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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 1895)
the Courier. l !$ TV- s 5 MtC ' e1 &- characters out of the way, an excuse to stop. It would have been more frank in Mr. Hawkins to have stopped without an excuse. But the book as a whole rings true and Philip Hale, the Journal ist, who acts as a sort of Greelc chorus between the book and reader never dis appoints one. The dialogue is of course unusually fino. sometimes clever, some times still cleverer by reason of its stupidity, the kind of talk one likes to hear and the talk ono is compelled to hear. It is the dialogue that mikes Mr. Hawkins' characters seem so alive, for it is talk with which reasonable and reasoning beings might address each other. Then his characters are able to hold sweet converse upon other subjects than the grand passion, which is an unusual accomplishment in characters. Tho book is full of that delicate cynicism that we met in "The Prisoner of Zenda" and the "Dolly Dialogues," and there is thesjme quiet gentlemanly way of telling the sad truth, as when Philip Hale tells Torn, "One can't oven be kind in the way ono likes best." No, that's the curse of it all, one can't. Its when wo most want to give bread that we must give tho stone and the serpent. Life would be much easier if it were otherwise. It was whispered about Tuesday that Misses Ethel and Alice Dovey, the two wonderful little daughters of Mrs. George Dovey of Plattsmouth were in town. They have recently returned from Madame Cellini's school of music in London where they will take up their musical studies again next year. Through the kindness of several persons I had an opportunity to go and hear them Tuesday afternoon, and I went. Not that I expected to be entertained, O, dear no! 1 have no weakness for prodigies. I had never heard a child who could sing and I never expected to hear one. The misguided infants with white dresses and blue sashes and golden curls who sing at Sunday school concerts were never dear unto my soul, and their curls never atoned for their sharp rigid little voices. When I saw the little Dovey girls I was still more discouraged, not but that they were pretty enough, but they were so little. I had heard they were young, but here were two tiny little things, ten and twelve years old, and small for their age. They were both charming ' little people, but there are so many charming people who are not great. Ethel has the real tragic eyes, tho big gray eyes set deep and shaded by long lashes. That was the only ray of hope I saw. After a while the little girls quietly took their place by the piano and began to sing. It was some old English song that begins "I know a bank where wild thyme grows." It was simply wonderful. That is all I can say. It was the singing of chil dren, and yet not of children. It was the child idea glorified, like the music of young composers and the songs of young poets. So far as I could see. though so little, they were both almost perfect in method. The little soprano, the youngest of the two, has a voice of wonderful flexibility.and sang beautifully in a spirit wholly childish. But the little alto is not a child in musical feeling. It was beautiful, the way she would take up her sisterand strengthen and sustain her with those deep true tones. Then they took up from the pile of music that time honored duo "Home to Our Mountains" from 77 Trov atore. I was scarcely ready for that even then. One has a natural horror of trusting music of sentiment in the hands df children, no matter how gifted, and that duo has suffered enough abuse, bpaven knows. The other was only a child's song, suited to children, but this was one of Verdi's most beauti ful arias. But that little alto did not disappo nt us. Under tho childish accents thero were tho deep full tones, and thero was feeling, real musical feeling, the thing that cannot be madu or acquired, ihat gold dust and star dust can not buy. That littlo voice rang full of yearning and thoso big gry eyes looked with dreamy intensity away from tho music, away from us, beyond us all somewhero 1 wondored at wha. Thero was in. doubt about it any longer. Sho had it, the thing, the thing of things, as much as a child could have it. Then came a boIo, a lullaby, and then that old duo, "Hear me," Norma,' all sung with that indefinable sympa thetic and imaginative quality that is great in a woman, but is glorious in a child. Oldor people try their strength and make their mark, and wo know their limit, but for a child we may plan so much, hopo so much. The following is a letter written to Mrs. Dovey by Sec. J. Sterling Morton, shortly after tho littlo girls returned from England. Mrs, Margaret A. Dovey, Plattsmouth, Neb. My Dear Madam: I hasten to acknowledge the receipt of. your communication of August 31, recounting the agreeable manner in which Embassador Thos. P. Bayard received you and tho little girls in London. It is just what I expected of him, because he is one of tho most tender-hearted, genial, and at the same time, courtly men, whom I have ever known, and I read of their triumph with a great deal of state and personal pride. It is impossible for me to say when I will bo at Arbor Lodge, and therofore Tcaii give you no probablo dato as to my presence in Nebraska City. Hoping that tho little gii Is may con tinue in health and prosperity I remain Very Respectfully yours, J. Sterling Morton. 4 Arundel Gardens, V. Friday night. Dear Mrs. Dawson: Your children are simply wonderful. I could not tell you so as they were present, for I think it a bad plan to praise children in their presonce. I really believe they will bo tho talk of tho world in a few years to come. Let me have them next year and I will do my utmost for them. No true artist will praise themselves, as you can, with your clever brain, fully realize. But you can gleantrom tho vast assemblage of the nobility at ray concert last night, that they do appreciate m as a Pro fessor of Singing and as a friend. Please let tho children coaie to me at Brook St. to-morrow morning (Satur day) at 11, and I will give them a lesson and try their capabilities. I cannot, I cannot help thinking that Ethel will be a Tiejtens and littlo Alice a Patti, I was delighted with them to day in their impersonation of "Romeo and Juliet." Teir dear little Lillian, with my love, that I will go and 6ee her on Monday if she will let me know her address. And now good night. I am very tired for I have worked so very hard the last 2 months. With love to all. Your'' affectly, Louise