The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-03-25
HARRY FANE's WIFE:
AND HOW HE GOT RID OF HER.
EY FRANK VAUGHN.

Theatre Gas the great London Opera
House is callcd>, and the magnificent edi-
fee was brilliant With light, resplendent
With jewels, and crowded from pit to
dome.
The Emperor Louis Napoleon was on
visit to the English Court, and this was
the night selected for the state visit Of the
Empress and himself to the opera
The Queens boz having been voted
too small for the occasion, three of the
largest boxes in the centre of the house
had been thrown into one for the accom-
mediation of the royal party.
/ happened TO be in London that
spring, "homeward bound after three
years tour through Europe and the East
and being. although an American, grad
uate of the Christ Church, Oxford, l had
little difficulty in looking up old college
chuma, who were all glad to bee me.
On this occasion had been installed
by my friend Harry Fame, in the ''omni-
bus box" which, situated on the left of
the stage, commando. beautiful coup
bog being limited to the most exclusive
of the club men Of London society, I felt
myself rather lucky.
| 1t was by far the most glitteriug page
ant had ever beheld. The Queen had
held drawing room in the morning, and
/ the peetesses and diplomatic corps were
I in full court dress, orders blazing on
scarlet uniforms, diamonds glittering on
j snowy bosoms, and the whole scene one
hutter and sparkle of rank, wealth, and
beauty.
/ Piccolomini was singing in s'La Ira
| yiata," and the second act was nearly
over when the peal of drums and flourish
of trumpets from without announced the
arrival Of the royal cortege.
The curtains of the great central box
parted, and, preceded by the ushers and
officers of the court, the Queen and the
Emperor entered. Louis Nnpolcon's cold,
hard face wore its usual expression of re
lentless determination Even in the early
days of his success and prosperity, there
was nothing in the mans face to awaken
Z spark of popular enthusiasm. Queen
! Victoria was sumptuously attired in what
seemed to my uninstructed eyes to be a
| cloth of gold, with dazzling coronet of
/ diamonds on her head, and the blue rib
/ bon of the Garter across her shoulder.
| She looked. however, flushed and weary !,
and in spite of the matronly dignity of
. her manner there was lack of the indie
scribable something in her appearance
which the French call foar de race, and
which nature does not always bestow
even upon heads that wear n crown.
After responding to the deafening
cheers which seemed to shake the vast
building to its foundations, the royal pair
seated themselves, and there was mo-
mentary hush then another and wilder
burst of enthusiasm as Prince Albert, in
his field marshal's uniform, led forward
the fair young Empress. Like u snow
flake on July day. like the fairy like
mist that hangs over Niagara, like all that
is purest and freshest and loveliest in
nature, was the impression that she pro-
duccd upon the vast concourse of tired,
heated humanity. She was entirely in
white-white OF the fleeciest, gauziest,
inistiest description and with very
simple paruIc of emeralds and diamonds
glistening in her blond hair, looping up
her gauzy sleeves, aud shining on her
lovely neck. She was as completely a
VISION of delight" as my eyes had ever
lit upon.
The audience rose en- D,assc and re-
mained standing while the national an
them was sung by the united strength OF
the company and then, as the artists
Recommended their parts, and the excite
ment gradually subsidized, had an oppor-
tunity of looking about to see who was in
the house.
q say. Nelson" said one of my old
friends, Gus Chichester, ''isn't that Henry
Fame over there 10 Lady LIS box p
Certainly it is,' interrupted Sir
Thomas Hill, "and still wolshipping at
the shrine of our Lady of Firenza see.
Was there ever poor fellow go desper-
ately spooney
Il don't see why he's to be pittied,'
replied Chichester GROSSLY. 1.-The Sig
norma is miracle of beauty, and they
say shes enormously rich. BY Jove
what eyes and what superb form
/ These foreigners take the shine out of
our English women, most decidedly. Can
you show us anything as handsome as
that in America, Nelson ?"
ssOh of course, any number, my dear
boy,o | replied laughingly. 1.-The Sig
norma would be called rather plain in
New York. and doubt if they'd ask to
take her photograph in Boston. But tell
me who she is, and how, with that for
eign name and face, she happens to be in
| London.
"Why, don't you know, Lady L. met
her in Florence, when his Lordship was
Minister there, got intimate, and offered
to chapcron her through season here
and in Paris. They were in Paris to,
gether last winter, and the Signotina
made tremendous hit.
BY THE time had brought my glasses
to bear upon the box, and could not but
own that even in tie blaze of beauty
which filed the opera house that night,
the young Signorina had no peer. She
was brunette, with features of almost
Grecian straightness, and wealth OF
dark hair growing low down upon her
forehead and leaving but narrow space
j