The north Mississippi herald., 1920-09-17


TO the music.
When Svengali had brought the mu-
sic to close, Trilby remarked it was
not very gay, and offered to sing q
song which she knew, and in English,
Whereat she sang Ben Bolt" and fin
ished amid an embarrassing silence;
for her hearers did not know whether
it was intended seriously or in fun;
such volume of sound enSued that 1t
Hooded the studio but without melody
or music of any kind, in fact as if the
singer were tOne-deaf as indeed she
was
With her charm and goodfellowship,
Trilby won the hearts of the Three
Musketeers, Billie's most of all, and it
was Billie for whom she felt the deep
est affection, She cooked for them at
times mended their clothing, listened
to their music and the wonderful talks
of the glory that wds Greece and the
grandeur that was Rome" AT other
times she criticized their work; in
fact was quite lone of them"
A climax came one day when Billie,
visiting another studio, discovered
Irilhy 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 Barbi-
zon TO paint the forest and that he
wanted to be alone.
Jrilby, too, saw matters in differ
ent light, and after much self-exam-
ination and struggle, decided that she
would pose no more but would earn
her living as Il fine laundress, with an
Old friend who had a laundry and was
doing well. Poor Trilby was certainly
one of the frail ones but through ig
n6rance rather than wrong intent; ;
| now she saw her mistake and with her
| love for Billie there came new feel
| Ing, a dawning self-respect.
Nineteen times Billie asked Trilby
! to marry him, but she always refused,
| feeling herself unworthy. Then one
| Christmas night ne asked her the
twentieth time, "Will you marry me?
If not I 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, iourneyed TO Paris
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 ill: when he had Gufli-
ciently recovered he went back to
Er and with his mother, his heart, as
it eemed, quite dead.
This was a sorrowful time for Taffy
and the Laird, as they missed both
! Fri by and Billie.
Years went by and Billie became
nous painter, with 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
-OlIIS W tlit olC Sluuio, lloN iNlltNu "
other tenants, but having still upon its
wall Billie's famous drawing of Tril
by's foot, protected by covering OF
glass; and beneath il some stanzaS to
"Pauvre Trilby, la belle ct bonne et
chere !"
One night they attended a concert
in n 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 moment of silence
and two little page-boys each drew
silken rope, the curtains parted, and
tall figure walked slowly down to the
front of the stage. The house rose t6
meet her as she advanced, bowling tt
right and left-"It was Trilby."
Her eyes on Svengali, at sigma
from him, she sang without accompanl'
ment, in a voice so immense in its
s0ftness, richness and freshness, that
it seemed to be pouring Itself from al
around; and then her dove-like eyes
looked past Svengali, straight at Billie
and all his lOng-lost power of loving
came back with a rush.
AT last-the final performance of the
evening. Trilby vocalized, without
words, Chopin's Impromptu in A fiat
astounding, no piano had ever given
out such notes as these! Amid the
wild applause and enthusiasm Of an
immense audience Trilby had made
her debut in Paris.
Her debut in London was a differ
ent matter; Svengali Ill, and unable
to conduct, had taken his place In q
box exactly opposite Trilby, but his
presence had no effect upon her When
it came time for her to sing she start
ed 'Ben Bolt" but sang only few
bars when the house was in an uproar
of laughter boots and Kisses. Trilby
had lost the power of Singing true
She seemed to be awakening from
sleep, not knowing where she was. Her
Old-time friends rescued her and took |
her home to Billie's mother. Svengali
collapsed from shock and died very
III