Robert Alfred Simon

“ For a moment it seemed as though she might some day escape from passing through things year after year by becoming a great singer. But at the end of this rainbow lay—Madame Schneider. And now— more Madame Schneider!
It was all so hopeless. What had she to live for? Well—there was Arnold. Yes, she might live for Arnold. But she didn’t feel the right sort of love for Arnold or for any man. Oh, what might have been if her parents had given her opportunities, if they had introduced her to the right men, if they had permitted that freedom which some of the girls she knew enjoyed! ”

“ He sat beside her on a cozy sofa. Dorothy was surprised that a man so careless of his appearance should have so neat and so delicately designed a studio. An ebony grand piano, draped in a glittering orange cover, took up one corner of the room. There was a little desk near the door and a large cabinet along one wall. Instead of the conventional wall lights or chandeliers there were four large golden lamps, on slender pedestals. The light was diffused and the atmosphere was intimately silky.
“So you are almost ready for your recital,” remarked Soedlich. ”

“ Loamford went on. “Mr. Borge understands.”
“But I have no accompanist,” objected Dorothy, by way of erecting an insuperable barrier to any exhibition.
“You really ought to learn to play your own,” said Mrs. Loamford. “Mr. Borge, would you believe that Dorothy took music lessons for eleven years, but that she doesn’t play a note today? I often say it’s a shame for a girl with so much talent to neglect her music that way. Think of it! She studied the piano for eleven years—and she can’t play for herself.”
“Sounds like a pupil of the late Professor Abendschein,” observed Tommy. ”

“ Dorothy studied the floor thoughtfully.
“Isn’t that terrible?” she said. “Of course, I suppose I'll have to give a recital sooner or later, and I thought this——”
She made a disconsolate gesture.
Tommy moved closer to her and tried to take her hand in a paternal way. Dorothy resisted his effort.
“Listen, Dot," said Tommy. “I know a man who really is on the inside. He’s a critic for a big musical paper. I can give you a note to him and he'll hear you, and he’ll tell you what to do. He knows what he’s talking about, and he hasn’t anything to gain by it. His name’s Oscar Fleming. ”

“ Great singing may be founded on mere understanding, on knowing the souls of men and women. But it is rooted in human experience. You must have human experience, my child, before you can become a great artist.”
Dorothy rose. ”

“ I guess Miss Blagden’s School is a pretty first-rate one to graduate from, too, isn’t it, Dorothy?”
What could one say in answer to such a question?
“It’s the best in the city,” said Mrs. Loamford, smugly. It was a distinction to have a diploma from Miss Blagden’s School, Dorothy thought. Her father had never completed high school and her mother had drifted about in various public schools, never, apparently, obtaining any certificates of recognition. Dorothy reflected how easily she had gone through Miss Blagden’s curriculum. ”

“ Tommy continued, “I don’t want to do the man an injustice. He’s very able. He’s turned out some splendid artists.”
Dorothy smiled gratefully. Tommy’s authoritative statement might convince her mother where Dorothy’s had failed.
“That may all be very well,’ responded Mrs. Loamford determinedly, “but it’s my opinion that it’s just as good not to turn out such wonderful artists if—you understand me, I’m sure, Mr. Borge. And Madame Schneider is a very charming and talented woman. She’s a singer herself.” ”

“ You young people seem to go in heavily for ‘inspiration-—whatever that is. Hard work, Dorothy—that’s all you need. Just do what Madame Schneider says.”
“T haven’t anything against Madame Schneider. It’s just that she doesn’t make me want to sing. Something that ought to be there—isn’t.”
Mrs. Loamford pushed aside her sewing to show that she would settle this debate instantly.
“This is all very foolish and very hysterical of you, Dorothy, and I’m surprised. You have a God-given voice and your father and I are doing everything possible to give you an opportunity to develop it. ”

“ But business is business, whether you’re selling hats or shoes or automobiles or concerts. It’s the man who goes out and puts the business on the books that wins! So call on me when you're ready to give a concert, and we'll show them whether we can’t put the thing across—and put it across big!”
It seemed to Dorothy as though everyone were expecting her to rush from the platform after graduation to Aeolian Hall and to burst into the opening selection of a recital program. ”

