Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 150, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 June 1915 — The Charm of a Low Veice [ARTICLE]

The Charm of a Low Veice

Everyone know* how disagreeable high-pitched, shrieking voice* mo and how charming low, sweet odm, and, considering this, one wonders that more attention la not gfivea to, the auhject from an Educational point es Tlew. **■' ' Americana ahve often been adopted, of haring dlaagreeable voices, and It can not but be admlted that aoma-, times the accusation seems true. The Yankee twang and the naeel drawi pe* collar to many of our communities are certainly not ths loveliest intonations. On the other hand, there are as beau ttful voices to be found right here In America as In the Latin countries, where a soft accent la the rule, not the exception. But the trouble So there are not enough of these beautiful voices. There could be easily enough If only the American woman would take the time and the trouble to cultt-' rate a pleasing quality In her speaking tones. The other day three women were discussing a recent debutante, who, despite lack of great good looks, was carrying all before her In the world of society. "What 1 like Is her voice," said a man of the party; "it reminds me of a purring cat." His simile was correct.’ Her voice was very low pitched and came Yrom the hack of her throat In a soft, husky sound, and its fascination was undeni* able. Take Sarah Bernhardt, for Instance. The divine sarah earned her title of the greatest living actress ss much from the pure, silvery quality of her voice as from her histrionic powers. This star of the theatrical firmament possesses a speaking voice to dream about, full, sweet, liquid, and one feels one could never tire of listening to her golden words. How great Is the power of the human voice to displease ae well as to please was discovered the other day by a girl Who was suffering froth a bad cold. “I have just made the unpleasant discovery,” she confided to a friend, "that at the present moment I am not wanted by an/ of the members of my family, and do you know why? Because r have a wretched cdld that has turned my voice Into a hoarse croak. It Is not a sniffy cold, and they are not in the least afraid of catching It It Is simply my tones which annoy them. Within the last two days I have been asked quite politely If I Would mind not talking, as my .voice gets on their nerves, and quite Impolitely to ‘quit your and by a mare male.” i All wlm ~ ailed elocution or gone in for a profession where the voice plays an important part learn the art of epeaklng at the right pitch and pronouncing their words correctly, and it would be afi Immense advantage if elocution lessons were, made an important part of the education of every young girl. , La Rochefoucauld says: "There Is more eloquence in the tones of the voice than In the choice of words." And, indeed, he proclaims an absolute truth. A charming story of a speaking voice was told the other day—a voice 1 that could not be bought for gold. It belonged te a hard-working little servant girl, a chambermaid la a great house, whose voice was so marvelously sweet as to provoke comment by all who heard her speak. Her mistress particularly admired the quality, and one day sent for the girt' to come and speak to the teacher who was giving the daughters of the house lessons in elocution. "There," she said, want you to teach my daughter to apeak Ilka' that.” 1 “Alas, madam," the teacher responded sadly, "that is impossible.' No man can teach that. Those are neither chest nor throat notes; they come from the heart." i Voices that are naturally harsh, me-, tallic or nasal can be greatly proved by private stuffr. Speaking ami ercises at the piano are a wonderful help. | Not only la It difficult to speak properly, but it Is even more difficult to whisper correctly. A whisper Is often merely a husky croak or quite inaudible. The secret of a clear whisper! is to drop the voice as low as possible and to speak with the lips, the lip movement helping to convey nearly as much as the actual sound.