The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-17
A SOPRANO
TENOR
By NORMAN THoRNDYKE

ioau MY singers We're not such as
one expects To hear at the Metropolitan
opera House IN New York. bur were
sood enough for the audiences thev
we're intended FOR. When was ex-
ahlhlhg candidates for my first lady's
part Young woman came TO me who
desired the position. tried her voice
out could not quite place il. II Was
hot exactly a soprano nor was il ex-
acli! an alto, being between the two
sometimes il sounded a little like n
man tenor / did not exactly fancy
II, but no other woman presented her
sell Tor the position except one who
wanted too large salary, and | en-
gagged the applicant. Miss Winifred
Richie she gave as her real name and
told me that l was at liberty TO use il
on the bills.
Miss Richie was a very good looking
young woman. She was attractive In
All respects excepting that in ordinary
conversation her voice was pitched
rather low for woman and seemed n
triilc harsh. But this did not prevent
her turning the heads of several of
the male singers. Marionelli, my tenor.
whose real name was O'Gradv. 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
son and out on the road, where l could
not repair the deficiency.
The trouble with oGrady 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 if | did not find way to
relieve her Of his attentions she would
take the matter into her own hands.
What course will you take?' l ask r.
cd. will YOU stick pin in him."
no. I'll stick nothing into him. hut
he'll get an eye that will keep him of
the boards for a week"
smiled Mt the idea OF woman
repelling lover in such fashion. Then
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 stage embrace.
had talk with O'Grady, In which
told him that Miss Richie would no
longer accept his attentions. and un-
less he would let her alone | would
send him off as soon as | could replace
him. But my warning was not effec-
tive In the very next performance
he offended again. Nothing occurred
until the curtain was lowered Mt the
end of the act. when Miss Richie land
ed blow on O'Grady's eye that turn
ed it sickly green.
was much put out with Miss Rlchi,
/ for incapacitating my tenor and ratec
her soundly.
Miss Turnlee, my understudy," sh,
said. "is quite capable of taking my
part. and l will take O'Grady's part.
What"
"I'll take OGrady's part. can sini
tenor"
After she had convinced me that sh'
was serious tried her voice and foun,
that It was far better tenor than so
prano.
What does this mean?" asked her
ut means that | can sing In TIVE
different voices"
The next performance was given a
she had suggested, Miss Richie beinl
dressed as n man, and she produced
far better impression than oGrady
Indeed. as man singer she was o
far more value TO me than O'Grad.
or than she was in sopranos part
His love for Miss Richie had no
been enhanced by the blow he had re
ceived from her, and now that ne ma
been discharged on account OF 1t d
was in fury with her. He rushe
into the wings and began TO abuse hel
When She had given him the blac
eve she had taken him unawares. NOV
he confronted her as an enemy. Bu
she had the advantage of being untran
meled by skirts and stepped towar
him with clinched lists Naturaii
| averse TO such an alteration with
woman he had so recently loved. d
retreated. But she followed him u
and by quick stroke landed her ia
under his jaw. lifted him of his ZEE
and sent him sprawling on the board
Hearing something diop. | ran
the scene of action and prevented an
more lighting put O'Grady out an
told him not TO show himself to NJ
or any of my company again.
The next day | made new contra'
with Miss Richie. doubling her salar'
10 sing tenor parts and put her unde
study permanently in her place. NJ
tenor was soon recognized by fe
nersons who had seen him in Won
ans mart and it began to be whispere
that he was Miss Richie and N
Sirnor Marascherio. as he was adve
tlsed The fact that had woma
singing a mans parts drew the cui
Gus and my attendance increased
time they became so large that ga'
my tenor another raise, and hnaiiy