The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-09-17

Yes this was Trilby of the stndios
artiSts model, taking her noondov
rest She sat down upon the model
1hrohe to eat her luncheon and listen
to the music
When SvengaIi had brought the nm
SIC 10 a close, Trilby remarked IL was
HOT very gay, and offered to sing q
song which she knew, and in English
whereat she sang ben Bolt" and fin.
lshed amid an embarrassing silence.
TOT her hearers did not know whether
IL was intended seriously or in finn
such a volume Of sound ensued that n
Hooded the studio, but without melody
or music of any kind, in fact as If +ba
singer were tone-deaf as indeed she
was.
WIN her charm and goodfellowshin
Trilby won the hearts of the Three
musketeers, Billie's most of all, and If
was Billie for whom she felt the deem
est aHection. She cooked for them at
times' mended their clothing, listened
to their music and the wonderful talks
Oh the glory that was Greece and the
grandeur that was Rome" At other
times she criticized their work: In
fact, was quite zone of them"
A climax came one day when Billie,
visiting another studio, discovered
Trilby posing for the altogether" He
was so shocked that he was awakened
to the fact Of his great love for Tril-
by, and rushing home to his friends,
declared that he was going to parbi-
ION to paint the forest and that he
wanted to be alone.
Trilby, too, saw matters in a differ
ent light, and after much self-exam-
nation and struggle, decided that she
would pose no more, but would earn
her living as a fine laundress, with an
old friend who had laundry and was
doing well. Poor Trilby was certainly
one of the frail ones but through ig-
norance, rather than wrong intent;
now she saw her mistake and with her
love for Billie there came a new feel
ing, dawning self-respect.
Nineteen times Billie asked Trilby
to marry him, but she always refused,
feeling herself unworthy. Then one
Christmas night he asked her the
twentieth time, "Will you marry me?
If not l leave Paris In the morning
never to return" and Trilby fearing
to lose him out of her life, finally an
swered yes"
Billie's mother, hearing of the in
tended marriage, journeyed to Faris
to make inquiries about Trilby, finally
deciding that she was not the wife for
her son, all Of which she said to Tril-
by, who in her great love for Billie,
and thinking it best for him, promised
to go away and not see him again.
Trilby kept her promise and Billie
became very i'll; when he had sufti-
GENTLY recovered he went back to
England with his mother his heart, as
it seemed, quite dead.
This was a sorrowful time for Taffy
and the Laird, as they missed both
Trilby and Billie.
Years went by and Billie became a
famous painter, with a beautiful home
in London and many friends.
Then the three Musketeers were to-
gether again in Paris, where they Wis
tied the scenes of former times, at least
going to the old studio, now rented to
other tenants, but having still upon its
wall Billie's famous drawing of Tril-
by's foot, protected by a covering OF
glass; and beneath 1t some stanzas to
"Pauvre Trilby, la belle ct bonnie ct
chere!"
One night they attended a concert
in a large hall on the Rue st. Honore.
The first violin had scarcely taken his
seat before they recognized their old
friend Gecko. Just as the clock
struck, Svengali appeared-the con-
ductor Then a moment OF silence,
and two little page-bOys each drew
silken rope, the curtains parted, and a
tall figure walked slowly down to the
front of the stage. The house rose 10
meet her as she advanced, bowling 10
right and left-"It was Trllby."
Her eyes on Svengali, at signal
from him, she sang without accompanl-
ment in a voice so immense in IT'S
softness, richness and freshness that
it seemed to be pouring itself from all
around; and then her dove-like eyes
looked past Svengalt, straight at blliie'
and all his Iong-lost power OF loving
came back with q rush.
At last-the final performance OF the
evening. Trilby vocaltzed, without
words, Chopin's Impromptu in A nat;
astounding, no piano had ever given
out such notes as these! Amid the
wild applause and enthusiasm OF an
immense audience Trilby had mace
her debuG in Paris.
Her debut in London was di1er-
ent matter; svengaIi Ill, and unable
to conduct, had taken his place IN
box exactly opposite Trilhy' put ms
presence had no effect upon her. Wheh
Hnr m sing she SIlTI-