, 1872-10-19
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ROBBlNG A PRIhA DONNA.
The Modern Ern DiaVolo and His Ap.
peArAnCes

u
pearnnces
Miss Violetta Colvil1e, the yonng American
prina donna, and her mother we're Waylaid. BY
highway robbers while enjoying . carriage ride
between Albisola and Savona, italy. The letter
relating the adventure is so interesting that we
deem it worthy Of making some extracts:
'sThe day before We left Savona thought it
would do Violetta good to go to the beach and
walk in the SEA air, size being yet not entirely
strong, so We took . carriage and drove to the
an hour On the shore Of this very beautiful
beach-hard and clean from it's billions OF many
colored pebbles-we started toreturn home. We
had got about half a mile from AH,isola when
something was the matter with the vehicle, and
that it could go no further. He said we must
wait there and be would go into town for another
carriage. WAS not at all suspicious nor ALARM
ed, and the beauty Of the place where we we're
made me rather pleased than otherwise to
remain for the hour that must ensue before our
driver could return. We were in q little valley,
or rather 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.
heard Violetta say, For mercy's sake, who are
these people?" I turned round and saw adyanc-
ing from the seaside five rough-1ooking men,
who, from the shape OF the road, had managed
to remain concealed from view until they were
within about 8 rod or so of us. To run would
have been ridiculous it would have shown fear
where, perhaps, none was necessary; or, if so,
although inwardfy trembling, / did not alloy
Violetta to think l. was frightened, but said,
s'Oh, they are laborers probably returning
home,". 3, But We were quickly undeceivcd when
one Of them advanced md asked in 8 tone not
at all agreeing with his language if we had not
q few centissimi for poor man TO gain time:
or, rather, to gather my. thoughts, I pretended
French what he desired. In the meantime had
slid my hand in my pocket and slipped OF my
rings from my fingers. He said that he and his
comrades would like q little assistance in the way
OF money from the mesdames. l had drawn out
my pocketbook and WAS proceeding to open 1t
when our brigand, not at all like the briFands OF
the DRAMA did not wait to accept with polite
phrase any offering might choose
to give him. but incontinently snatched
others crowded around him, and, seeing its con-
tents (there were about six hundred francs in
notes OF various deEominations), appeared high
II coutented; but w1ehins doubtless to have q
souvenir IT their unwilling benefactress.~ re-
l. quiret! of me my watch aleo which, when had
Themselves that Vloletta had neither watch uor
purse about her. AS |, happy that ne had es-
| caped without further loss or injury. looked
after the raacais. could not help thinking Of
where we're tha stesple-crowned hats and flow
ing rlbbousf Where were the silken hose
| wound about With many coered tapes that
make the lsge Of the opera singers look
like eccentric barber poles? Alas thoae
real brigands Ysre dirty, half clad, and
| wholly ragged specimens Of that humanity most
| nearly allied to the brute family. Now, If they
! bad only been stage brigands they would have
| recognized the young prims donna assoluta
| Bignorina Violetta Colville; they would have
| compelled her to sing au aria on tho spot, &C.,
| &c; but, oh: shame for the romance OF real
| life! We lost our nancy to a set of rsgamuthns,
and had n9t 5Yen the consolation Vt Laying it