rcumstances in his life you
would all agree with me that he deserved credit and recognition in a
musical way and proved himself a hero during the years he was
perfecting himself. He has never had any other instruction than mine
and has been true to the first placement of voice and development in
the art of singing. He goes to hear the best artists and takes his
lessons from their work; sends his criticisms of them all marked upon
the program to me for approval; keeps his ears and eyes open to all
advancement in his art; has acquired a graceful and acceptable
presence and personality on and off the stage. Musicians all like him;
his managers praise him and give him work as an acknowledgment of his
ability to entertain. I have still a circumstance to relate which
makes his singing the more marvelous and marks an "O.K." on my efforts
to make a Chinese with a dull, unmelodious, unmusical voice succeed.
Of course he never had the clear, ringing tone that is in the gift of
the white race and he could not always get the vowel sounds to suit me
and I attributed the fact to his being a Chinese, so I was obliged to
be satisfied with the result obtained. He made me a promise when he
came home in 1911 that he would not sing for any one until I had heard
him after all these years, for if he did not please me I would not let
him sing. I was trying his tones and found he had developed wonderful
deep and full tones and in the second series as high as E flat, but he
could not take high F to my surprise after having two other F's so
perfect in their tone color. I was so dissatisfied, I said, "What is
the matter that you do not take this note?" and as I spoke I noticed
he kept the tongue close to the front of his teeth. I said, "Why do
you use the tongue like that," and he said, "I have always done so,"
and I was most impatient at that when I am so particular with
pronunciation in a pupil. After an examination I found to my surprise
that he had all these years been tongue tied. I simply stared at him
with astonishment; to think that it was possible for any one to sing
as well as he did with this affliction. I said, "Now, Frank, you have
faithfully done everything I ever asked you. Will you do one more
thing for me?" He replied, "Will it make me sing?" I said, "Yes, will
you do it?" In an instant I had his promise and the next day his
tongue was released and on the fifth day he had his high F. He tells
me he can now sing it with power and h