Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-03-19
THE ITALIAN DOCTORS TALE.

y
tag" acted upon the boards of La Scala.
1t was wondrous triumph for the
Milanese; for long had the battle ragged
and desperate between the triple oper-
attic powers of Rome, Naples and
Milan, ere the palm of victory had been
awarded to the latter.
My professional duties had detained
me late I was a young, struggling M. u.
in Milan at the time) and | entered the
theater; but as the air shook with the
wondrous applause elected by Sontags
rendering of "Ah, Non Credea, in the
Somnambula," was especially disap-
pointed to miss that aria--to me the
gem of the entire opera. But who could
deem himself ill-used, if in time for the
" Gunuger;" so, mentally thankful it
was no worse, l made my way to my
seat-one, fortunately, very near to the
stage; and had taken it, and was bowling
to some English friends seated in the
boxes adjacent ere the wild tumult of
applause had ceased to deafen my ears,
or the floral tributes to be enthusiast
cally showered at the lady's feet
One wreath, remarkable for its singu-
lar beauty, / remember, composed of
some deftly-woven, strange, red exotics,
caught my gaze as turned to the stage, in
the act Of It's descent. An instant more
it caught my hand as well; for, uninten-
tionally, in the act of turning, hat in
hand, the latter struck it,'thereby swerv
ing it from its original destination, d.
rectly into my own grasp. A moment
more, / stood the center of attraction in
my immediate sphere, bending forward
with what grace | might offering it to
Sontag The kindly, gracious smile
with which she received it will probably
dwell in my memory as long as aught
earthly. Verify, its remembrance thrills
me with a strange sense of pleasure
even upon fifty years recall.
The graceful figure, in its slender
beauty, bent before me, the crimson
wreath lightly resting against her breast,
when second one, accurately dropped
from above, literally crowning Amena as
she stood. 1t was deft trick, and one
which Immediately called forth the de-
lighted appreciation OF the audience.
The building absolutely roc ked with
the vibration caused by the second burst
of sudden ecstatic acclamations.
One odd feature of the incident imme-
diately struck me-namely, that the
second wreath upon the prima donna's
head was an exact duplicate of the
blood-red crown upon her bosom, and
which | had presented not an instant
before. l had scarcely had time to note
this coincidence, and the lady, casting
her hurried eyes appreciatively in my
direction, was in the act of bowling a
second graceful obeisence to the com
pliment wreath, raising it ass she did So
to her lips, when her beautiful face
paled suddenly, the limbs contracted
sharply, and she fell writhin ul-
sions, almost into the very ,t at
my feetl
In an hour the mystery was out, and
all Milan knew that both wreaths were
poisonedl To this day the music mad
Milanese remember the dreary horror
of that night. A week later, Europe
learned it; and at this day it is the
property OF the world. The facts were
these: A jealous rival, distanced alike
in love as fame by the peerless favorite,
interpolated the role of the Borgia into
the opera, providentially with but par
tial success.
A week later, Sontag, perfectly recov-
cred, sang at San Carlo; and a month
had barely elapsed ere the echoes of La
Scala again woke to her divine forgive
ness.
A sudden case Of suicide again called
me from my bed, Immediately upon my
retirement, the night of the ''Floral
Murder" as we of Milan dubbed the
abortive catastrophe. Ny patient was a
Young and beautiful woman--a singer
one of Milan's favorites prior to the
arrival Of the present idol. Its cause, a
dual one-envy and malice, rooted in
maddening Jealousy.
By a marvellous interposition death
was not the immediate result; my pa
tient fingered on for hours-nay, days
three, and even four, in number-actu.
ally passed in life for q woman literally
stabbed through the heart
Ihad, Of course, forbidden the slight
! est possible excitement. Life, Of course,