The Hartford herald., 1875-04-28
THE STORY OF sTERIcKER.

least, but have distinct recollection that
the opera of the evening was the oftere-
peated "Trovatore" of Verdi I had been
wondering yet once again at the peculiar
circumstances attending that crime of in
fsnticide Of which the gypsy woman, AZ
ueenG, had been guilty. Having resolved
upon burning. the baby of her deadliest
foe, il was certainly, TO say the least of it,
a stupid mistake to make, that roasting Of
her own child instead. l had arrived at
the trite decision that really she had not
deserved to be a mother, in regard to her
proved incapacity for taking care of her
offspring The invisible tenor-I rather
think that it was Tamberlik, for am re-
ferring, or about to refer, to something
that happened some years since-had de-
livered his famous song from his prison in
the tower, and forthwith, being much app
plauded, had appeared upon the stage, by
special permission, as il were or upon
some sudden relenting of his fierce jaiIer,
the Count d Luna, TO bow gracefully. TO
receive further congratulations, and then
70 return to captivity. in order that the
story might proceed in the usual way
All this we had gone through very COM
fortably indeed. We had really enjoyed
our Verdi, even 10 his trombones; the so>
prano had sung her best her soaring notes
seeming TO ring musically against the very
ceiling of the house, like gold coin upon
q counter; the basso had produced rich
tones from strange depths, as bounteous
host might bring forth luscious and potent
wines frcn subterranean regions; the tenor
bad shot among us, now and then, a shrill
Il I'll al L. IL =
ears, rending them, as though it had been
a barbed arrow. Altogether the represen-
tstion had been most tunexceptioSable and
admirable, when suddenly there occurred
an excitement in the theatre which could
not be sscribed to Verdi or his interpret
ers Something of q gasp was audible
something of a cry; the sound of something
falling, of people rising from their seats.
and questioning and conversing in hurried
sentences, without regard to the transact
tions of the stage.
An opera-glass had fallen from one of
the upper private boxes on 20 the head OF
a gentleman sitting in the stalls.
Now had seen the glass fall; had seen
a round, white, braceleted arm and q
gloved hand stretched out to arrest, as il
seemed to me, its descent But, OF course,
it was all done in q moment: so rapidly,
indeed, that there was scarcely time for
the thing TO impress itself upon my mind,
and the instant after it had happened be-
gan to doubt whether / had really seen
what l had seen. 1t was so much more
as though had imagined the thing than
actually witnessed it.
However, that the accident had occur.
Il al Aa
tleman upon whose.craniun the glass had
descended had been carried into the lobby
BE was said to be stunned, if not killed
by the blow. A belief prevailed that hi:
skull had been fractured. In aoy case
an ugly wound had been inflicted upor
his head. which, by-thesway. was bald
except for crescent-shaped fringe at the
back, and few scanty locks arranged
over the crown. The blood had fioweC
freely, dabbling and disfguring his whit,
Gravel and embroidered shirt-front 1t wa,
really, altogether, a very shocking thing
There was no attending to the opera sftel
IL. The tragic matters happening upor
the stage were quite quenched by this Sc.
rious accident in the stalls Who woulC
now care about the Count di Llmds be.
heading his long~lost brother. or Azucena
bitter scream of "Sei yendicsts, o madre?'
The fate Of our bald comrade was of mucl
more concern to US. 1 hasteaed to max,
inquiries as to how he Jared.
He was not dead. So much was pres
emily clear. La fact, be was gradually
recovering consciousness Some oLe wa
ioosening bis collar and tie; some one els
was dabbing his wound with a wet cloth
He had Just risen from his seat, learned
when the opera glass struck him, and b
had fallen back as though he had beel
shot But distrusted this account after
wards, when ] ascertained that he ha
been seen TO stoop forward and pick u
the opera7glass, which, indeed he still bel
tightly in his hand. He was breathin
heavily, rocking little to and fro, an
moaning at intervals He was q middle
aged man, pursy of figure, with luxuriar
vhiekers that might owe something {
their rich brown hue TO art, linked togeth
er, as 1t were, by branch line of mustach
running across his upper lip, and with
shaven cnin such as, in Difference to tb
peculiar and unpicturesque fancy of tn
Chief, has been for som
tine the vogue with the British army
Still l was Of opinion, though / hardl
know on what grounds exactly, that th
unfortunate msn was not member of th
military service Of my country. Then b