“ There was an overpowering simplicity about Madame Schneider’s studio on upper Broadway. The Madame herself opened the door to a tiny reception room, which contained a few chairs, a table with copies of last year’s musical journals, and a collection of framed autographed pictures from various musical lights. Few of these photographs were inscribed specifically to Madame Schneider, but the gallery was imposing, nevertheless. The studio proper was a slightly larger room, containing a middle-aged piano, several music cabinets, two chairs, and more autographed pictures. ”

“ Rose remarked, placing her elbows behind her on the table and lifting herself. "I can't be annoyed about them. I only love one man."
The girl was talking nonsense.
"I'm terribly interested in poor Paul. 'His voice was gone, my child, but his diction-'"
Rose mimicked Mme. Graaberg with irreverent accuracy.
"You've got a wicked diction," she added suddenly. “Each word a pearl, each pearl a prayer. You'll be in recital quick after they let you out.”
Rose swung up on the table, and perched there, swinging her attractive legs.
Dorothy shook her head. She couldn’t talk to Rose. ”

“ A lot of girls didn’t know anybody as nice as Arnold, and he was getting along wonderfully in the firm of Emerson, Goldberg and Emerson, bankers and brokers, in which his father had an interest. And Arnold didn’t have to work! Dorothy admired him for traveling all the way to Wall Street at the far end of the city every morning when he might have stayed at home or amused himself by motoring in the country. For a frugal grandfather had left to Arnold a complicated estate which provided what the girls of Miss Blagden’s School called a marrying income. ”

“ That evening her father approached her.
“What’s this I hear about your wanting to stop lessons with Madame Schneider?” he demanded.
Dorothy was silent. Mr. Loamford never persisted long. She would let this episode spend itself.
“Your mother and I can’t understand it at all,” he went on. “She’s exceptionally competent. You should consider yourself fortunate to have such a good teacher.” ”

“ A commercial note was run into her concert plans. She would see that a retraction was published. Everyone would read this. Everyone would read this. . . perhaps it might attract an audience.
Her mother fumed for ten minutes over the picture, and then sent out for twenty extra copies of the paper. Arnold telephoned excitedly. The telephone kept ringing all afternoon. Apparently everyone had seen the picture. Her mother’s friends cried out that they were thrilled—positively thrilled to see Dorothy’s picture in print. They were sure that everyone would want to hear the recital now. ”

“ One of the girls had said he as "too virginal to be exciting," but Dorothy rather like to think that Arnold wasn't somebody else's cast-off. Even so, he would kiss, if he were prompted. Her mother didn't know much about men! Mrs. Loamford rose and looked out into the street. She twisted the cord of the window shade.
“Perhaps you wonder why I’ve told you all these things,” she said finally. “Only because I wouldn’t be doing my duty as a mother if I didn’t tell you everything you ought to know. So many mothers neglect their duty to their children that way. They don’t tell them these things. ”

“ Dorothy thought of Rose Manning and smiled a little maliciously.
“The policy of this management is to make débuts possible for any promising artist. Many bureaus are interested only in the management fee. What I am driving at is that the mere appearance, as such, is available to anyone who can afford it. We have a certain standard, The artists who appear under our direction gain a certain prestige by that connection. I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing Miss Loamford sing.” ”

“ Graaberg waved her hand grandly.
“It’s a fine voice—do not worry about that. Many a big singer might envy you such freshness of tone and your beautiful diction. It is there your strength lies. Such a lovely diction!”
Dorothy soon discovered that her achievements at the concert had not gone unnoticed by her fellow pupils. Rose Manning, a slim little girl, whose bright brown eyes and deep red hair made her the centre of attraction at the visits of the St. Michael choristers, approached her one afternoon in the library, bearing compliments. Dorothy had always mistrusted Rose. ”

“ The great discovery that Dorothy was an unusual girl seems to have been established in Baby’s Third Month.
“Uncle Elliott was here today and looked over baby and said ‘Yes, she is a typical Reitz.’ All ready I can see the Reitz look on baby’s face when she is smiling and when she is ill she looks a little like her father who is very happy and proud of her. I know that she will grow up to be an unusual woman and may I be spared to help her.” ”

