Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-10-25
ROBBING A PRIMA DONNA.
The Modern Fra DiaTOlO and His Ap'
pearance.

Miss Nioletta Colville, the young
4 American prima donna, and her mother
were waylaid by highway robbers while
f enjoying a carriage ride between Al
! bisala and Savona, Italy. The letter
relating the adventure Is so interesting
/ that we deem il worthy Of making some
Z extracts:
HThe day before We left Savona l
thought it would do NiOletta good 10 go
To the beach and walk in the sea air,
she being vet not entirely strong, o We
took a carriage and drove to the little
village of Albis0la. Alter walking about
an hour on the shore Of this very beau
tif1I beach-hard and clean from its
billions Of mauycolored pebbles-we
started TO return home. We had got
about halfa mile from AlbisOla when the
carriage stopped and the driver said
that something was the matter with
tbe vehicle, and that il could 90 no
further. he said we must wait there
and he would Z it0 town for another
carriage. was uOt a. ~ suspicious nor
alarmed, and the beauty Of the place
where we were, made me rather pleased
than otherwise TO remain for the hour
that must ensue before our driver could
return. We were in little valley, or
rather q gorge, for the hills rose on each
side and the mountains lay behind
when we faced the sea, which was just
visible through the gorge. We strOlled
about enjoying ourselves, when heard
Nioletta say, For mercy's sake, who
are these peODle?n ] turned round and
saw advancing from the seaside five
rough-lOoking men, who, from the
shape of the road, had managed to re-
main concealed from view until they
were within about rod or so Of us. To
run would have been ridiculous; IL
would have shown fear where, perhaps,
none was necessary; or, If so, we had
no place TO run to; and so, although III
wardly trembling, / did not allow
Violetta to think l was frightened, but
said, "Oh, they are labOrers probably
returning home.n But we were quickly
undeeeived when one of them advanced
and asked in a tone not at ali agreeing
with his language if we had not a few
centissimi for a poor man? To gain
time, or, rather, to gather my thoughts,
l pretended not to understand Italian,
and asked him in French what he desir-
ed. In the meantime ] had slid my
hand in my pocket and slipped off my
rings from my fingers. He said that he
and his comrades would like little as
sistanee in the way Of money from the
mesdames. ! had drawn out my pocket
book and was proceeding to open il
when our brigand, nOt at all like the bri-
gands of the drama, did not wait q
accept with polite phrase any offering
/ might choose TO give him, but lncOn-
tinently snatched il from my hand. |
When he opened il the Others crowded
around him, and, seeing its contents
There were about six hundred francs /
in notes Of various denOminatiOnsl, ap- |
peared highly cOntented; but wishing
doubtless to have a sOuvOuir Of their un- |
willing benefactress, required Of me my
watch also; which, when | had given
them, they made Off with, first eOnvinc-
ing themselves that Nioletta had neither
watch nor purse about her. As !, happy
that we had escaped without further
loss OF injury, looked after the rascals, !
[ could not help thinking of the decline
of the brigand species. Alas! where
were the steeple-crowned hats and flow
ing ribbons? Where wSre the silken
hose wound about with many colOred
tapes that make the legs Of the opera
singers look like eccentric barber poles.
Alasi these real brigands were dirty,
half clad. and wholly ragged speci-
mems of that humanity most nearly
allied to the brute family. Now, if they
had only been stage brigands they would
have recognized the young prima donna
assoluua Signorina Nioletta Colville;
they would have compelled her to sing
an aria on the spot etc, etc. but, oh,
shame for the Romance OF real life! We
lost our money 10 a set Of ragamufiins,
and had not even the consolation of
having il taken from US by a gentleman
. with highcrowned hat, with q tail
OF gorgeous ribbons, and who would
sing while be took IL, 70 soOthe our
wounded feelings. There's where II
stings; there is where We are humbled.
But to return to AlbisOla The driver
came shortly after the departure Of the
thieves, and although it could not be
proved against him, / will always be-
iieve that he was in league with them"