Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1868-11-20
SELECTED STORY.
FROM THE LITERARY PAsTIME.
-O- 1t u
A PRIMA DONNA'S JEALOUSY,
A Detectives EXPERIENCE


A DETECTIVES EXPERIENCE.
II shall never forget" said Mr. Fla
circumstance that occurred in New Orleans,
in the winter of 1885,. It was illustrative,
in an almost Unreasonable degree, Of that
element in woman's character-jealousy.
i One night, Mr. L. and myself were
seated in the office, solacing ourselves after
hard days work. with cigars and an occa-
sional sip Of brandy, when the porter entered
and announced lady wishing to see US
She followed immediate behind him, and the
announcement was hardly made when she
stood before US. ~ I. IS se
A lady, evidently. There was no mista-
king the naughty carriage, the dignifed yet
imposing manners. A heavy dark veil OBJ
scured her features, but I knew intuitiyely
that the woman was beautiful There was
that Undesirable manner about her which
every woman, conscious Of beauty, inyaria-
bly, possesses. I say | knew this, even be-
fore her voice told me who she was. I had
heard that too often to mistake its accents
now.
'.You are Madam H said, offering
her seat. 3 30 il6
"You know me then 2" She started yisi-
bly, as she spoke, and I detected a tremor
in her voice" $3.50. .ss..-,5.
s:Ah! yes. that has betrayed me, but I
need your services, and should have been
compelled to disclose my name any way
Your excellent memory, sir, has saved NE
the necessity"
bowed in acquiescence, and she then
proceeded to tell inc that she had that after
noon received intelligence which she deemed
reliable, that plot had been formed by a
rival actress to injure her personally, per-
haps to take her life.
They were both prima donnas in the opera.
Our visitor, lady Of remarkable beauty,
and whose voice. the sweetest, most must
cal, I had ever heard possessed compass
and tone that had made her the acknowledged
favorite of our people This had excited
the animosity of Miss B, who before the
coming of Madam H had enjoyed the
distinction Of favorite, now being rapidly
withdrawn by her rival. She was daring
vindictive woman, who for this INDUCED an
animosity which could only be appeased in
the destruction Of the woman who had de-
prived her of the ambition in which she ex-.
ulted. Almost as beautiful as Madam H
she imagined that but for the graces Of her
person her triumphs would not be assured.
70 strike this petted rival down and at the
same time crafty the hate that burned in
her heart, now engaged every sleeping and
waking thought. TO accomplish this Mad
am H had been informed conspiracy
had been planned, and to discover which our
services were required She revealed to us
other facts not necessary now to detail, but
which convinced us Of the truth of the infor-
nation the lady had received. Having done
this she retired, and left Mr. Il and my
self to consult. g.
It is needless to say that the next night
found us both at the opera. The beauty and
and fashion of the city had assembled to hear
Bellini's Grand Opera of Norma, in which
Nine H appeared as Norma, and Miss
BE represented the young priestess Adal-
gisa. Never, perhaps, was the passionate
SORROWS Of these Druid priestesses SO por-,
trayed. There was wild terror in Norma's
eye, not lent by genius fierce despair in
the mien of Adalgisa, not born of the wreck
of her girlhoods hopes their very commu
mugs had an antagonist il them, which APP
peared to the audience as if Norma had
mingled with her soothing jealousy of the
Young priestess who had robbed her of her
lovers fidelity ga .sr5
I saw it all and knew whatit meant. This
impression was more deeply confirmed when
Adalgisa rose from her knees with cry
meant as wall Of despair, but which breath
ed an exultant tone and fed from the pres
ence Of her counselor Her personation was
the depressed jealousy of heart burning for
revenge not the analysis Of an enthusiasts
despair Ny heart felt 2 chill of fear as 7
noted that wild look of the jealous woman,
and marked the thrill Of the passionate voice.
Intuitively I felt that the hoi in which she
would seek to accomplish, her revenge, was
drawing near. .s5s.s "a, s@A.s
When the curtain fell, in the last scene,
Mr., I. and myself we're at the door from
which the two prima donnas would leave. :
In the carriage which Miss B. occupied,
1 noticed strange looking man, evidently
disguised; but as the light Of the lamp flashed
on him, I saw deep red scar on the back
Of his left hand. / knew him then as the
keeper Of fashionable restaurant, to which
the artists at the opera usually retired for
night supper. / saw the whole arrangement.
It flashed on me like CLEAN Of lightning,
and I determined not to lose sight Of the
prima donna that evening. come what might.
That they we're going to the restaurant, l
knew full well, Madam H would be there
TOO. II was an invariable custom from
which their habits never varied. Driving
rapidly to the place, therefore, we were com
fortably seated in the ladyes ordinary, when
1.-THE prima donnas came in. saw at once
in Miss BIS eye a restless, scared look, an
uncertain painful attempt to appear at eaae,
which denoted mischief But to Madam
H she was unusually polite. ] saw the
start Of unfeigned surprise Of that lady when
lher rival almost overwhelmed her with the
unexpected compliments on her success In.
geniops and transporting, she accepted then
as in earnest, and when invited to take