“ Her mother glared at her as though she were ready to ignite her at the nearest convenient stake for this heresy.
“She’s most capable. Let us have no more of this. Study hard—and you will see that I am right.”
“But I can’t work with a person who doesn’t—who doesn’t inspire me.” ”

“ She heard women sobbing and she saw tired-looking men rub their eyes with the backs of their hands. Her mother seemed to be weeping. She could not be certain. Uncle Elliott sat near the minister, looking exhausted and grave.
She heard Dr. Welch’s voice drop. He was muttering a prayer. There was a scraping of chairs, and the mourners passed to the street, where a long black motorcar was waiting. Dorothy took Uncle Elliott’s proffered arm and followed him out of the house after Dr. Welch and her mother. They entered an automobile behind the long car. No one spoke. ”

“ We have dances here now and then, which the students of St. Michael’s Conservatory attend. They are so jolly! And before the dances, the St. Michael’s Male Choir always gives us a recital. Last year they sang a program of motets by Palestrina and Bach. My dear, it was most interesting!”
Mrs. Loamford nodded enthusiastically.
“This sounds most encouraging,“ she remarked. “Girls today spend too much time in gadding about. Dorothy is a sensible girl, but there’s no use letting her have nothing to do with her time. I suppose the girls go to concerts in a body?” ”

“ But you’re going to be faced with temptations in your work and I thought you ought to know—these things.”
Dorothy thanked her mother and went to her room. She rummaged among a pile of dusty books hidden in the back of the clothes closet. Finally she discovered the volume for which she had been searching. She opened it at the preface and smiled.
“Authorities differ,” the preface began, “as to the age at which direct sex instruction should be given to young girls. All agree, however, that the girl’s mother, if living, is the person best qualified to impart the facts of life to her daughter. ”

“ How simple did her mother think she was?
“I know, mother,” said Dorothy. “We had lectures on sex hygiene in biology class.”
Mrs. Loamford blushed at the word “sex.” Young girls didn’t care what they said nowadays!
“How could they do that?’ she demanded. “You never told me anything about it before. I don’t believe in such things. I’m surprised to hear Miss Blagden tolerated them.”
Her indignation, however, didn’t destroy the continuity of her discourse.
“Every woman, after she has reached a certain period of life, begins-"
It wasn’t what she wanted to say. ”

“ His clientele was not large, for the Professor—the title had been bestowed on him by his students only—had little genius for self-advertisement, but his pupils were loyal. He brought with him an atmosphere of old-world coffee cups and an echo of conservatory days when he had been the companion of many a young artist whose fame since had become international. ”

“ It doesn’t matter what you're selling. You can put a concert over just as well as you can move a line of fedora hats, if you get behind it and push. People have seen the name of Reitz so much that when they think of a man’s hat they think of Reitz. It’s the same way with a concert. When they see ‘Dorothy Reitz’ often enough, they know it. Then, when they think of music, they think of Dorothy Reitz. ”

“ SWEET ARE THE USES OF PUBLICITY
Dorothy’s reflections on the sudden and violent change in the demeanor of Tommy came to an end before evening. Arnold’s automobile stopped before 137 West 88th Street and its owner marched up the stairs to the door, whistling whatever he could remember of “Dardanella” jauntily yet sentimentally. Dorothy was delighted to see Arnold. He was a dependable sort. He wasn’t fearfully smooth, like Maxwell, or fearfully rough, like Harper or—like Tommy. She didn’t feel at home in the offices of the Underwood Concert Corporation. Things happened too rapidly for comfort. ”

“ Madame Schneider went on, “and keep regular habits. You will understand what that means, I am sure, or, if not, your mother will tell you. Above all, get plenty of fresh air and breathe deeply every morning on rising and every night on retiring. A good physique and good health are necessary to every successful singer and many a person whose voice has been nothing unusual has risen to the top by taking the best possible care of himself.
“At the end of six months, Mrs. Loamford, I want you to come here again with Miss Dorothy, and hear the difference in her singing. ”