The Minstrel's Melody Read Online Free PDF Page B

turban was highlighted by a gold feather that also sparkled in the early evening sun. A diamond necklace twinkled at her throat. She lifted one arm—covered by a golden glove up to her elbow—and waved and smiled. When she smiled, Orphelia saw that her two front teeth were gold, too.
    Poppa nudged Orphelia. “Close your mouth, girl! You’ll let in flies,” he said, smiling.
    â€œOh, Poppa, she’s beautiful,” Orphelia whispered. She stood up and waved back until Momma tapped her on the arm.
    Without speaking, Madame Meritta floated across the platform to a white-draped table and sat down at it. As she did, a man in a white formal suit and derby strode out onto the stage.
    â€œThat’s Mr. Interlocutor from her show,” the man in front of Orphelia whispered to everybody. “Every minstrel show has someone they call Mr. Interlocutor. He plays the main man in charge of everything, and other performers tease and poke fun at him during the show. It’s part of their act.”
    The man on stage, however, announced that he was the Grand Master Roberts, master of ceremonies. Orphelia wondered what the difference was between Grand Master and Mr. Interlocutor.
    Grand Master Roberts sang the praises of Madame Meritta and the Rutherfords and then announced the prizes to be given out. Third prize was a large framed portrait of Madame Meritta with her signature, which he held up.
    â€œI wouldn’t mind having one of those,” Orphelia told Poppa.
    Second place was a trophy to be engraved with the winner’s name. First place, of course, meant that you advanced to the finals and would appear with the other winners during the entertainer’s performance at the St. Louis World’s Fair next Saturday. The show was only a little over a week away!
    Orphelia joined the rest of the audience in clapping, but her heart was not in it. Darn that Pearl and her big mouth!
    The acts were called and the children performed. After reciting the Emancipation Proclamation, the boy playing Abe Lincoln dropped his top hat when he bowed. The Hannibal Twins, however, were perfect in their rendition of “Flight of the Bumblebee,” one of Orphelia’s favorite pieces, too. But she didn’t need the music to play it, like they did. “They’ll be hard to beat tonight,” she said to Poppa.
    â€œYou could have beat them,” Poppa whispered back.
    â€œReally?” Orphelia smiled wider than she had since Momma’s devastating words the night before. Then she frowned. “But why didn’t you say something to Momma?”
    â€œI did.”
    She looked up at him, but Poppa kept his eyes on the stage. She sighed. She wiggled her fingers, which itched to play, then pressed them down in her lap.
    At intermission, Orphelia slipped away from Momma and Pearl and stepped inside the church. The outside sounds of the trio music and of people talking and laughing were muffled in the cool solitude of the sanctuary. Orphelia went over to her old friend the church piano and sat down. She pulled off her bonnet and dropped it on the floor.
    She began softly with “Amazing Grace,” one of her favorite religious songs, and followed it with “Listen to the Mockingbird.” When she was not struck down by God for singing a secular song in church—again—she moved into “Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes,” her mind and fingers finding comfort in the touch of the keys and the sound of her own voice.
    Orphelia knew she could have won the talent show and gone on to perform at the St. Louis World’s Fair, but now nobody would ever know.
    â€œYou sing and play superbly,” said a strange voice behind her.
    Orphelia jumped off the piano stool, her heart pounding. Her mouth went as dry as a dirt road. She pressed her hands to her chest. Madame Meritta!
    â€œI was showing Madame Meritta around and she heard the piano,” Miz Rutherford said, beaming.