The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-11-02

general, confseates her, and to silence the
| opposition of Rocco gives him choice
| Of Inhabiting O dungeon cell or .
| palace; in the former as a prisoner
of state, or in the latter as Lord
| Chamberlain. Rocco wisely chooses the
| latter, and this brings the first to close
amid the singing of a coaching chorus.
| The second act opens in the grand ducal
palace at Piombino. Bettina is now the
ions are being made for the marriage GER
emony of the Princess Fiametta to Fred
erick Crown Prince of Pisa. During the
fete Salterello, the famous dancer
appears and proves to be Pippo in dis
guise: he makes himself known to Bettina
and they mutually reslve to fly; but are
discovered by Lorenzo and ordered to be
hung. He is left alone with the guards
when the Princess Fiammetta appears on
the scene declares her love for him. and
liberates him, and having already been led
to believe by the King and Frederick that
Bettina is playing him false. is stimulated
by revenge, and induced to make love to
the Princess at her own request in order
that she may be compromised and married
to him in consequence. She sends for the
King, who enters upon the scene, with
several of his court, only to find Pippo
ssts upon his consent to her marriage with
Pippo as the only solution of the dilemma
An idea occurs to the King that by SO do
ing he rids himself Of the great danger to
his Mascotte. He announces his consent
and graciously informs Pippo that in
stead of sending him to the gallOws, he
has created him Duke of Villa Rosa, with
the privilege of drawing $4,000 crowns a
year from an empty treasury. Bettina,
upon learning these facts, consents to mar
~ the King, who intends it as matter of
form only, for further protection of his
Mascotte. In the grand finale of the second
act, the two weddings are shout to take
place, when Pippo and Bettina desert their
respective bride and bridegroom, jump to-
gether from the castle window into the
river below, and make their escape. The
continual anxiety of the King for the safe
ty of his Mascotte, and his efforts to pre-
serve her, give rise to many comical situa-
tons in this act. The third act opens in
the adjoining Duchy of Pisa.
Prince Frederic is at war with Lo-
renzo, who, after being beaten in
several battles. is dethroned by
his people, and forced to flee with his
daughter Fiametta, he being disguised as
pifferaro, and she as a gypsy. Pippo
and Bettina, after making their escape
from Lorenzo's palace, join Prince Freder-
les army, Bettina distinguishing herself as
a soldier. Pippo having Mascot by his
side, performs great deeds of valor, is
made captain, and leads Prince Fredel les
forces to many victories. In the opening
scene of the third act, the war is about to
close. Captain Pippo appears with BETH
ma, as his orderly, makes known her iden-
tity to the prince and his soldiers, and asks
his consent to their immediate marriage,
which the prince cheerfully grants. Lo-
renzo, Fiametta and Rocco now make their
appearance, disguised as wandering must
clans, and in concert with chorus of
soldiers sing the ''Orang Qutang" song,
Rocco schemes to obtain Bettina, but fails,
and everything ends very happily.