The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-06-01
DIDN'T LIKEndIDA.u
The Little Bill Which signor Bertani
Sent to Verdi,
I From the London 7.,.oro,b

lrfo"' me Aondon Telegraph.
,nome years n;o, when Verdi's
"A'dA WAS produced 1T Parma, a
story, ben tr"cato, travelled over
'"nslcal Europe, to the effect that q
certain Signo. Bertrni, dwelling in
Neegio, went twice to hear the one
Ia and, not liking it, sent in to tho
composer a bill amounting to SO
lire. Said Signor Brrtani, in an
accompanying letter. II have ar-
rived at this conclusion Aida ia
an opera in which there is absolutely
nothing to excite enthusiasm, and.
nut on, Tor spectacular effects, the pub
llc you'd not havo heard it to the
end. When it has filled the theatre
Two or three times, it will be con-
uemned to the dusty seclusion of
the library. Picture to yourself,
then, Dear Signor Verdi, the regret
Which l feel in having wasted about
81 lire, and add thereto the aggra-
Vatod circumstan that I feel de,
pendent on my family, and that the
money troubles my rest like fright
ful spectre. Wherefore I frankly
address you in hope that you will
send mo the amount"
The tale was duly laughed at,
treated as u hoax, and forgotten,
put 1t now appears to have had o
foundation i'll fact. Verdi really
received such letter, and was so
Impressed by it that he wrote of
once to his publisher, Record, in
Milan, asking him to pay the writer
II lire 80 centisimi, adding, "You
can imagine that to save this scion
OF family from pursuing spectres,
l willingly grant his request" But
the Industrious composer struck one
item out Of the bill, namely, this
"Detostable supper at the station
z lire, which sum, multiplied by
two for second supper, when de-
aurtcd from the total, reduced it to
the amount named ip his instrnc-
tlons. Signor Verdi did not see
why he should pay for Signor Ber-
tanls bad snppers, renarking, "He
could eat when he reached homo"
Moreover, he made payment Of any
portion of the bill conditional upon
receiving an engagement from
Signor Bertani that he would never
again go to hear new work from
his pen.
Record treated the matter as
hoax, but, sure enough, Signor
Bertani was found ut the address
named, ready and willing to receive
the money, which was handed over
in return for the following declara>
ton "The undersigned acknowl.
edges receiving from the maestro G..
Verdi the sum of 81 lire 80 centisi-
mi by way Of reimbursing my trav-
cling expenses to Parma for the
purpose of hearing Aida, the mas
tor considering it just that the
amount should be restored to me, T
not having found the opera to my
taste. It is at the same time under
stood that I do go to hear DO more
of the masters new works. or, at all
events, that he will not be chargea-
bic with my expenses, whatever my
opinion of his music" And 40 tho
matter was amicably settled, leaving
us in doubt which to admire more,
Signor Verdi or Signor Bertani, of
Reggie.
MARys LITTLE LAMB.-The follow.
ing is the Chinese version of Mary
and her lamb:
Was gal name Moll had lamb,
Elcns all somee white snow,
Evly place Moll gal walkee,
Ba ia hoppee long too.
We heard son of Erin trying to-
surround Mary and her little lamb
the other day, and this is the way
he understood it:
Begorry, Mary he'd q little shape.
And the wool was white intoirly;
An wherever Mary would sthir her
sthnmps,
The young shape would follow her com:
plately.
-Cou,ecU Bluffs Glo6e.
Mrs Kate Southern who was re--
Gently convicted of murder for kill.
ing Miss Cavart, who was danc-
ing with the formers husband, at a
ball in Pickons county, Ga, has had
her death sentence commpted by
Governor Colquitt to ten years. in {
the penitentiary. This case caused