Smyrna times., 1882-08-09


here are some poor birds who must t
ing to live" |
"In that case they have only to a
lie." c
I was really much moved. Her t
full ofthe emphasis OfPOland, ;
where every thing is pushed to ex-
these words, which would
have appeared ridiculously exaggerated |
from another, seemed perfectly natural !
from the lips of this lovely girl. When
she spoke her face was transligured.
We were very close together, and with
out knowing what l did l offered her
my hand. She hesitated, little sur
prised, then let her long, tapering
fingers fall, and gave me cordial
grasp of the hand.
"Is it an agreement of friendship?"
said I, still holding her hand.
"Oh, 1 do not give my friendship so
quickly. Besides, am not woman
l am comrade. Let it be good fellow
ship if you wish"
At this moment the Countess return
ed.
"Ah! the ice is broken. Well, so
much the better; you were made to
understand each other. You will have
an excellent audience, my dear. The
Paraberes, the BOisOnforts, the Precy
Brussacs are here, and Col. Tourne-
court has come with Djemil Pacha.
As for you, my dear friend, if you want
to find place you must hurry, for the
front room is nearly full"
l bowed to Vittoria, and entered the
salon. They had put up stage, on
which was piano, In front of the
stage was very elegant audience, but
from which young girls seemed sys-
tematically excluded. Instead of fol-
lowing the absurd custom which con-
sists in gathering all the women into
the front of the room, and letting the
men shift for themselves near the door,
the Countess let them all sit where
they pleased, beside whom chance
placed them. This system had all
sorts of advantages. In the first place
it put the public in better humOr. A
woman who remained cold because
there was no one to whom she could
communicate her impressions became
: enthusiastic beside a man who pleased
, and could talk with her. The mel
by themselves applauded seriously.
Ipushed through the crowd with IN!
elbows, and soon reached Col. TOurne
court.
! "Ah, my dear FRIEND" cried he, in
a voice which resounded through tn
room, "do you not want my place ?"
: 81 would be very sorry to distur
= you, COlOnel?"
= = "Not at all. You can make love t
" my mother-in-law. And then," sai
he in my car, l assure you that | N
- suflocating, and do not care for mus
= in a room; / prefer to get some fires
= air in the dining ROOM"
I thanked him with effusion and S;
~ down beside the majestic mother-in-la
: of the Colonel, whose abundant pr
. portions passed far beyond the spa
or allotted to the little chair which 81
Is occupied. understood why the Colon
20 had insisted upon my taking his plaC
,ir At last, by looking around her, | sa
that the diva was announced. Son
he one knocked three times,
ed Hush" was whispered about t
of room, and gentleman appeared,
hair curlcd in tight little knots, with
he, low collar and detected air, W
81 bowed gravely, then placed a piece
,ill music on the rack of the piano. t
ria done, he let himself fall on the pia
as stool, lOOsened his collar, took off
in cuffs. and then with uplifted eyes,
in played few sonorous chords and so
her complicated scales, as if he wanted
ave say to the public, "YOu see, this ev
ing am only the accompanist but
nth wanted to / could astOnish you.
vel pure modesty on my part that l
ACE not"
of At this moment Vittoria made
idly entree and was received with IL
ood rounds ofapplause, to which she resi-
an ded by rather distant bow. Then
lrge turned toward the piano and sang
we'd grand aria from the second ao
v to Rigoletto, The cries of the wOuu
lack heart, the agonies of betrayed love
she tears of the poor girl in seeing he
lster deceived in her royal lover, all '
d in rendered by her with startling pas
One would have said that her
an," went in crescendo unto the final
me, which terminates this wonderful
your position.
see," The women cried, the men tw
lthu- their moustaches. When she finii
her thunders of applause continued
: she some minutes; the women threw
naG Is bouquets Ine men INC nOWotS wy.
word at their buttonholes; there was a
that describable hubbub. Meanwhile
ID re. more moved by the song than b
on TO enthusiasm which it had prov
slowly regained her seifposse
a-tete The mistress of the house rush
ed at her and embraced her with effusi'
g arm "My dear GIRL" said she, "w
/, and charming talent you havep
with aMademoiselle,h said an old
oming man with bald head, who, pre-
by the occasion, seized both her
your since Malibran / have experi
nd not no pleasure such as you have Civ
this evening, You ought to go
. Take stage, You are great artist
,uld it morrow will go to see the man'
known the Italiens."
hen a "Why tho Italiens?" said a
If to It gentleman. 1t is our grand
Il a a stage that she has need of. Ton