The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-06-27
perusal of the painted ceiling, he traced the
following lines:

Held ever captive by one LTeSS
OF thy silken loneliness"
In vain he gnawed the luckless quill; the
MUSES. were refractory. His rowing glance
now fell upon a white scarf that lay
neglected at his feet. He raised it with
tender enthusiasm to his lips, exclaiming:
How earnest thou To fall so low, my
precious RELIEF Would not my gracious
little saint recall her favor if she knew how
it lay neglected on the fioor?" Again and
again he bathed his face in the soft white
ness, and thus relieved the feelings he was
unable to pour out in verse. Antonio's
passionate phase gradually calmed, and at
last found himself gazing with an intensely
absorbed air at the bottom of the bit of Po--
celain, from which he had drained the last
drop of chocolate, his mind being engaged
in endeavoring to elucidate the, to him,
very unpleasant phenomenon OF Sylvia
having such a sister as Angela. IF we out
knew how to dispose of the poor thing, L
might this night hold her matchless sister
in my arms"
A tap at the door from without interrupts
him.
Enter and right welcome, my Syl-"
ct is but poor Angela. Signor Antonio.
Forgive me if 1 intrude. Sister Sylvia hath
sent me to thee with message"
Still art thou welcome, Sylvias sister.
Say, quickly, what commands hath she to
her slave"
she Graves the deputy impressariO's for
giveness that she is unable to come herself
this morning as she promised yesternight."
What hindreth my AngelaY"
SISTER Sylvia is lndisposed, and fears she
will be unable to sing to night"
''Indisposedi Not sing tonight, Maria
Madrer' Antonio's countenance expressed
the widest CONSERVATION. Here was pretty
beginning. Truly an impreSSdriO lies not on
a bed of roses
He exclaimed, not to Angela in particular,
but taking every article in the room to wit
ness:
els not this distraction? How shall find
a substitute for my peerless prima donna in
less than eight hours withal? The town will
be in an uproar."
"Be not troubled, good Antonio said
Angela, in quiet, assuring tones, even as
one who speaks the words of truth and
soberness; II will sing for sister Sylvia this
night"
Antonio answered with gentle smile:
aye my poor Angela, thou wilt sing as
thy sister Sylvia sings, and this night also. if
this night the all-wise God seeth fit to make
good thy baptismal name'
Angela also smiled, and as gently said:
THAT may be, and blessed be God and the
mother of God il it be. Yet will | sing be-
fore thee, even as my sister Sylvia sings, this
night"
Antonio gazed in amazement at the insig-
nifcant little woman's form as, with slight
inclination of the head, she gllded from his
presence Poor fellow. He was not accus-
toned to the vicisstudes and cares of Office
The previous night he had left his SYLVIA APP
parently in perfect health, the fairest thing
beneath the moon, and To- in the morning
comes this little dark bird of ill-omen with
its bit of bad news and crazy consolation.
One thing must be done, and that at once
namely, to see or hear from Sylvia herself
what the probabilities were of her appear
ance this night. Accordingly he dashed off,
and was met at the portico of her
dwelling by her attendant, who handed him
a little scented capricious note, stating with
many protestatiOns of regret, his MISTRESS
utter inability to appear. This was conclu-
sive. The next thing to be done was to pour
his grief lavishly, and with much :,assionate
gesticulation, into the ears of his many SYM
pathizers, and to telegraph to brother i'm
prcSsdrio at Rome to rescue him, for the love
of heaven. from his difficulty, and send him
the first prma donna ne could lay his hand
upon. To his exuberant delight news ar
rived shortly that the great Signora l.
had graciously consented to appear.
III.
The sun, which has burnt at white heat
all the livelong summers day, no. nears
the horison, and his burning finger is laid
with lingering touch on the lofty cathe-
dral spires above, as if 10th to leave playing
in amongst their matchless tracery; whilst
the gay laughing lower world turns out in
the refreshing GOODNESS, enjoying the bare
fact of living as only Italians can. The
broad piazza before the theater swarms once
more with merry expectant throngs all
bound in the same direction.
1t was not In the time of Paul the Apostle
that people began to spend their time in
nothing but telling and hearing some new
thing; and his preaching did not end il.
Curiosity to hear the new prima donna, not
| wiihstsniiIg he pride they took in the.r
own unrivalled native songstress, had
| brought the people together in unusually
large numbers. They pass on in apparently
endless streams, and are lost in the vast in
| terror of the theater.
The cathedral clock is within a hairs
| breadth of the hour at which the opera is to
commence, when two figures the very oppo-
sites of each other, pass in quick succession
/ over the now almost empty piazza on their
way to the thester. The first, yelled and
demure little woman, pauses for moment
| with bowed head by the statue of Appollo
then enters the building Her follower, a
handsome man in evening dress, pauses also
| at the same spot and as he lifts his head.
/ upon his countenance is visible an express
| ion in which indignation and despair strive
| for the mastery. Our tnlpressdri0 enter
tains serious thoughts of putting an end to
an existence in which such days as he has
this day experienced are possible. Now, at
the last moment, a telegram has arrived,
conveying the distracting news that the Sig
nora Il has suddenly been visited with
severe indisposition, land is,consequently I'M
able to appear He enters at the private
| door; and is at once assailed by a dozen ex-
cited inquirers: ''Is the signora coming?'
"What is the matter with her?' "Who will
sing in her absence?'
The orchestra, in happy ignorance of the
smouldering mine. are now bringing the in
PRODUCTION successful y TO a close; and be
fore the maddened Antonio can tear him
self away in order to present his apologies
to the house for the unavoidable alb
sence of the prlma donna, and the