Punch/Volume 147/Issue 3809/Once Upon a Time
The Susceptible American.
Once upon a time there was a beautiful singer named Miss Iris Bewlay. Every now and then she gave a recital, and it it was always crowded. She was chosen to sing "God save the King" at bazaars and Primrose League meetings; her rendering of "Home, Sweet Home" moistened every eye. Hostesses wishing to be really in the swim engaged her to sing during after-dinner conversation for enormous fees.
When Miss Iris Bewlay was approaching the forties and adding every day to her wealth, another Miss Bewlay—not Iris, but Gladys, and no relation whatever—was gradually improving her gift of song with a well-known teacher, for it was Miss Gladys Bewlay's intention, with her parents' strong approval, to become a professional. She had not, it was true, her illustrious namesake's commanding presence or powerful register, but her voice was sweet and refined and she might easily have a future.
It happened that a susceptible music-loving American staying in London for a short time was taken by some English friends to a concert at which Miss Iris Bewlay was singing, and he fell at once a victim to her tones. Never before had he heard a voice which so thrilled and moved him. He returned to his hotel enraptured, and awoke with but one desire and that was to hear Miss Bewlay again.
"Say, where is a Miss Bewlay singing to-night?" he asked the hotel porter.
The porter searched all the concert announcements, but found no mention of the great name. In the end he advised a visit to one of the ticket libraries, and off the enthusiast hurried.
Now it happened that this very evening was the one chosen, for the début, before a number of invited friends, of Miss Gladys Bewlay, and one of the guests chanced to be at the ticket library at the moment the susceptible American entered and fired his question at the clerk.
"Say, can you tell me where Miss Bewlay is singing to-night?" he said.
The clerk having no information, the susceptible American was turning away when the guest of the other Bewlay family ventured to address him with the information that Miss Bewlay was singing that evening at a private gathering at one of the halls.
"Couldn't I get in?" the American asked. "It 's private," said the lady. "It's only for the friends of the family."
"Let me take down the address, anyway," said he, and took it down.
That evening, just before Miss Gladys Bewlay's first song, a visiting card was I handed to one of her brothers, with the statement that a gentleman desired the pleasure of a moment's interview on a matter of great importance.
"See here," said the gentleman, and it was none other than the susceptible American, "I'm just crazy about Miss Bewlay's singing. They tell me she's here to-night. Now I know it's a strange thing to ask, but I want to know if you can't just let me lean against a pillar somewhere at the back while she's singing, and then I'll go right away. It's my last chance for some time, you see. I go back to America to-morrow."
The brother, not a little impressed by his sister's magnetism, all unsuspected in a débutante, and imagining the American to have heard her at a lesson, said he saw no reason why this little scheme should not be carried out; and so the American entered and took up an obscure posiiton; and in a short while Miss Bewlay ascended the platform and began to sing.
When she had finished the American approached one of the guests and begged to be told the name of the singer.
"Miss Bewlay," said the guest. "It's her fist appearance to-night."
"Miss Bewlay," gasped the American. "Then there are two of them. You say this is her first appearance?"
"Yes."
"Then she's very young?"
"Only about twenty."
The American returned to his corner, and the second song began.
Whatever disappointment his ears may have suffered it would have been obvious to close observers that his eyes were contented enough. They rested on the fair young singer with delight and admiration, and when she had finished there was no applause like the susceptible American's.
When Miss Bewlay's brother had gradually worked his way to the back of the room, he found the American in an ecstasy.
"She's great," he said. "Say, would it be too much to ask you to introduce me?"
"Not at all," said the brother, who was as pleased at his sister's success as though it were his own.
*****
The American did not return to his own country the next day, nor for many days after; and when he did he was engaged to Miss Gladys Bewlay.
Isn't that a pretty fairy story? and almost every word of it is true.