THE CARNEGIE HALL CONCERT.
"Oh, dear, what a lazy girl I am. Nine o'clock and I have not had
breakfast. What day is it? Thursday,--and Mr. Ludlow coming here at
one o'clock. I must hurry for I must practice some," murmured Dorothy
to herself.
"Dorothy girl, are you still in bed?" called Aunt Betty from the next
room.
"I'll be with you in just a minute, Aunty dear. I'm most ready. Oh,
Alfy, please help me,--please," called Dorothy.
"All right," replied Alfy, "do you need me to do up the back of your
dress?"
"Yes, and that's all. I'm so late. I did want to write Frau this
morning, too," said Dorothy crossly. "Come, let's go to breakfast."
After breakfast Dorothy practiced and Aunt Betty and Alfaretta took a
walk and visited some of the large stores where they did a little
shopping, Aunt Betty buying the girls each a pair of long white
gloves and an Irish-lawn collar at Altman's.
Dorothy was all dressed and waiting for them when they got home. She
had on a very simple white dress, one they had made, with just a touch
of pink, a small pink bow, at the waist, and a pink hair ribbon. She
had practiced the two compositions thoroughly and felt that she knew
them perfectly. True, she did feel a slight bit nervous, but in her
past experience when she had her violin in her hands she lost
self-consciousness and became wrapped up in her music.
"Dorothy," called Alfy, "we are home, and, see, Aunt Betty bought me
these. They are so pretty and I always did want them. I'm so glad I
have them. But you go to Aunt Betty, she has something for you."
"You are a funny girl, Alf," answered Dorothy. "You have been talking
away and I haven't any idea what you were trying to get at. Aunt
Betty, where are you?"
"In the sitting room, dear," answered Aunt Betty.
"What is Alfy talking about, Aunt Betty?" asked Dorothy, walking into
the room.
"This and this," replied Aunt Betty, holding up two packages. "These
are for you, dear."
Dorothy, taking the two packages and kissing her aunt, murmured: "You
dear, dear Aunt Betty. I must see what's inside."
She carefully opened the first and exclaimed as she drew forth a long
pair of white gloves, "Oh, goody, goody. Just what I have been longing
for." And then opening the second package she found it contained a
very beautiful Irish crochetted collar. "Aunt Betty! You dear, dear
Aunt Betty. Just think how fine this will look with my gray coat. Just
like all the girls we see here in New York. You are the best aunt ever
a girl had."
Dorothy then gathered up her treasures and took them with her into the
next room to put them away.
Aunt Betty went into Alfy's room and said, "Alfy dear, if you will
give me your coat I will help you sew the collar on it so you can wear
it this afternoon."
"Oh! that will be fine! I can wear it to the concert. And can I wear
the red hair ribbon Ma Babcock bought me from Liza Jane's?" said Alfy.
"Ting-a-ling. Ting-a-ling," rang the telephone bell. Dorothy rushed
across the room to answer it and found that Mr. Ludlow was waiting
for her below in a taxicab.
"Good-bye, Aunt Betty, dear," called Dorothy; then running into her
Aunt's room she kissed her several times. "You will all surely come. I
do need you all there."
"We'll be there in plenty of time, Dorothy dear," answered Aunt Betty.
"Now run along girlie, and don't forget your violin."
"Here it is," cried Alfy from the next room, "I'll bring it to you."
"You're a dear, Alfy," called Dorothy, who by this time was already in
the hall.
Mr. Ludlow escorted Dorothy to the taxicab, getting in with her and,
shutting the door, he directed the driver to go to Carnegie Hall.
"Well, Dorothy, child," asked Mr. Ludlow, "is everything all right?
You are not scared, are you? You just try to do your best and
everything will be fine."
"I'm not scared, I'm sure of that; but do you think the people will
like me?" questioned Dorothy.
"Sure of that, my dear, sure of that. All you must do is just be your
very own self," laughed Mr. Ludlow. "But here we are and we must get
out."
The driver stopped the cab and they quickly descended and walked into
the building.
"Now, Dorothy, I am going to show you around the place. Just follow
me," directed Mr. Ludlow.
