Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-02-15
A DANCE OF DEATH.
BY HUBERT H. DuvAR.

BY HUBERT II. DUVAR. K
La Scala, at Milan. The city is out in
force, and the theater packed from pit
to gallery. The Signorina Salerni sings
tonight in the same role in which she
made her debut, on these very boards,
three years ago. She has earned rep
tation worldwide since then in Paris,
London, Vienna, st. Petersburg, and
across the ocean beneath the Stars and
Stripes. Everywhere the press and pub
lie opinion have sounded her praises and
admired her perfect figure and beautiful
face, yet never' has a whisper been
breathed against her fair name. As an
actress she is ravishingly and voluptu-
ously charming-as a woman, cold as
ice and chaste as snow.
The piece is ''Semiramis," and she
takes the part Of the naughty Queen.
When she appears the audience gaze en-
raptured on the beautiful face and ex-
pressive eyes that now light up into a
blaze of amorous tenderness, anon over
flow with tears of sadness and heart
wrung regret, and again tighten with
the glare Of fierce revenge. They hang
entranced on her every word, holding
their breaths as her liquid notes swell
out in glorious volume of melody; they
watch her every expression and swallow
her ightest motion until their ailmira-
ton can be restrained no longer, but
breaks into tempests Of applause, some
times causing the singer to pause awhile
until it shall have subsidized.
The curtain falls at last, and very
avalanche of bouquets and floral wreaths
come swooping down, and the audience
will not be satisfied until she has bowed
her acknowledgements again and again.
The house at last is empty, the lights
are out, and tho crowd who waited
around the stage entrance to tender her
q fresh ovation have dispersed, under
the idea that the singer has gone, IN
seen by some other egress. Then car
rage drives to the door, and the signo-
rina closely yelled and wrapped in a
long mantle, comes out and enters the
carriage.
Standing in the shadow of the wall are
two young men Of fashion, who have not
been deluded like the rest. One is the
young Prince di Lira, and the other
Partisan visitor, the Count dc Cherand.
"P~ bacco," said the Prince, "what an
angelic singer; but also Tin my idea the
most charming quality what perfect
ly beautiful woman"
"Ah, yes" answered the Count. Gin
Paris we had but one who dared to at
tempt to rival her-the Polish Princess
Potrovskli-and even she had to admit
herself vanquished."
"What pity" said the Prince, "that
she will not choose cavalier. It is I'M
natural that so beautiful woman should
be SO cold"
The Count stroked his silky mustache
complacently.
"Ah," he said, with half laugh, "she
is q most consummate actress"
"What do you mean to imply ?" asked
the Prince.
"Ah! my dear fellow" the other all
swered affectedly, "it does not do to
proclaim all ones conquests from the
yet I fancy if those ruby lips
would but speak the truth, they would |
tell their sweetness had not been alto
gether sour grapes to at least one humble |
individual"
The singer, who had overheard the
words, sank back on the cushions of the
carriage, the lamp of which showed her
beautiful face perfectly Gvid with rage
and hate, while her hands instinctively
sought her bosom, as if to draw poig-
nard with which to strike the traducer
dead.
"The liar" she Kissed between her
set teeth.
The following evening the crush at
theater was even greater than before. A
new opera was to be produced, with the
'ignorina as the heroine. 1t was called
THE Sirens Of the Sea-" and as the pro-
luction of one of the most popular COM
1osers, rich treat was anticipated.
The orchestra took their places and
'layed the overture, which was received
With thunders Of applause, in the midst
# which the manager came in front of
he curtain, and flushed and nervous,
explained that, on account of
he signorina's very sudden indisposi-
ion, there would be no performance I'M
il the following evening.
But however sudden or serious the sig
lorina's indisposition might have been,
t was not sufficient to prevent her doing
he honors at private supper to two
,uests-the Prince di Lira and the Count
10 Cherand.
Oriental luxury pervaded the apart
lent and Sardanapalian magnifcence
uled the banquet. Carpets in which
he foot sank nearly to the instep; price
ess paintings ador1ling the walls; flow
rs and the melody of rare and gorgeous
Y plumed singing birds; a soft and sub