Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-01-15
ABOUT ROssI.
Very Natural Acting-A Duel in the
Dark.

[Paris Letter to the Boston Advertiser
The first time that Napoleon Ill,
saw Rossi on the stage he sent Dr.
Conneau off with orders to bring the
"mighty tragedian" to him at once,
and said to him:
"Monsieur, am not easily affected,
but own that in the last scene you
singularly moved me. You must
have made Desdemona suffer horri-
bly, when you buried your nails in
her her throat; throat; her cries Of agony were
"Sire." replied Rossi, "the artists
who act with me are accustomed to
sacrifice everything to their roles. Ii
is possible that l bear little heavily
Upon Desdemona's throat, but no one
who has every played her part has
dared to tell me so."
Rossi is in the plentitude of force
and talent, and, singularly enough
for an Italian, attributes his remark.
able preservation to his cold morn-
ing bath, which no severity OF sea.
son ever interferes with. Perhaps
the very sober life he leads has as
much to do with it as the cold bath.
If his proposed visit to America
comes to pass, l doubt if he be pre-
vailed upon to taRe one single drink
at the inevitable bar. AT
Casalc, during a farewell representa-
ton, the court society chartered SO
loudly as to interfere with the repre-
sentation. Rossi, who was playing
Hamlet, came to Il full stop in the
middle of a sentence, and turning to-
ward front box from which the
greatest noise came, he bowed and
said, TRANQUILITY, 81 shall hush as long
as you do not hush" The public ap-
plauded, the interruption ceased, and
the play went on, but afterwards
Rossi was met at the door by one of
the young gentlemen, who felt called
upon to ask TOR satisfaction. Rossi
made long face, for he was expected
on the morrow at Milan. So he ex-
planned his situation to his blood
thirsty adversary, and begged that,
in order TO get through with their
little affair rs speedily as possible.
they shOuli go to his (iossi's) rooms
at the hotel, and qui, tiy shoot at one
another there. Tue proposition hav.
ing been accedcd to, they went t.
Rossi's rooms, aud ust placed them
selves at either end Of the SALON in
order to exchange three shots, when
the lnu-keeper, over anxious as to
his guests health and hours, knock
ed at the door, (Which he found lock-
ed, and asked i'll an anxious voice if
Monsieur was i'll, rs his hight burned
SO unusually late.
"No." replied Rossi, 81 am going
to bed thanks good night"
ou are deceiving me-" persisted
his anxious keeper, perhaps enliehi-
ened as to the scene in the theatre.
"I ou are certainly ILL.,"
"Go to bed," replied Rossi; 81 ain
putting out my light," and in a lower
tone, he added TO his antagonist,
"This is the only way out of it blow
out the candles"
"What are we to fight with pis-
tolls in the dark ?"
"Not quite; we will each smoke a
cigarette, and that willserve to guide
our aim."
Cali right"
And so the famous duel was fought,
in which Rossi had the good luck to |
wound his adversary slightly.
Rossi is man who sleeps as little |
as human nature can bear. lie smokes
and always horrid Tusca-
ny cigars, which, as he says, "bear
something. of his country to his
lips" He has only one old servant
he has ever been able to retain, his
irritable temper and capricious orders
putting all Others out of temper. This
faithful Sancho Panza only succeeds
by assuring his master that the hun
tred orders given in as many minutes
are all executed, and Rossi having
forgotten all save the last is satisfied.
Like most geniuses, he fancies he has
greater than his own, aud never
fails to affirm that, had he to begin
life anew, he would be tenor, and
therefore is disposed to entertain his
visitors with any amount of bad mu-
nc, thinking to give them better
than by reciting any
If his wonderful parts.