Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-09-22
A LIFE FOR A SONG.
An Incidsnt in the Career of sontag.

night OF Wondr0us triumph lor tne Mllan-
ese; for long had the battle ragged, and des-
pernte, between the triple operatic powers
Of Rome, Naples, and Milan, ere tho palm |
Of victory had been awarded to the latter
My professional duties had detained me
late Il was young, struggling M. d. IN
Milan, at the time), and i entered the thea
tire lust as the air shook with the wondrous
applause ELECTED by Sontag's rendering OF
"Ah! non creda," in the Sonnambula,
was especially disappointed to have missed
that aria, to me the gem Of the entire opera
But who could deem himself ill-used If in
time for the Giunge2 So, mentally thank
ful it was no worse, | made my way to
seat, lone fortunately near the'stoge, and
had taken it, and was bowing to some Eng
lish friends seated in the boxes adjoining,
ere the wild tumult of applause had ceased
to deafen my ears, or the floral tributes to
be enthusiastically showered Mt the lady's
feet
One wreath, remarkable for its singular
beauty, 1 remember, composed OF some
deftly-woven, strange, red exotics, caught
my gaze, as turned towards the stage, IN
tho act of its descent. An instant more, 1t
caught my hand as we'll; for, unintOntion-
ally, in the act of turning, hat in hand, tho
latter struck it, thereby swerving it from its
original destination directly into my own
grasp. A moment more, l stood in the
centre of the 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
asaught earthly. Verify, the remembrance
thrills me with strange sense OF pleasure,
even upon fifty year recall.
The graceful figure, tits slender beauty,
yet bent before me- the crimson wreath
lightly resting against her breast, when
second one actually dropped from above,
literally crowning Amina as she stood. 1t
was deft trick, and one which Immediate
Iy. called forth the delightful appreciation
ofthe audience. .aa,.-
The building absolutely rocked with the
sudden ecstatic exclamation,
One odd feature Of the incident imme.
diately struck me, namely, that the second
wreath on the prima donnN's head was an
exact duplicate of the blood-red crown
upon her bosom, aud which had presented
not moment before. had scarcely time
to note this coincidence, and the lady,
casting her hurried eyes appreciatingly in
my direction, was in the act Of bowling q
second graceful obeisance to the comph-
mentary wreath, raising it, as she did so,
to her lips, when the beautiful face paled
suddenly, the limbs contracted sharply,
and she fell in writhing ConvulsiOns almost
into the very foot-lights at my feet.
In an hour The mystery was out, and all
Milan knew that both wreaths were pois-
oned. To this day the music-mad Milan
ese remember the dreamy 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, displaced alike in love sin fame by
the peerless avorite, interpolated the role
of the Borgia in the opera providentiaiy
with but partial success.
A week later, Sontag perfectly recovered,
sang the San Carlo, and month had barely
elapsed ere the echoes of La Scala again
awoke to her divine forgiveness.
A sudden case of suicide called me from
my bed Immediately upon my retirement
the nigat of tho "horal murder" as we of
Milan, dubbed the abortive catastrophe
My patient was n young and beautiful wo-
mana singer, one of AIilan's iavorites
prior to the arrival of the present idol. It's
cause, duel, envy and malice, rooted IN
maddening jealousy. fj.
BY n marvellous intorposition, death was
not the immediate result my patient lin
gered on for hours, nay, days and even
four in number, actually passed in life
for woman literally stabbed through TIE
heart .H....
/ 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, profession
nj was in attendance, but having received
the earliest call, was considered the ruling
medical authority. 1t was in the afternoon
of the fourth day and | was hurrying
from other calls back into this wondrous
patients room, when was arrested by
Such strains of entrapcing melody, that,
with my hand upon the door knob in the
act of hurrying out, IpauSed TO listen.
ooh, it is the glorious SontGg,' was NY
first thought.
A friend passing at the same 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 appreciation. recognition,
"Of course il is. Sontag, said, -..
"No; that is the Btrangest part of it,
Signora Sontag is listening with the rest,
utterly entranced, within the corridor"
''What - l amazedly answered, and,
with the word, sprang into the passage.
~. ~ r1ax al Ill .n
crowd had gathered around the patients
room, and ii was from that door that this
world OF melody was pouring. In au in
slant was beside her, about to forcibly
prevent the certain death, if possible; but I
saw that | 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 me; then, point
ing 10 tiny envelope upon the table be-
side her, with one loud, triumphant burst
of inexpressibly sad melody, she raised
herself suddenly TO her full height In bed
stretched forth her arms wildly and, with
n choking, gurgling rattle Of the throat
fell forward on her face, literally deluged
in her own life-blood.
The note, directed simply TO me, con-
tanned these words, in a slender Italian
hand: rlIr si..... ..
"DooToR, you say caKnot live, and L
know it, Ny prayer is for one more song
in life, and that she may hear IL. pay
the price knowingly-and only too willing
ly-life for sirglS song" r, .'r.I
She had verify paid it. An examination
of the poor girls effects showed her TO have
died in extreme poverty. She might have
been wealthy in former times, bnt her
recklessness and sad extravaganza had
long since passed into a proverb among
those who know her best. 20
The Collins Metal.
From the New York Weekly Tribune, sept 8, 1869.
The Collins Watch has reached sale somo-
what marvellous. II is not many years since
a gold time piece wac as great rnrity as dia'