The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-12-30
Springfield, Ill, Dec. 20, 1918.

springfield, ILL.,, Dec. 20, 1918.
| Through clipping from the Rich
lmond, Va, News-Leader OF May TO-.
1916, has been revealed an interest
ling story rejecting the genuinely
sentimental side Of Hon. Thomas
tRees, now publisher of the Illinois
State Register at Springfield. More
/ than that, 1t tells how music inspires
/! idealism-how song may live long
!, after the singer has passed away,
| because in all the beauty and color
/ Of ricn shading 1t places an indeiible
! impression upon responsive soul.
| This story, with it's touch OF hui
| man interest. was learned partly
from the clipping referred to above
partly from a friend Of the Spring
! field publisher to whom the latter
modestly related it when the subject
! OF giving recognition to deserving
musicians was under discussion.
| Over forty years ago cit was
some time in the seventies), shortly
| after Mr.. Rees ventured into jour
nafism as publisher Of the Keokuk
!, Constitution, there appeared in the
newspapers there an advertisement
(which read:
I AT the Atheneum
! CAROLINE RICHINGS- BERNARD
| The Famous Soprano
In Grand Opera.
Beautiful, triumphant in her mu-
| steal successes, with a voice that
thrilled i1er audiences, Caroline Rich
Eings scored great triumph in the
old town, as she did wherever she
appeared
She continued her triumphal tour
with her superb opera troupe which
sac headed and financed. She was
"a marvel OF beauty and talent. her
eyes rivaling her diamonds IN bril-
liancy Her costumes were the last
word in artistic taste, made without
regard to cost Those who went to
hear her were delighted. They heard
her sing the Bohemian Girl" with
| it's soothing song melodies, rich or
lchestration and animated choruses.
| In the audience was Mr.. Reefs, then
a young man enjoying his first opera.
He was filled with ecstacy as Caro-
| line Richings, in the character OF
Airline, sang that touching melody:
| Il Dreamt That Dwell in
| Marble Halls"
/ But this star, glittering with dia-
monds and the envy of singers OF
lesser fame. was destined to fail. not
i because of lack of talent, but because
she dared to become the pioneer OF
grand opera in the middle west.
A few swiftly passing years
wrought radical changes in Caroline
| Richings' circumstances. Her devo-
ton to her musical ideals caused her
| to become unmindful Of her finances.
She had always enjoyed plenty and
comfort and knew no other world.
In spite of the glory of her voice
and her ability at first to properly
!, finance the opera. she unsuccessfully
imet one adversely after another. Her
husband helped her so far as he
/ could, but as they travelled from
place to place the ordinary lack Of
appreciation Of real music in tle
! west at that time. and unexpected
expenses at eevry turn, caused the
] clouds of misfortune to hover lower
and closer to this pioneer musical
organization.
They were cheerful in adversely,
however. 1t is recalled that they
! pleased the people of Fort Madison
and Keokuk on one occasion by sing
ing portions of an opera over the
Tong distance" telephone connecting
those cities The telephone was then
in its experimental stage and the in
novation of an opera sung over the
| Telephone for a distance Of twenty
| five miles. then considered very
| great, was indeed marvellous.
But disaster was at hand for Caro-
| line Richings and her operate asso-
! ciates.
/ About this time the company made
their last tour through a few towns
on tie Mississippi river. Again Caro-
| line Richings visited Keokuk.
But what difference!
| Rich costumes had gone in ex-
change for hotel bills, and cheaper
ones had taken their place.
! Yes, Caroline was there, still beau
tiful even in her plain costumes. Her
voice was no less marvellous. Her
limited audiences applauded her time
and time again. They still went into
ecstacies wnen, with a deep 7athos
OF tone shading, she sang the same
! old song:
Il Dreamt That | Dwell in
] Marble Halls"
! In the heart OF one person in Keo-
! kuk particularly that song left an
/ impression. II was Mr.. Rees, with
whom were seated several other
newspapermen who had gone to the
tbeater. as was the custom in those
days, to collect from the box office
receipts the amounts due for adver-I
Using. The small audience had not
left sufficient funds at the box office
! to meet the bills connected with the
performance. The newspapermen
! agreed to permit the theater man
ager to act as receiver and to
divide The receipts. leaving Caroline
Richings and her company enough to