Dorothy looked at the large room and the many chairs and said
hesitatingly, "Will it be crowded?"--and when Mr. Ludlow said he hoped
so, she sighed and murmured: "My, what a lot of people I shall have to
please!" then she added softly to herself, "Jim, Alfy and Aunt Betty;
they will surely be pleased and the rest will, too, if I can make
them."
Mr. Ludlow then led Dorothy to the stage and made her walk up and down
and all over the place so that she would get familiar with it.
"Mr. Ludlow," asked Dorothy, "where shall I stand?"
"Right about here," answered Mr. Ludlow, walking to the front of the
stage and a little to the left. "Don't face directly front."
"Is this right?" asked Dorothy, taking the position Mr. Ludlow
requested.
"That will do,--that will do just right," answered Mr. Ludlow. "Now
come inside and I will take you to see some of the noted artists who
are going to play or sing." He led Dorothy in from the stage and
through a long narrow passage which terminated in a large room where
there were numerous chairs, tables and couches. Dorothy noticed three
or four girls talking together in the center of the room but those in
other groups all seemed to be older.
Mr. Ludlow walked over to the group in the center of the room and
addressing a small, fair girl, said, "Good afternoon, Miss
Boothington."
The girl turned and seeing Mr. Ludlow, exclaimed, "Mr. Ludlow, I am so
glad you are here. I did want you to hear my singing and criticize.
You will, will you not?"
"Miss Boothington, that shall be as you please. But now let me present
you to a little friend of mine. This," remarked Mr. Ludlow, turning to
Dorothy, "is Miss Dorothy Calvert, and Dorothy, this is my ward, Miss
Ruth Boothington. Miss Boothington sings, and will be one of our
companions on your trip."
"I am so glad to meet you, Miss Calvert," replied Miss Boothington.
"As we are to be so much together, please call me Dorothy if you
will," interrupted Dorothy.
"And you will call me Ruth," Miss Boothington remarked. "I know we
shall have some very fine times together. And you are a solo
violinist?"
"Yes, I play the violin," answered Dorothy. "Are you going to sing
to-day?"
"Yes," answered Ruth. "At least I am going to try to."
"Here, here. That will never do, Miss Ruth. You should have said that
you would sing. Of course you would sing," remarked Mr. Ludlow.
Turning to Dorothy, he said, "Well, Dorothy, I think I shall leave you
here with Miss Boothington. I guess she can take care of you. I am
going to the front and will sit with your Aunt Betty."
With that Mr. Ludlow left the two girls and walked out and around
front where he looked for Aunt Betty.
"Is this the place? My, ain't it big!" exclaimed Alfy, as Aunt Betty
and Jim followed her to the door.
"I have our tickets here," remarked Jim, presenting them to the
doorkeeper.
"I guess we shall have to go right in and get our seats," added Aunt
Betty. "Keep close to me, Alfy, and Jim, you see that Alfy doesn't get
lost."
They were at last ushered into a large box on the right side of the
house.
"My, what a lot of seats. Is there going to be people in all of them?"
asked Alfy, leaning so far out of the box that she almost fell over
the rail.
"Here! You sit still," sharply corrected Jim. "And, Alfy, try to act
like a young lady, not like a back-woods little girl. Sit still."
Alfy reluctantly subsided and appeared to be rather angry. Aunt Betty,
noticing this said, "Watch me, Alfy, and do as I do and you will be
all right."
"Good-afternoon, Mr. Ludlow," said Jim, making room for him.
"Good-afternoon, all," answered Mr. Ludlow, seating himself next Aunt
Betty.
"Did you come to keep us company all the afternoon?" asked Aunt Betty.
"Or did you just wish to hear Dorothy play?"
"I thought you wouldn't mind if I sat with you," replied Mr. Ludlow.
"I have quite a few young friends who are to help entertain us this
afternoon. I do hope you shall enjoy them."
Ruth had, in the meantime, presented Dorothy to the other girls in the
group, and they all chattered gayly for a while.
Ruth glanced at her watch, and drawing Dorothy aside, said, "Let's sit
down quietly for a few minutes, and say nothing at all. It always
helps to calm you and give you self-possession."
