Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-12
a BALLErDANcER's "REMINISCENCES.
Ho,v Caycala==s Met the Cardinal end Got
Square on HE Sacre6 cOUe0e

| aO(c tOf cUtN--S 1et fUc S0EQtHUt ana OOL
| Square HE Sacre6 college.
The famous dancer, Malvina Cavalaz-
II, has been saying some very interesting
things to reporter of the New York
Press. She has been disappointed at her
reception in Philadelphia, and thinks the
ladies of that city treated her coldly:
':They look at me straight down their
noses. | like America, and until came
here thought America liked me- l am
sure New York does. True, L have very
little to do here, but it wounds me to see
the ladies in the boxes gaze at me in that
manner Applause from my own sex is
much more fattering to me than all the
hand clapping of those bald
headed men, who ogle so rudely
through their glasses. The princess of
| Wales always applauds me, and your
great ladies in other cities in this country
| treat me with every kindness when |
dance. But in Philadelphia they assume
| the air Of 'too proper to live 1t is not
pleasant. l am dancer, but hope am
also an artistic"
When she was seventeen she was pre-
miere danseuse at the Papal theatre in
Rome, and seems to have been quite as
full of mischief as of art She said:
"Well, the spirit of national liberty was
strong in the hearts OF the Romans even
then. 1t was easy to see that the reign of
Messieurs, the gentlemen in red hats and
stockings, was coming to an end; and
there is no doubt that their eminence, the
cardinals, were of the same opinion
However, they all came to the ballet; and
sat in front rows-that is more. But such
an inspection Of the clothes wore. If |
had put on anything approaching the
Italian colors, red, green and white,
| believe should have been thrown into
the deepest dungeon of the Vatican. Each
night the three monsignori came into my
dressing room just before [ went ON the
stage and examined my costume. Icould
wear all white, Or all green, or all red, or
two colors, but never three. If had on
red and white and showed green ribbon
the act would have been considered, YER
ily believe, penal All the ladies of the
corps de ballett were inspected in
the same way, and those reverend
fathers could be rude, Monsieur
They would tear off coral necklaces with
rough gestures, so afraid were they that
the national colors might be formed by
means of q group of several girls differ
emily alfred You know we Italian az
lists will wear coral-it is a superstition
Another thing which was regulated by
the priests was the length of our cos
TUNES Eli! but it was something
We only showed a little of our
ankles and little of our chins On certain
occasions. That was when particular
cardinal became afflicted with exception
al bashfulness. One day had great
fright received letter stamped with
the arms of the sacred college, requesting
my immediate presence before the car
dinals. | took my mother with me,
assure you. always had my mother
with me in Rome. l got out of
my carriage trembling with appre-
hension What had l done? Were my
skirts too short or my dress too high
whatY We were received by three solemn
officials in long rober like the men in
pictures of the Inquisltion. We were
conducted in and out Of the gloomy cor
ridors, where we encountered many more
ghostly figures who passed with downcast
heads. What can these old Cardinals
want with me? l thought.
began to be still more afraid,
when suddenly door opened and l
found myself in front of the Cardinal
Secretary of State, l forget his name. But
he was old, like mummy. At first they
motioned my mother to retire, but SAID,
No, stay!' and she stayed.'
1t turned out that all the Cardinal
wished of her was to compliment her
dancing. She was so angry over the
fright she received that she determined
upon revenge, and this is how she brought
it about
~ determined to worry the whole Sa-
cred college, and Ia few nays afterwards
succeeded. 1t was a night when ali the
| cardinals were seated in front, and the
house was crowded with citizens I put
on red bodice and skirt, and underneath
the SKIRT | had white petticoats Ny
stockings were also white, for I forgot
to tell you fesh-colored stockings
were not permitted in Rome. In
the ballet that | was to perform that
| night was a man who was to hold me in
certain positions. [ persuaded him to
| wear green suit, spangled with gold
| you see between US we had the forbidden
| colors complete-red, green and white.
| We passed muster before the inspector,
| for you may be sure we did not show to-
| gether, and went on the
stage. Presently l fell back on the arm
of my partner in green, and spread
out my red skirt, showing the white pet
ticoat, and there were the Italian colors
in full view of the audience. In a mo-
ment my ruse was noticed. The house
rose with a wild shout, Viva Italian
The curtain had to be dropped, and
half a dozen cardinals rushed on the
stage. l received them calmly. l
showed them that my costume
was IN red, and that my companion SIM
ply wore the ordinary green and spang-
les dress Of a harlequin, and explained
that the position was accidental as had
10 wear petticoats. Messieurs the priests
| had nothing to say; they had to go.
Nevertheless they thought, and l re-
ceived official intimation that a similar
accident, if it occurred again, would
land me in prison.
Murdered and Rabhad