Smyrna times., 1882-08-09
Singing to Live.

One evening, on returning to my |
lodgings in Paris, l found the following |
card among a number of invitations:
"The Countess Foricelli will be at
home on Tuesday, the Goth Of January.
There will be music" Then below
was written, Mademoiselle Vittoria
Trajouska." l wondered who this
Vittoria TraiOuska could be. Perhaps
l was going to hear one Of those sonatas
full Of complicated harmonies, or per-
haps some grand aria bristling with
vocalism of the utmost difficulty. l
remembered the saying of the gentle
man to whom some one remarked,
"You are going to hear an extremely
difficult sonata" "Ah," sighed he, Il
wish it was impossible"
What curious salon the Countess
had! A. strange mixture of little of
each nation and, it must be said, of
every class. Besides people well
known and of undoubted position, one
would meet certain majors, too much
decorated, who had certainly not
fought for all their ornaments, and
Russian princesses who ought to have
gained theirs by right of seniority. AS
an excuse it was said of the mistress oi
! the house that she was q stranger
Yet, altogether, one could amuse one
self very easily at her house.
Her soirees were charming, hel
suppers exquisite, and every one came
As for young people, for them it was
Mahomet's paradise. Perhaps some o
/ these beautiful strangers had husbands
but they had evidently forgotten th'
fact and did not seem to feel thei
absence. In short, having reflected,
4 ! decided that there was no danger OF 1t
I becoming tiresome, so OH the appointe
" day presented myself at the house
TX the Countess.
M "Ah. my dear friend" said sh'
gesticulating as was her custom, "
am very glad to see you. You WI
hear a marvel this evening-Nittor
Traiouska. You know the TrajOuska'
thew are one of the best families
\ Poland. Her father lost his fortune
Y the insurrection of 1866, and her broth
is in Siberia; ah they were bra
men. Come, will present you"
We entered a small room, hung wi
mauye satin, with bands of black W
vet and / found myself face to ia
with a young girl who held a roll
music in her hand. She was splendid
beautiful. Her regular profile sto
out against the rich hangings like
old cameo. Pale, dark, she had lal
blue eyes fringed with black, curV
" lashes, which gave strange energy
- her appearance. Her dress OF Dif
- satin fell about her in long folds
wore no jewels, only simple cius
g. of white lilacs which was fastened
her jet black hair.
"This gentleman is fine musicla
said the Countess in presenting
and fully able to appreciate y
talent" / bowed. "You will 81
Yys she continued. "You will be ent
siastic; mademoiselle sings with
the whole soul, and with each song
IF parts with portion of her life; th'
to say. if she is not careful the sv
work will wear out the scabbard. Now
You are introduced, ! must go and
: ceive my guests, so will leave yo
sS,o ,o yourselves. Au reUoir."
And the Countess left me tete-a
with the lovely Vittoria. ] locke
%. her; she rested her beautiful bare
on the edge Of the mantlepleee'
3 commenced to twirl the fringe
80, her fingers; the silence was beco
alllOni embarrassing:
Soi you ought 70 be careiul Oh
self mademoiselle,u said ], Tan
'sTI &c, abuse your artistic temperament.
She raised her large eyes,
o''0'''' care Of myselfs what gooa "o'
do % she said. have never
how to do things by halves WI
thing pleases me l attacn mysei
-essing passionately. ] love music; IL
might beautiful country, full OF dreams
Iithout permit one to smooth out tne
= NM miseries of human lie anu W