The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-10-01

i u R0t uOW ii 0lku tc<1A AAAAny
s. "And what if he were obstinate, and
wouldn't let you lead him !".. s,:sl
Z, ,"Why, I'd take off his bride and turn
him loose, and walk home, Sin"
"You may 60 and take your seat, john
N.Y. Johnny could not be made 10 see
the necessity for using the switch.
Life for Song. POD
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.
NV professional duties had detained me
late u was young, struggling ID. u: IN
Mlan at the time), and l entered thethea-
tre iust as the air shook with the wondrous
applause elicted by Sontags rendering OF
"Ah! non creda," mthe .Somnambula. l
was especially disappointed to have missed
the aria-to me, the gem OF the entire
opera. But who could deem himself i'll
used, if in time for the Giupges 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 tumuit OF
applause had ceased to deafen my ears, or
the floral tributes to be enthusiastically
showered at the lady's feet.
One wreath, remarkable for its singular
beauty, I remember, composed OF some
deftly-woven, strange, rcd exotics, caught
nv gaze as 1 turned toward the stage, in
the act of its descent. An instant more, it
caught nv hand as wen 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, l 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 1t
will probably dwell in my memory as long
as aught earthly. Verify, its remembrance
thrills me with strange sense OF pleasure,
even upon fifty years recall.
/ The graceful figure, in its slender beau
ty, vet bent before me, the crimson wreath
lightly resting against her breast, when
second one, accurately dropped from above,
literally crowned Amina as she stood. 1t
was a def trick, and one which called
forth the delighted appreciation OF the au-
dience.
The building absolutely rocked with the
vibration caused by the second burst oil
sudden acclamatiOn.
One odd feature Of the incident imme-
diately struck me, namely, that the second
wreath on the prima donna's head waa
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 compliment-wreath, raising it as she
| did 30 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. HTIa :,
In an hour the mystery was out, and all
Milan knew that both wreaths were pol
sonedi TO this day, the music mad Mi
lanese remember the dreary horror OF that
night. 4 week later, all Europe learned
| it and at this day it is the property OF the
world. The facts were these: A jealous
rival, dissanced alike in love as in 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 ol
La Scala again awOke to her divine for'
givenesss.
Asudden case of suicide called me from
my bed Immediately upon my retirement
the night of the Floral Murder" as we
of Milan dubbed the abortiye catastrophe
My patient was young and beautlfu
WOman-a singer-One OF Mllans avor-
| 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 number--actually passed IN
life for a woman literally stabbed through
the heart
Ihad, of course, forbidden the slightesl
possible excitement. Life, of course, wa:
utterly hopeless; but life should be saved
as long, / determined, as human skill
could fan the vital spark. All Milan, pro
fcssional, was in attendance; but l, having
received the earliest call, was considered
the ruling medical authority. 1t was or
the afternoon of the fourth day, and wal
hurrying from other calls back into thi.
vondrous patients room, when l was ar
fested by such strains Of enchanting mei0
dy, that with my hand upon the door knob
in the act of hurrying out, l paused to lis
tten.
cob 1t is the glorious Sontag," wa
my first thought.
A friend passing at the moment (for
LODGED in the same hotel with both prims
donnas). drawn from his sofa like mysel
| into the corridor by the concord OF thes'
wondrous sweet sounds, nodded back ap
probation, recognition.
| J" OF course, it is Sontag?" said.
| "No; that is the strangest part of it
Signora Sontag is listening with the rest
utterly entranced, within the corridor"
"What!" 1 amazedly answered-ant
4 with the word sprang into the passage
Once out there, one glance told me all
the crowd were gathered around the doc
of nv dying patients room, and it wa
from that door that this world of melod!
was pouring. In an instant was besid
her about to forcibly prevent the certain
death, if possible, but l saw that it wa
already too late. A strange smile lit vi
her wasted face, and the large eyes kindlet
into an unearthly transient glare of hf
as they met mine; then pointing to TIN.
envelope upon the table beside her, witt
one loud triumphant burst of inexpressibl.
sad melody she raised herself suddenly Il
her full height in bed, stretched forth he
arms widely, and with a choking, gurglini
rattle of the throat, fell forward upon be
face, literally deluged in her own lif'
blood. ,e
| The note, directed simply to me, con
tanned these words, in a slender ltalial
hand: @ r rf., :,
doctor, you say cannot live, and
know it. My prayer is for one more SON.
in life, and that she may hear it. / pa.
the price knowingly, and only too willing
| w.. Life for single song"
She had verify paid it. An examination
of the poor girls effects showed her =
have died in extreme poverty. She mfgh
have been wealthy in former times; bu
4 her recklessness and sad extrayagance ma
long since passed into proverb anon
those who knew her best.
. That evening. while watching In tn
dim twilight of the room wherein she lay
tall figure of q woman, shrouded to tn
temples, glided noiselessly beside me
Without q word fels . purse pressed int
nv hand, and in an instant after the myi
tery vanished as noiseless as . shadov
into the echoes of the darkened corridor
A slip of paper was twisted about IT. o!