roduced at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. But the old Jinx
proceeded to put his No. 3 seal on de Reszke's voice that year, and he and
the opera were heard from no more under the proscenium arch.

* * * * *

Then there was "The Mouse and the Garter," a travesty on Grand Opera in two
acts that Clarence Andrews was to produce at the opening of the
Waldorf-Astoria ballroom-theater. Many has been the pleasurable moment I
have had in examining the old "prompt book" in use during rehearsals, for
the company was picked, the scenery modeled, the costumes made and the
"fancy," as Allison called it, ready to be staged, when Oscar Hammerstein,
who had a contract with Andrews to transfer successes to the old Victoria
Theater, blew up in one of his bankruptcies. The Jinx was again monarch of
all he surveyed--and Monte-Cristo-like held up four fingers! That old
"prompt book" mentioned shows the wear and tear of much use and is filled
with odd notes in Allison's characteristic handwriting. No less interesting
were the "Librettist's Notes on Characters in the Opera and the Business,"
dated October 21, 1897, and taken from an old letter-press copy that turned
up in our archives. There we find that--

The general tone of the performance is to be light, gay, rapid,
suggestive and delicate--without a trace of the license of current
musical farce. The suggestiveness must naturally arise from the
innocent freedom of village life. The whole idea is a travesty of
sentimental grand opera, the vocal characters being transposed so
far as their fate and actions are concerned.

Good stuff! And who were these innocent villagers? Well, there was Tenor
Robusto, in love with Soprano and fated to be left at the post; Tenor Di
Grazia, his twin brother; Giovanni Baritono, a Soldier of Fortune; Piccolo,
an innkeeper; Fra Tonerero Basso, a priest; Signorina Prima Soprano, a bar
maid; Signorina Mezzo, also a bar maid, and Signora Contralto, Piccolo's
wife, besides villagers, eight topers, musicians, five couples of rustic
brides and grooms, and a dancing bear and his keeper. Let us not forget the
mythical mouse and the ribbon from which The Garters were made, though
neither appears among the "properties" scheduled by Allison.

[Illustration: _Page from the old Prompt Book
"The Mouse and the Garter"_]

Robusto and Soprano flirted. He gave her a ribbon and she promised to mar