The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-06-30
The Tribute Of a, Tear.

+ In 1S47. Guila Grisi and Jenny Lind
were singing in London, but at differ.
ent places. Each star struggled to out.
shine the, other, and those who one
evening went into ecstasies over Crisis
q" Norma were the next evening en-.
raptured with Lind's i" Casta Diva. ),
Such was the rivalry that it was not
to be expected that they would singto-
gether in q public concert. But Queen
Victoria, thinking it shame that two
singers so eminent should be separated
by petty jealousy, requested both to
appear~at q Court concert. OF course.
they complied with the request. The
Queen cordially welcomed them and ex-
pressed her pleasure at seeing them to.
gether for the first time. She then gave
the signal for the concert to begin.
As Jenny Lind was the youngest ol
the two it had been arranged that, she
should sing first. With perfect conf.
dence in her powers she stepped for.
ward and began. But, CHANGING to
glance at Grisi she saw the Southron' s
malignant gaze fastened upon her. The
ferceness of her look almost paralyzed
the singer. Her courage left her, har
voice trembled, and everything before
her eyes darkened. She became SO
faint that she nearly fell. BY the ut
most exertion OF her will, however, she
succeeded in finishing the aria, The
painful silence that followed its cor.
clusion-a silence ever noticeable where
those present are .embarrassed-co
vinced7 her she had made failure. THE
conviction was confirmed, by the tri.
umphant expression on CRISIS counte-
nance. Despite the semi -torpidity Oh
her senses she realized that the failure
meant lost glory, the destruction of her
happiness and the modification and
grief of her parents and friends,
Suddenly something 1t seemed like
a voice from heaven-whispered, '.Sine
one of the old songs in your mother
tongue" She caught at the idea as an
inspiration, which had been flashed in.
to her mind betweenrthe termination OF
the vocal part of the aria and the ac-
,companist's final chords She unno-
ticed by the company. asked him to
rise, and took the vacated seas. For a
few seconds she suffered her fingers to
wander over the keys in. a, low prelude
then she began to sing. - = =
Her selection was d little PRAYER,
which, in the. long ago, she had. loved
above all other songs in her childhood
repertoire. She had not thought of il
for years. As she sang, She was nc
longer in the presence ofroy altv, but in
her fatherland, surrounded by those
who listened not to criticise. ..., s.,s
Not one of those before her under.
stood the words softhe praver,sa b,il
the plaintiveness of the melody and the
inspired. tones Of the pure, sweet voice
brought the moisture to sBvery eve
There was the silence of admirins
wonder. = = : :
When, having finished the ssprayer,s p
she lifted her. mild blue ewes to hel
rival. whose flaming orbs had so discon
certed her, she found no fierce expires
sion on her countenance, but instead, /
tear diamonding the long black eye
lashes. .tsI ~ sezS
A moment after, with the impnlsiye
ness characterizing the children of TIL,
tropics, Grisi rushed to Jenny Lind.
side. placed her arm around the girl.
neck and kissed her, regardless of the
lookers-on