Cellini. The Princess of Wales sent me a Special Messenger yesterday to say that as she had promised to go to the Marquis of Northampton's and as she was feeling far from well she felt she could not go to both my concert and Lord Northampton's. I forgot to tell you this when we met to-day. I have "followed copy closely," as the printers say, in reproducing that letter, and I think you will find it interesting for more reasons that its information. Could anything be more prima donna like than that underlining? Could anything bo more pungently English than that entirely purposeless and supertluous postscript? Now how under tho sun would tho Princess of WaleB excuse her absenco unless by a "Special JttMenjer." Would she bo likely to issuo a general proclamation? However in spite of her little peculiar ities in form and composition Mme, Cellini is one of tho first authorities on vocal culture and possibilities to day in England, and on that her word goes. Tho littlo Dovey girls will return to her school next year. It is this magnificent training, begun so early, that makes me so hopeful for these children. Most singers spend yoars of their lives un learning the things they have learned wrong. There is talent enough in tho world, and there is training enough too, but talent dies unknown and unrecog nized by the wayside every day, and training is wasted upon lay figures and creatures of wood. They so seldom meet, but when they do they shako the stars sometimes. There is an explosion somewhere when thos two get together. Of course even Mme. Cellini's word can not insuro Mr. Dovey'p little girls or anybody else's little girls a future. They have the great hope, the rest depneds on many things. Mrs. Georgo Dovey, tho moi er of tho inspired youngsters from Plat 'mouth, is tho daughter of Mr. Charles 'iwson for fifteen or twenty years store k ""per for the Burlington road at Plattsmd 'h. Mr. Dawson is an Englishman of tl. rotund, clean shaven, Pickwickian type. The children got much of their love of Shakespear from their grandfather. He has been a student of tho master all his life. The man is an artist to the ends of his tapeting delicate fingers. Ho understood from the first that these children were not as other children are and insisted that they be put under the best teachers. Their grandmother took them to London. In an American den tist's otnee, where the children's teeth were being treated, Mrs. DawBon met a wealthy lady who was the manager or the American booth in a charity fair managed by Society. The lady was be wailing her lack of two littlo girls to sing American airs in front of her booth. The dentist told her he knew of two little American girls who sang like larks. He brought them in. They sang for her. She was enraptured. Henceforth they sang to the oldest and noblest of the English nobility. Madame Cellini, who occupies the same place in London that Marchesi does in Paris, offered to teach them for nothing. Their reception in England was a trib ute to their powers. When the child ren arrived in Plattsmouth they were met by "the band" and the people took the horses out of the carriage and drag ged it themselves. Little Ethel, the twelve year old has been requested by the St. Nicholas people to write them an article called "A Doll's Tour of England." It will appear in that maga zine with illustrations. A small num ber of Mrs. David A. Campbell's friends will have an opportunity to see and hear these children in opera. Mrs. Campbell's little sou has wrftten out tho parts of Faust from memory, wired the barn for electric lights, and in October sometime Ethel will take the part of Marguerite, the younger one, Martha, and the three boys, Mephisto, Faust, and Conrad. It will be an unusually interesting little show and I hope by fair means or foul to get in. tho only positive euro now known to tho medical fraternity. Catarrh being a constitutional disease, requires a constitutional treatement. Hall's Catarrh Curo is taken internally, acting directly upon tho blood and mucous surfaces of the tnctem, thereby destroying the foundation of the disea se, and giving the patient strength by building up tho constitution and assisting naturu in doing its work. Tho proprietors have so much faith in its curative powers, that they offer One Hundred Dollars for anycaso that it fails to cure. Send for list of Testi monals. Address, F.J. Chknky it Co., Toledo Ohio. Sold by druggists, 75 cents. Tho G. A. R. ollicial route special train for Louisville. Ky., will leave by the Burlington at 1:20 p. m., September D, Grand Commander Adams, his staff, Womon's Relief corps and veterans, will go on this train. The route will be by St. Louis, Mo., and the Baltimore ,fc Ohio Railway from there via Indianapolis. The special will arrive in Louisville at liiO p. m., twenty-seven hours and ten minutes out of Lincoln. Through sleepers and chair cars on this train. Kate from Lincoln 818.'J0. For further information apply at 15. AM. depot or city ticket office,- corner Tenth and O streets. G. W. Bo.n.nell, C. P. A. T. A. If ou wish to visit Boston this sum mer a splendid opportunity will bo afforded on the occasion of the Knights Templar Conclave in August. Tickets will be on salo via tho Lake Shore it Michigan Ry, Aug. 19th to 25th at ono fare for the round trip. Full particulars on application. B.P.Humphrey, T. P. A., Kansas City, Mo. C. K. Wilber, W. P. A., Chicago. BURLINGTON PLAYING CARDS Those elegant cards of the very best quality, only 15 cents per deck. For sale at B. & M. depot or city tickot office.cornerTenth and O streets. When the ice man comes be sure LINCOLN ICE CO'S name is on the wagon. 10)00 street They have no pond ice. THE LINCOLN GOAL GO- Is offering the best Pennsylvania Hard Coal at 88.10, delivered to any part of the city. They are taking special pains to please their customers and will guarantee prompt and efficient service. Hunter Printing COMPANY . . GENERAL PRINTERS South ha I ... . CALL BUlL-LNJ Having secured from the Courier Publishing Co. all copper plates here tofore controlled by them, we shall be pleased to fill orders for Engraved Cards and Wedding Stationery on short notice and in a satisfactory man ner. too CARDS AND PLA IE $1.30 too CARDS WITHOUT PLATE 1.50 Litest Styles Elegant Work 8100 DOLLARS REWAKD 8100 The readers of this paper will be pleased to learn that there is at least hitntPD DDINTIMf Cf one dreaded disease that science has IHJIN I CK "KIi I IfNU CUM been able to cure in all its stages and that is catarrh. Hall's Catarrh Cure is 223 No. nth Street.