Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-02-28
THE KING AND THE PRIMA DONNA.
How Frederick the Great Dealt with a
Celebrated Opera Singer-Hor Hoarse-
ness Quickly Cured.


How Frederick the Great Dealt with
Celebrated Opera Singer-Hor Hoarse-
ness Quickly Cured.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.
There is by the way q curious
story told of the manner in which
Frederick the Great could deal, where
other men had failed, with prima
donna of the period who was inclined
to set too little store by the public.
This artist seemed to catch g. cold
which had the effect of rendering her
hoarse, and consequently unable to
sing whenever anybody or anything
displeased her. One day certain
opera was to performed at Berlin, be-
fore the King himself. At the appoint
ed hour the manager came forward
and said, Ladies and gentlemen, we
grieve to inform you that our prima
donna has a sore throat, and the repre-.
sentation announced cannot therefore
take place." The stolid Teutonic audi
ence seemed no whitsurprised, and was
moving out TRANQUILITY, when the
King rose and commanded the must
clans to keep their places. The audi
ence sat down again and waited patient
ly on events. In less than quarter of
an hour the manager reappeared, and
spoke SIS follows: "Ladies and gentle
men have the most unfeigned pleas
ure in informing you that our prima
donna is completely cured Of her sore
throat, and will have the honor to sing
before you tonight" Sure enough
the famous singer soon appeared, and
never had she sung better. Her triumph
was complete. The Kings prescription
had been a very simple one. The
prima donna having dismissed the I'M
happy manager, was sitting before the
fire in her own room, and rather
pleased st the idea of having spoiled
the pleasure of several hundreds Of per
sons, when the door was violently
thrown open, and there entered an Off
Ger, followed by four dragons. "Mad-
amoiselle," quoth the officer, "the
King, my master, has sent me to ask
after your health" "The King is very
good; I have bad sore threat" L" His
Majesty knows it, and has charged me
to take you at once to the military hos
pital, where you will be cured in 8. few
days" Madamoiselle turned pale.
"You are jesting," she simpered; but
RUSSIAN Objects, SHE WsS l1lOIIuou,
never TESTED. The lieutenant gave the
order to his men, who seized Madam
oiselle and carried her out Of the the
atre. A coach was in attendance; the
lady was deposited therein; the officer
took his place beside her, after shout
ing the address to the driver-"Th
military hospital" and off they went,
the dragons riding alongside. In
few seconds, "Stay," said the lady; 81
think [ feel better" "The King is
anxious, Madamoiselle, that you should
feel quite restored, and even that you
should sing tonight" ~ will try"
murmured the prisoner. "Back to the
theatre" cried the officer to the coach
man. Arrived there, Madam iselle be-
gan to think she had yielded too easily.
81 will sing, since his Majesty COM
mands me-" she said, "but God knows
how" "You will sing" replied the
officer "ike the great artist you are"
"I shall sing like an artist with q bad
cold" II think not" And why%
because d couple of dragons will lie
in attendance behind the scenes, and
at the least coatac they have orders to
arrest you and carry you off again to
the military hospital" The hoarseness
was now completely gone.