The girls walked to a far end of the room and sat down, keeping silent
for several minutes.
Then Ruth broke the silence by asking, "Where is your violin,
Dorothy?"
"I guess it's over there where we were standing before," replied
Dorothy, rising and making her way quickly to the spot. But no violin
was visible.
"My!" exclaimed Ruth. "What did you do with it?"
"Oh," lamented Dorothy, "I don't know."
"Where did you have it last?" questioned Ruth.
"I had it home in the hotel," moaned Dorothy, most in tears. "I
remember I did bring it. Alfy handed it to me and I took it in the
taxi."
"In the taxi? That's where you left it, you foolish child,"
interrupted Ruth.
"How, oh how, can I get it? I must have it. I have to play," groaned
Dorothy.
"Run! Run and telephone. Call up the New York Taxicab Company,"
breathlessly exclaimed Ruth. "Oh, oh, Dorothy, I must go! I must! I
just must, yet how can I leave you here--but I have got to sing now.
Oh, I am all out of breath."
"Stop talking, you dear girl, and go and sing your best so as to make
them give you an encore, anything to gain more time for me. Now go!"
And Dorothy kissed her and pushed her forward.
Running down the length of the room, she flew into a telephone booth,
and hastily searching out the number called up Columbus 6,000.
"Hello, hello," called Dorothy, frantically. "Hello! Is--has--a man
come back with a violin in his taxicab--I must have it! I have to
play! Yes. Yes. Yes. No. No. Good-bye."
She hung up the receiver, and sat back despondently. The cab had not
returned in which she had ridden to the hall.
"Oh, what shall I do! No violin and my turn to play next. What shall I
do, oh, what shall I do?"
"Miss Calvert," called the boy. "Your turn next."
"Oh, dear," moaned Dorothy, "see if you can borrow an instrument for
me from one of the musicians in the orchestra."
Just then a man rushed into the room carrying a violin under his arm.
Dorothy ran up to him and fairly snatched the precious thing out of
his arms, exclaiming, "I can play now. I can. I can! Oh, thank you,
thank you! But I must go. Please come to the Prince Arthur to-night at
8.30 p. m. I will see you then."
With that she dashed off, and trying to calm herself, walked upon the
stage.
She carefully positioned herself just where Mr. Ludlow had told her to
stand, and waiting for the introduction to be played by the orchestra,
looked around the house, and discovering the box party, smiled at them
gayly. When the last few bars of the music were played, gracefully
placing her violin in position she commenced to draw her bow gently
across the strings and produced clear, vibrant tones. Her body moved
rhythmically, swaying back and forward in perfect accord with the
music.
The audience listened spellbound, and when she had finished the whole
house echoed with applause. She then walked slowly off the stage, only
to be motioned back again to play an encore which she did with as
much success as she had scored with her first piece.
When she turned from the stage the second time Ruth, who was waiting
in the wings, whispered in her ear, "Dorothy dear, you did just
splendidly, and you will surely be a great success. The people
applauded you so very much I thought they would never stop."
"Oh, I'm so glad. I do hope Mr. Ludlow liked it, and is satisfied with
me," murmured Dorothy.
"I can answer that, Dorothy," said a voice in back of her that
belonged to Mr. Ludlow, who had left the box just as Dorothy had
finished playing and come to speak to them. "Both of you girls did
very well indeed. Very well indeed. But come now with me and we'll go
around and sit in the box and listen to the rest of the concert. I
want to hear it all."
With that they traced their way back and soon were seated with the
rest of the party. Dorothy told them all about how she had lost her
violin and at the last minute recovering it vowed that she would be
more careful of it in the future.
The little party was loud in its praises of Dorothy's playing and
Ruth's singing, for Dorothy presented her new friend to them as soon
as she could.
That evening they learned that it was the chauffeur of the taxicab who
had found the violin in the auto before he had returned to the garage,
and he had immediately started back for the hall with it, knowing it
would be needed. Dorothy sent a letter of thanks and a reward, and
Aunt Betty, learning the next day that he had a little boy with a
broken leg in the hospital, sent a large basket of fruit for the young
sufferer.