The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1918-01-19
A SOPRANO
TENOR
BY NORMAN THoRNDYkE

opera company, which I took ION the
road" My singers were not such as
one expects to hear ut the Metropolitan
Opera House In New York, but were
good enough for the audiences they
were intended for. When l was ex-
amining 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 u soprano nor was 1t ex-
actly an alto, being between the two.
Sometimes 1t sounded little like
mans tenor. l did not exactly fancy
1t, but no other woman presented her
self for the position except one who
wanted too large salary, and l EN-
gagged the applicant. Miss Winlfred
Richie she gave as her real name and
told me that 1 was ut 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 q woman and seemed
trlfie harsh. But this did not prevent
her turning the heads Of several Of
the male singers. Marionelli. my tenor.
whose real name was O'Grndy. 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-
Ron and out on the road, where could
not repair the deficiency.
he was not man Of any refinement.
md no rebuff could stand him OF. One
day my leading lady came to me and
said TINT IL 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
ed. "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 week"
smiled ut the idea of woman
repelling a lov,sI+sucl, 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 demonstrntive than was neces-
sary in u stage embrace.
1 had a talk with O'Grady. in which
l told him that Miss l.icbie would no
longer accept his attentions. and un-
less lie would let her alone ] would
send him of rs soon as could replace
him. But my warning WINS not effec-
tive. In the very next performance
lie offended again. Nothing occurred
until the curtain was lowered at the
end Of the act. when Miss Richie land
cd q blow on O'Grndy's eye TINT turn
cd 1t a sickly green.
was much put out with Miss Richie
for incapncitatins my tenor and rated
her soundly.
Miss Turnlec. my understudy." she
said. "is quite capable Of tnking my
part, and will tnke O'Grady's part"
"What.'
"llI take O'Grndy's part. I can sing
tenor
After she had convinced me that she
was serious tried her voice and found
that 1t was a far better tenor than So
prano.
What does this mean?" asked her.
ut means that ! can sing In two
different voices"
The next performance WIS given az
she had suggested. Miss Richie being
dressed az man, and she produced II
far better impression than O'Grady.
Indeed, as a man singer she was Of
far more value to me than O'Grady
or than she WINS 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 1t 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 unnwares. Now
he confronted her as an enemy. But
she had the advantage of being untrnm-
meled by skirts and stepped toward
him with clinched fists. Naturally
uvcrse to such IN alteration with
woman he had no recently loved. he
reiterated. But she followed him up
and by quick stroke landed her fist
under his jaw. lifted him OF his feet
and sent him sprawling on the boards.
Hearing something drop. ran to
the scene Of action and prevented any
more fighting. put O'Grady out and
told him not to show himself to me
or any Of my company again.
The next dny made a new contract
with Miss Richie, doubling her snlary.
to sing tenor parts and put her under
study permanently in her place. My
tenor was soon recognized by few
persons who Ind seen him In n wom-
ans part. and 1t began to he whispered
that he was Miss Richie and not
SIgnor Marascherio. us he was adver-
tised. The fact that Ind a woman
singing a mans parts drew the curl
GUS, and my attendance increased. In
time they became so large that gave
my tenor another raise. and finally lie
WINS receiving as much In month
.nd In,