Welcome to A View of the Town, the adventures of Dr. Willis Fletcher in the small coastal town of misty Cove along the coast Maine. Offering tidbits of local color and the lay of the land, we now return to Dr. Fletcher and another of his stories of the the sleepy seaport town.
This episode of A View of the Town is brought to you by bread. You can earn it by working or slice it with a knife. It will rise, but not fly. It will never flower, but needs flour, and you can cover it with any sort of spread. Bread.
Babette Le Blond. What a woman! I remember the day that she arrived on the 10:30 train, but actually 10:37 because it was always late, all the way from New York City. It was the summer of 1928, June 19 to be exact, and she had come to Misty Cove to perform at the The Prince Theatre. The theatre has been the center of entertainment since 1892, when the Gigglesminster Brothers built it. And now it would be graced by the most beautiful singer that Misty Cove had seen, possibly ever.
That June was unusually cool so she walked from the train station in her red silk dress and black silk coat with white fur collar. Her blue cloche tight against her head, with her blond bobbed hair peaking out from underneath it. Men could have set their clocks to her rhythm as she walked. Her bright red lips were puckered. Her rouged cheeks smooth. Her white shoes were like none others seen in town. Needless to say, she stopped traffic of all kinds. Men with wagons. Boys on bicycles. The church circle reading group who just came out the church gasped as she turned to corner on East Street. Even Freddie, the local town tom cat, stared at her as she passed.
Her all-girl orchestra arrived with her, but they looked far more plain and lagged behind her. In hindsight, Ms. Le Blond knew how to make an entrance and it almost didn't work. They stayed in the rooms in the back part of the theatre and could be seen in the back alley smoking and occasionally with a drink in hand. Now, Ms. Le Blond and her all-girl orchestra naturally caused a stir among the women in town, and it was enough to make their opening night almost a failure. However, Mr. Gigglesminster Jr. assured his potential audience, when asked, that they were a well-known hit in the major east coast cities.
I had to see for myself so I was there their first night. Of course, the audience was thin, only part of the house was filled, with plenty of seats open. And almost without saying, the crowd whispered and speculated about what they were about to see. Even, Reverend Albepious was there, prepared to cast a hell-fire eye. Mr. Gigglesminster Jr. came out first to introduce and welcome "Ms. Babette Le Blond and her orchestra" and to "sit back and enjoy." And as I had mentioned, Ms. Le Blond knew how to attract attention, for when she stepped out on stage, I knew the stunning dress she wore had to be Paris-made. And when she started singing... A hush and awe fell over the audience.
For the next hour and a half, Ms. Le Blond and her orchestra took us on mellow ride of opera, hymns, jazz, and patriotic tunes that we had all listened to during the Great War. At one point, she brought the audience to tears with her version of Amazing Grace then Swing High Swing Low Sweet Chariot. By the way, the Reverend Albepious even shed a tear or two. I had never been moved by a musical performance and I was reminded of George Eliot's line in The Mill on the Floss... "But it seems that one mustn't judge by the outside."
The following nights, the house was packed with standing room only. Neighboring towns had heard about the performance and they came to Misty Cove by the droves. And Mr. Gigglesminster amde the best revenue, so much so that he added a sound system a few years later after the talkies became all the rage. Ms. Le Blond and her orchestra stayed to themselves while in town, only walking about a couple of times to see our town. I've seen many a show on my travels and in Misty Cove, but none like that of Ms. Le Blond and her orchestra. To this day, they still speak of their two weeks in town.
She and her orchestra eventually settled in California. She changed her name, performed in smaller venues, and married, leaving behind her singing career. I know that because I was the only one who got to know her and we wrote to each other for years to follow. The morning after that first performance, she came to my office. I did not recognize her at first. She wore a plain cotton dress, no lipstick or rouge, and a simple straw hat. Her complaint -- a slight sore throat from hitting a high note. She was soft spoken and very polite. I showed her about town afterwards and we became friends. To say that I was smitten with her... But they left to travel onto many other cities to surprise others with her gift.
There's more this story, so stayed tuned.
This episode of A View of the Town is brought to you by bread. You can eat it fresh. You can eat it toasted. As a sandwich or as a side. Sourdough to wheat to rye to sweet. Nothing be better than sliced bread.
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