to use 1t
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 and seemed a
tribe harsh. But this did not prevent
her turning the heads OF several Of
the male singers. Marionelil, my tenor,
whose real name was OGrady, became
desperately smitten with her. and his
attentions being not to her liking was
In constant dread Of losing one or
both of them in the middle of the sea-
non and out OH the road, where could
not repair the deficiency.
The trouble with O'Grady was that
he was not man Of any refinement,
and no rebuff could stand him of. One
day my leading lady came to me and
said that II did not find way to
relieve her Of his attentions she would
take the matter into her own hands.
"What course will you take?" ask
ed. "will you. stick a pin In him?"
"No; I'll stick nothing into him, but
he'll get an eye that will keep him on
the boards for week"
smiled ut the idea of q woman
repelllng lover In such fashion. Then
I asked her In what way O'Grady Of
Tended her. She replied that In love
scenes on the stage which they were
compelled to act together he was much
more demOnstrative than was neces-
sary In a stage embrace.
had q talk with OGrady. In which
l told him that Miss l.ichie would no
longer accept his attentions. and UNI
less he would let her alone I would
send him Oh as soon as could replace
him. But my warning was not efrec-
tive. In the very next performance
he offended again. Nothing occurred
until the curtain was lowered at the
end Of the act. when Miss Richie land
ed blow on O'Grady's eye that turn
cd 1t . sickly green.
| was much put out with Miss Richie
for incapacitating my tenor and rated
her soundly.
Miss Turnlee. my understudy." she
said, "is quite capable Of taking my
/, part, and will take O'Grady's part"
'What.'
I'm take o'Grady's part. can sing
tenor
After she had convinced me that she
was serious tried her voice and found
that 1t was = far better tenor than 3D.
prano.
what does this mean?" asked her.
ut means that can sing In two
different voices"
The next performance was given as
she had suggested, Miss Richie being
dressed as a man, and she produced II
far better impression than O'Grady.
Indeed. az a man singer she was OF
far more value to me than O'Grady
or than she was In a 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 it he
was In a 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 clinched fists. Naturally
averse to such an alteration with
woman he bad 30 recently loved. he
reiterated. But she followed him up
and by quick stroke landed her fist
undey his jaw. lifted him OF his feet
and sent him spra wiling on the boards
Hearing something drop. l ran to
the scene Of action and prevented any
more lighting. put O'Grady out and
told him not to show himself to me
or any Of my company again.
The next day made new contract
with Miss Richie. doubling her salary.
to sing tenor parts and put her under
study permanently In her place. Ny
tenor was soon recognized by = few
persons who had seen him in a wom-
ans part. and 1t began to be whispered
that he was Miss Richie and not
Signor Marascherio, as he was adver-
tised The fact that had a woman
singing \ mans parts drew the curl
Gus. and my attendance increased. In
time they became - large that gave
my tenor another raise. and finally he
was receiving as much in mouth
rs before he had received in a year