Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-10-28
A Life For N Song.

Fifty years ago the "Divine SOntsg'
stood upon the boards OF La Scala. IL
Wa q night Of w0ndrous triumph for the
Iilanese for long bad the battle rhged,
and desperate between the triple operatlc
p,gers Of Rome, Naples, and Milan, ere
the palm Of victory had been awarded 10
the latter.
Nv professional duties bad detained
me late Il was a young struggling NJ -.
in Milan A. the time, and L entered the
theatre iu-t az the air rhook with won
drous applause, elected by Sontag's rem
dering Of .Ah none sreda," in the Som
nambula. / wls especially disappointed
TO have missed that aria, to me the gem
of the opera. But who could deem him
self ill-u-ed If in time for the change DO,
mentally thankful il was no worse, L
made my way to my seat, one fortunately
near the stage, and had taken IL, and was
bowling to some English friends seated in
the. boxes adjacent, ere the tumult OF ap-
plause had ceased to deafen my ears, or
the floral tributes were enthusiastically
showered at the lady's feet
One wreath, remarkable for its singular
.---.r. -emembered, composed of some
softly woven, strange, req exotic-, Taught
my gaze. az i turned toward the stage, in
the act of descent. An instsnt more, it
caught my hand as well for uninten-
tionally, in the act Of turning, hat in
hand, the latter struck out, thereby
swerviug it from its original destinttion,
directly into my grasp. A moment more,
/ stood the centre OF attraction in my
immediate sphere, bending forward with
what grace / might, Offering it to Sontag.
The kindly gracious smile With which
she received it will probably dwell in my
memory as long as augat earthly. Verify,
| its remembrance thrills me with a strange
sense Of pleasure, even upon fifty years
recall.
The graceful figure, in its slender beau
ty, yet bent before me, the crimson
wreath, lightly resting against her breast,
when second one actually dropped from
above literally crowned Amina as she
stood. II was dcft trick, and one which
Immediately called forth the delightful
appreciation of the audience.
The building absolutely rocked with
the vibration caused by the second burst
of a sudden ecstatic acclamation.
One odd feature of the incident imme-
diately struck me, namely, that the second
wreath on the prima donna's head was an
exact duplicate of the blood-red crown
upon her bosom, and which had pre-.
sented not moment before. Ihsd scarce
ly time To notice this coincidence, and the
lady, casting her hurried eyes apprecist-
ingly in my direction, was in the act oi
bowing second graceful obeisance to the
complimentary wreath, raising it as she
did 80 to her lips, when the beautiful one
paled suddenly, the lips contrastsd sharp
", and she fell in writhing convulsioni
almost into the very foot-lights at my feet
In an hour the mystery was out, and
all Milan knew that both wreaths wer,
poisoned. To this day the music-mat
i, Milanese remember the dreary horror o
that night. A week later all Europ'
learned It: and at this day it is the pro
perty of the world. The facts were these
+. A jealous rival, displaced alike in love al
in fame by the peerless favorite, interpo
lated the role of Borgia in the Opera, pro
! videntially with but partial success
|. A week later Sontag perfectly recov
cred, sang the San Carlo, and month
had barely escaped ere the echoes OF Ii
Scala again awoke to her divine forgive
ness.
A sudden case OF suicide called M
; from my bed, Immediately upon M retire
ment, the nigh. of the "Florai Murder,
, as we of Milan dubbed the sbortive catas
. tropbe. Ny patient wac a young and
: beautiful woman, singer-oae Of milan
!. favorites prior to the arrival of the pres
!. ent idol. It's cause, dual cne-enyJ
and malice, rooted in msdening Jealousy
al By a marvellous interposition, dealt
E was not the immediate result; the patien
3 fingered on for hours; nay days-thre
Q | and even four In number actually pasce'
in life for . woman literally stables
!, through the hearth
!. had, of course, forbid the slighes
J. possible excitement, Life, OF course, wa
) utterly impossitIe; but life should b
!. saved a. long. determined, es huu,al
a skill could fsa the vital spark. All Milan
; professionally, yss in attendance; bet
having rscsived the earliest call, wac con
!. sidersd the ruling medical authority. i
4 WA on the afternoon of the fou-tc day
and I was burryiug from other calls Dac
. into this woudrous patients room. wbe
n I vus arreetsd by ouch strxins OF eptrsps
u inR melody that, with my hard ON th
= ldoor-knob, In the act Of hurrying out,
Ipaused to listen.
n ~Oh, it is the glorious Soatag,' was n
i lfrst thought
ul 4 friend passing at the moment lfoz
= llodged In tho sesns hotsl with both Prir..
4. donnss), drawn from his sofa like myss
a into ths. corridor BY the concord Of thss
!. voudrous svest sounds, nodded back u
- preciation, recognition.
Z. &Of oousss, IL II SontcgT said-
Fl sNo: tAat e The strAngest part Of
- leiGnnxs eontsg 4 ustsning With tho r.
n utterly sn11ese4 v1t.sa ~ ooessooes