The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-09-23
Life for a Song.

Life for a Song.
FIFTY years ago the Divine Sontag"
stood upon the boards of La Scala. 1t was
a night of wondrous triumph for the
Milanese; for long had the battle ragged,
and desperate, between the triple operate
powers of Rome, Naples and Milan, the
palm of victory had been awarded to the
latter
My professional duties had detained me
late Il was young, struggling NJ. ID. in
Milan at the time) and entered the thea
tire Just as the air shook with the wondrOus
applause elicted by Sontags rendering of
"Ah non creda," IN the SOmnambula. l
was especially disappointed to have missed
| the arla-tO me, the gem OF the entire
opera But who could deem himself i'll
used, if in time for the Giunge? SO, men,
tally thankful that it was no worse, made
| my way to my seat-one, fortunately, very
near the stage; and had taken it, and was
bOwing to some English friends seated in
the boxes adjacent, ere the wild tumult of
| applause had ceased to deafen my ears, or
the floral tributes to be enthusiastically
| shOwcred at the lady's feet.
One wreath, remarkable for its singular
beauty, remember, composed of some
my gaze as turned toward the stage, in
the act of its descent. An instant more, it
caught my hand as well for, unintention-
| ally, in the act of turning, hat in hand, the
latter struck it, thereby swerving it from
its original destination, directly into my
own 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 aught earthly Verify, its remembrance
thrills me with a strange sense of pleasure,
even upon a fifty years recall.
The graceful figure in its slender beau
ty, yet bent before me, the crimson wreath
lightly resting against her breast when a
second one, accurately dropped from above,
literally crowned Amina as she stood. 1t
was deft trick, and one which called
forth the delighted appreciation of the au
d1ence.
The building absolutely rocked with the
vibration caused by the second burst Of
sudden acclamation.
One odd feature of the incident imme-
diately struck me, namely, that the second
wreath on the prima donnas head was
an exact duplicate of the blood-red crown
upon her bosom, and which | had pre-
sented not an instant before. / had scarce
ly had time to note this coincidence, and
the lady, casting her hurried eyes appre-
ciatively in my direction, was in the act
of bowling second graceful Obeisance to
the COMPLEMENTARY, raising it as she
did so to her lips when the beautiful face
paled suddenly, the limbs contracted
sharply, and she fell writhing in cOnvul
sions, almost in the very fOOt-lights at my
feet
In an hour the mystery was out, and all
Milan knew that both wreaths were poi
soned To this day, the music-mad Mi
lanese remember the drcary horror of that
night A week later, all Europe learned
it and at this day it is the property OF the
world. The facts were these: A jealous
rival, distanced alike in love as i'm fame by
the peerless favorite, interpolated the role
of the Borgia in the opera Providen-
TALLY, with but partial success.
A week later, Sontag, perfectly re-
covered, sang at the San Carlo; and
month had barely lapsed ere the echoes of
La Scala again awoke to her divine for
givenesss.
A sudden case of suicide called me from
my bed Immediately upon my retirement,
the night of the "Floral Murder" as we
of Milan dubbed the abortive catastrophe.
My patient was a young and beautiful
wOman-a singer-One OF Milan's favor
ties prior to the arrival of the present idol
Its cause, dual One-envy and malice,
rooted in maddened jealousy.
BY marvellous interpOsition, death was
not the immediate result my patient lin
gered on for hours; nay, days-three and
even four, in enthusiastically passed in
ia fnr o itar llxy fol rrh
the heart!
had, of course, forbidden the slightest
possible excitement. Life, of course, was
utterly hopeless; but life should be saved
as long, | determined, as human skill
could fan the vital spark All Milan, pro-
fessional, was in attendance; but |, having
received the earliest call, was considered
the ruling medical authority. 1t was on
the afternoon of the fourth day, and was
hurrying from other calls back into this
wondrous patients room, when L was ar
rested by such strains of enchanting melO
dy, that with my hand upon the dOor-knob,
in the act of hurrying out, L paused to lis
ten.
ooh 1t is the glorious Sontag," was
my first thought -,.iifIp ,~iI-
4 A friend passing at the moment (for
lodged in the same hotel with both prima
donnas), drawn from his sofa like myself
into the corridor by the concord of these
wOndrous sweet sounds, nodded back APP
probation, recognition ird T.ns ~.
"Of course, it is Sontag?" | said, ,t-
"No; that is the strangest part of it.
Signora Sontag is listening with the rest,
utterly entranced, within the corridor"
"Whatl" l amazedly answered-and
with the word sprang into the passage.
Once out there, one glance told me all
the crowd were gathered around the door
of my dying patients room, and it was
from that door that this world of melody
was pouring. In an instant was beside
her about to forcibly prevent the certain
death, if possible, but | saw that it was
already too late. A strange smile lit UP
her wasted face, and the large eyes kindled
into an unearthly transient glare of life
as they met mine; then pointing TO tiny
envelope upon the table beside her, with
one LOUD triumphant burst of inexpressibly
sad melody she raised herself suddenly to
her full height in bed, stretched forth her
arms widely, and with choking, gurgling
rattle of the throat, fell forward upon her
face, literally deluged in her own life
blood.
The note, directed simply to me, con-
tanned these words, in slender Italian
hand:
doctor, you say I cannot live, and
know It. My prayer is for one more song
in life, and that she may hear it. pay
the price knowingly, and only too willing
ly Life for single song.n 3a lie .iyfl
She had verify paid it. An examination