Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-15
day began to dwindle till its flesh was

pesred IN dark mysterious garments and
carried shield without armorial bear
ings. He gained the laurel. and Leo
nora placed that crown upon his brow.
But alas; almost Immediately after, came
news OF a civil war, the assembly within
day dispersed, and with the rest went
this unknown warrior. But few nights
since she heard, near her easement. the
plaintlve notes of guitar and the words
OF plaintive song. Drawing near, she
heard her own name sighed, again and
again, till the very air seemed to breathe
forth the name, Leonora. BY the pale
moonlight she saw that the minstrel was
her lover, the strange knight.
The two ladies enter the palace. but
scarcely had they departed when Count
di Luna came softly toward the palace
windows that he might be near his be-
loved Leopora. The garden was bathed
in the light Of the moon. As he ap-
preached u window from which stream
ed the rays of a taper, he started. for a
voice that he knew began to carol forth
a song. 1t was the voice Of the treuba-
dour, who had dared approach the pal
ace windows. night after night, for many
nights. He sang:
O'er the lands of the earth
He hath wandered from births
He hath much-wadts no more.
| Does this same troubadour.
He hath treasure, Pm told,
| Quite surprising all gold.
! 'Tis q lady, no more;
He's rich troubadour.
| Hardly had the last words f1oated away
on the air when the window behind
which was the taper, opened on to the
terrace. The next moment Lady Leo
nora was coming softly dewn the broad
steps to the green lawn. As size reach
| ed the loot OF the marble stairs, she saw
3 manly figure whom she supposed was
| the singer, and she ran and put her arms
! around his neck saying: Thou art late.
/ have. counted the moments tor thy
coming But the voice of her lover,
Manrico. The troubadour. sounded many
steps away, crying: 'Falthless one!
And then, by the light of the moon. which
had seemed darkness to her, coming
from the illuminated chamber, she per-
celved how terrible had been her mistake.
She said: 'Manrico, thy Leonora thought
this man to be thyselt; he hath not yet
spoken by his voice l shodld have learn
ed my mistake The count. in great
rage. cried: He ls but coward or a
sinner who wears u mask. Remove the
mask The trOubadour took Oft his
mask. The count cried, Thou, Manri-
CO, prescribed. condemned to death, 8
rebel The troubabour replied, DE-
ieat thy rival, Count, by calling here thy
guards The count replied, tho only
GU .rd call is this, An honorable one
drawing his sword. Thou shalt now de
, grade its blade.' The troubadour quick
" drew his sword, and the count wa!
rushing upon him, when the minstre
' cried out: Softly, count. Brave mel
quarrel not in the presence OF trembling
8 women.' Follow me- shouted the count
and, in spite of all the entreaties OF th'
lady, the rivals strobe on to a SECLUDED
6 spot, where one might slay the other
II ACT II.
This act is entitled The Gipsy.' for
e opens with band of gipsies on the stag
p -gipsies. then as now, and who know
y through how many hundreds OF years
daring. brave. handsome, light-hearte
% rovers. In Spain, the zingaras or giE
sizes, have ever increased and multiplied
The land seems to foster them kindly
and at the time in which the scene OF thi
opera is laid they were so numerou
It that quarrelsome or rebellious noble
would frequently enlist the sympathie
IL and strong arms of the tribe. Often an
,r often tho prowess of the Zngaras prove
:. the turning point OF theSpanish victories
@' The band OF glpsies to which Manrlce
the troubsdour. belonged. had taken pal
10 in the rebellion going on against tn
ID king; hence the expression used by th
count when he discovered Manrico
the palace gardens. The gipsles wei
ID encamped within and about dilapids
a. ed building, amid the mountains
Biscay, not far from the castle of Coul
1 di Luna. In their encampment they san
and laughed and danced as though the
W twers masters OF tho earth. instead OF b
!, ing surrounded by danger, and, poss
bly,, near to death.
The Pickering flames OF wood fl
which shone on the faces of a wild ban
paled before the coming day. But thel
was yet sufficient light to see Manric
E muffled in cloak, lying at the feet of
stern-leoklng Gypsy woman, whom the
called Azucena. Suddenly this woms
started from her sleep, stood up, can
step or SO forward and cried .Lool
~ lsok ye! See how the flames dart
~ ~ her. as she is dragged along. Look y
~, ~ how they all crowd about. and are me
~ ry over her trouble-a poor gipsy IL
% % to death! See how their faces are battle
70 in blood. There! she screams in b
.. ., agony; and higher. and yet higher tt
20 mocking flames rise about her and no
49, [ see her no longer. Gone, gone, gone
y, Suddenly she came to herself and ha
-. - whispered, 'vengeance! l will ha,
20 vengeancen
u Still that word, NEITHER said Il
troubadour, Manrico, rising from h
'I &c hard bed.
~. 81 As the sun lit up the shadows in the
~ ~ dark skins. the gipsies moved away
''S various directions. Presently, the gi
sy-mother and gipsy-son were alone I
gether. Suddenly she began to spea
1t Of her terror. She went on hurried
he She was accused OF witchcrait-n
ed mother and they burnt her here-he
a. on this very spot. see her. thick chat
"a hanging anout her limbs, dragged
in this very spot. l stood near, holdir
nd thee in my trembling arms. In vain Il
st mother sought to bless me; they strut
mt down her hands and drove her iorwar
n Then it was she cried aloud .Avens
he mel And canst thou not read ii
'e, w,rds here-here on my tace9'
ce And thou didst obey, my motherr
VS. Il stole the old count son. III
be child wept and clung to me. Wi
1t should l pity him9 They had show
'th her no mercy. Here with him came.
OF fire was blazing as when my moth
re died. | closed my angry eyes. raist
en- high the struggling child above Ii
he head. and dashed 1t screaming on Il
burning embers! Then, looking for
al again, saw saw-the counts ow
off child still living"
IN Then thou had>t destroyed-'
nd My SONNY own dear son, and 81
'ar grovelled on the ground, hiding her ia,
9h with her hands.
ct Then am not thy sonp
We Suddenly she looked up fearful
ng 'Yes..yes. boy, thou art my son-u
u own dear SON.
And yet thou didst say
IS. Meier heed what say, son, for am
.p- not sometimes daitp Have l not been
lth tender mother to thee all thy lifep
ag There's not day that recall VIII,
nd thou vast otherwise
ht- Did l not save thy life, my son, n
~, own dear son? When they SAID Won i,