The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-04-13
A Gift from st. Petersburg.

For stage princesses of fame there can
be no more thankful public than the
members of the Nobility Club in the city
on the Neva. AS the papers inform us,
Adelina Patti, at the close of her engage.
ment in the st. Petersburg Italian Opera,
received from the above named club a
breast-pin consisting of pear.sized pearl,
set in tbirty.one diamonds, its value esti-
mated at seventy.fve thousand francs.
In reading this notice we remembered a
yet more costly gift from the same club,
the bestowal of which upon the receiving
prima.donna recalls such interesting and
happy moments that the relation fthem
at this present seems well worth while.
Seven years ago, Pauline Lucca ended
with immense applause an engagement in
st. Petersburg, Already some weeks
she had trilcd again in the Berlin Royal
Theatre, like nightingale escaped from
an icy cage.
Then, one day there presented them.
selves to the General Intendant Of the
Royal Plays, Herr Won Hulsen, three
men from St. Peters metropolis, who ap.
pearcd as gift delegation from the No.
bility Club in that city The speaker
stated that he and his two companions
had been sent to Berlin by extra train to
give to Fraulcin Lucca. in acknowledg.
ment Of her services to the highest tastes
Of the Russian aristocracy, little bou.
quot, The embassy asked Herr Won
Huscn to give his advice in performing
in the most appropriate manner their
delicate mission. The Herr General In
tendant declared himself ready to make
the necessary arrangements Immediately;
although, actuated by very natural
curiosity, he wished first to see with his
own eyes the "litte bouquet" for whose
transport and delivery three men and
perhaps an entire train had been deemed
necessary by the givcrs. The speaker
pointed through window in the street ;
before the door stood wagon, aud upon
it was an elegant circular box Of consider.
able dimensions, which contained the
bouquet Herr Won Hulsen ordered the
box to be brought TO his room with great
care. Here the cover of the receptacle
was removed, and what became visible T
A bouquet three feet in diameter, com.
posed of the most beautiful white came
lias-in the middle of winter tire-the
fringe, white satin. embroidered with
gold; the Catholic belief of the receiver
being noticed by giant cross of fragrant
violets, that lay in the bottom Of the
camelias, like child in the lap Of its
mother. AS the centre Of The bouquet,
like the black spot in the target, appeared
tiny crown of fifty large diamonds, that
fairly sparkled fire in the darkness. The
handle was bound with two white satin
riboons of hands width, with fringes OF
real gold and in each ribbon was en-
broidered artistically one Of the names Of
the most aristocratic club members.
Herr Won Hulsen was visbly astonished
at the beauty and costliness of the fra
grant floral production, and he informed
the deputation that the presentation could
not by any means dare to be an ordinary
one. Under the seal of the profoundest
secrecy, the necessary arrangements were
made. For the evening Of the appointed
day, Nicolai's opera, The Merrie Wives
of Windsor" was announced, in which
Pauline Lucca, as Mrs. Fluth, cxcels.
The Royal Opera singer, Herr Edward
Bost, basso, who, as Sir John Falstaff
shares her laurels, was admitted into the
secret. "At midnight hour" the box was
taken to the Opera House, and for the
time placed in one Of its drcssing.rooms,
under lock and key.
At the end of the opera, Mrs. Futh
has to say about these words of Sir John
Falstaff: "Sir John, we have been very
unlucky, We could not meet. My knight
| will not make you again, but my crea.
turc you will always stay" Falstaf
replies Il begin to perceive that have
been made to play the fool" Here he
continued, Of his own accord: "In spite
Of that, dear little woman, have no hate
for you; and as proof that l always es.
teen you, you will receive from me, be.
fore parting, little bouquet of camelias
and violets, which, in spite Of the cold
weather, have ordered for you direct
from St. Petersburg,
The "littlc Pauline" looked wonder.
ingly with her great ayes at Sir John, in
his mysterious extempore speech, and the
audience also waited breathless for what
should follow. Here Herr Won Husen
gave the director of the orchestra sig
nal soon the thrilling tones of the Rus
sian National Hymn resounded through
the crowded opera house; the three Rus
SLAMS, in their national costume, came
upon the stage, and kneeliug before the
singer, according to Russian manners
presented, hanging by fastenings, the cost
ly and carefully guarded bouquet. Fol-
a few moments the feted prima-donu,
stood like statue, gazing motionless upor
the floral work of art ; and then her JOY
full emotions found vent in an abundan
shower of tears. The audience ha,
rapidly comprehended the situation an,
thunder.like storms ofapplausc rc.echoe'
through the house long after the curtain
had fallen. And verify they had caus
for such demonstration for up to hi
time the gift of the Nobility Club of St
Petersburgh is able to stand upon recor'
as at once the largest and costliest eve
made to prima.donna on the stage.-Th
Adiae for April.
Methodism in New England.