, 1921-10-07

one OF the bills that advertised the
two-hundredth night Or his new opera
and on the nance sent a note 10 he
theatre. asking him to call AT the
Abemarls the next afternoon She
had not seen him since early in the
spring. IN Paris. when he had seemed
IN a fair way OF being spoiled. and the
reports kind friends had given her OF
him since were not encouraging.
Thoroid was one OF the Thoroids OF
Salem All OF his Immediate ancestors
had been born in Salem. and had gone
back there to be buried. but had lived
IN Boston and on the Continent. The
family had no particular characteris-
ties. kept the ~invariable good looks
OF i;s members and their strong Pnri-
tanism. which they had inherited. and
which had developed itself in the case
OF the wonen into something very like
prudery, and which had made prigs OF
the men. Their discreet actions and
we~ii-reguiated ives had always shown
as strong n family likeness as had
their fine pronlcs. and when Archie"
Thorold developed Into a musical
genius he was looked upon with sus-
picion az tho only member OF the fam
2y whose conduct before tho world
needed the slightest explanation.
He developed this taste very early in
his LIE, and composed Christmas
anthems and hymn tunes at The age
OF nfteen. II which time he was 2lay-
Ing the organ IN the Episcopal church
at Salem. Later. while at Harvard. he
wrote tho music for the Hasty Pudding
theatricais: n two OF the comic songs
OF that production. notably The Night
That McManus Went Broke were
sung all over the United States.
rhorold's elder brothers did not regard
this as fame. and hoped he would give
up writing music Of any class after
leaving college: but he went or to
Baireuth, and from there 10 Munich.
from which place they heard OF him
occasionally as being very busy study
ing thorough-bass. He returned each
winter. and went to dances with his
sisters IN n perfectly rational and
charming way; but he was of again
in tho spring. and when next hey
heard OF him LAdy Maud Anstey's
amateurs and some officers had played
and sung In a cantata he had written
them for n charity entertainment: and
a romantic opera called The Cru-
ssders.' OF which he had written 10Th
score and book. MAS nbout TO be pro-
duced in Paris. This met with sue
cess in London. and later in New York
as wen. and his family finally. ON the
first night OF the operas production
In Boston. experienced the sensation
OF seeing one OF their number leading
an orchestra II was a marked social
as well ms theatrical event. and Thoroid
looked very young mi very much in
earnest as he leaned forward INT beat
his baton at tho violins and scowied
at the ladies OF the chorus. II was
after this that he wrote The Well of
TRUTH
h was a love-soue. and almost
any one with the most Indifferent voice
could make others with any feeling
weep or sigh as 1t was sung 20 them.
BY the time Thorold's second opera
had been produced people had grown
tired OF saying what a wonder it was
his head was not turned. and wanted
something new TO say. so they said it
was such a pity so nice a boy allowed
himself 10 be spoiled. and the critics
and photographers who had stumbled
over one another In their haste TO be
among the first to recognize the new
composer now hastcnod to point out
that the young genius who had awak-
ened TO find himself famous had never
quito recovered from the shock. Thor
old had not given much weight TO the
papers at the first. and so did not mind
their change OF tone at the last. or
their hints that he was repeating him
self. and hat he was. after all, only
a clever ~plagiarist. and had too reten-
tive n memory. This had been said OF
better men than he. But he did mind
what his friends said. for he believed
that they could be actuated only by
interest in his best self. and no was
at hat time engaged in watching his
best SELF critically 10 see how well 1t
vas withstanding this sudden shock of
admiration and easily given sympathy.
-Confound my Puritan ancestors,
anyway" no said one day TO Alice
Ingram. "It's all their doing. They
gave me an artistic temperament and
an tron-bound conscience. and expect
me to decide which one OF them IS
going to win. They Won't compromise.
OF course"
That right" said Miss Ingram,
ren.lessly. Put all tho blame on your
ancestors or ourse you ave no re-
sponsibljtie1."
Alice" Thorold protested, meekly.
don't % think a Good Angel might
occasionally be syInpathetic?"
You know l don't like being called
a Good Angel Miss Ingram answered.
1t sounds like such a horrid sort of
a person; and, besides. you get sym
patty enough from silly girls. and a
lot OF married women who ought TO
know better"
This was In Paris. Since then the
world, as Tar as the world could Judge,
went very well with Archibald Thor
old; but Miss Ingram. through mutual
friend and from his i~nfrequent let
ters, knew That a struggle was going
on between the artistic temperament
and the Puritan conscience. and she
was very sad as TO the result. II
seemed TO her that the very fact that
the world was so ready to excuse 80
much in SO charming and brilliant a
young mar for the work n had dom
made It all the more necessary FOR
him to keep himself u~ntarnished from
the world. and TO refuse to accept its
i~ndulgences, because they were &c
easily given.
It was this quality in Alice Ingram
that attracted Thoroid. She had ap-
pealed TO him when he had FIRST met
her. Just as she had appealed to many