The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
A Patti Rehearsal.

lower classes that one OF Adellna Patti 5
peculiarities is that in private life she
is continually experimenting and prac-
ticing the details of her art. The great
Mrs Siddons is said to have considered
'.all the worlds stage" so literally
that she ''ordered beefsteak with the
air of tragedy queen" but the great
songst:ess avails herself of even more
trivial and prosaic incidents to test her
ideas of artistic effect.
The other evening a hall boy rushed
breathleSS into the Office of the Palace
Hotel, and informed Count Smith that
there was crazy woman in No. 999, on
the second floor. The Count hastily
repaired to the room indicated, and
which proved to be one OF the rooms of
the Patti suite. Getting no response to
his knock. he opened the door and was
astonished to behold the diva, pale and
disheveled, clutchiDg chair for sup
port and gazing at him with a look of
frozen horror. In tone that thrilled
the hotel officials heart, she warbled:
.It is he; quick, conceal yourself
In this cabinet!'
and with terrified movement she
closed a closet door.
"A-anything wrong?" gasped the
amazed bill stretcher, entering the
room.
Tripping gaily toward him, the prima
donna smiled fondly, let out a couple OF
nigh C's at the chandelier, and muir
INJURED con erpreSSiOne:
"Be seated dear father. You must
Indeed be fatigued by your long walk
From Rouen."
"W-h-a a-t?" stammered the be-
wildered recorder of mythical sex
tras."
The singer instantly changed her de
meanor to that of proud woman
struggling with rage and jealousy.
After couple of Indignant cadepGaS
she triled recitative:
al have sent for you. Marquis TO
Deuounce thief. have been robbed
OF a case of jewels, and that woman
Is the criminal!'
And with glaring eyes and outstretched
finger she pointed to dress lying upon
the bed. "a womann' cried tho
Chesterfield of the Register, now con-
vinced that the twenty dollar ticket
boom had turned the diya's head. Il
dom see any womanm
"S-S-S-hr chanted the star, in low
tremolo notes, full of agony and des-
pair.
"Dost not hear his blood
Still drip on the marble fioOrT'
He lies in the alcOve yonGer.
Come let US peep at him.
Five stilettOS in his breast.
How Venice will shout tomorrow"
And she dragged the trembling man tJ
the bay window.
IL don't see anything" faltered
how he could make a running start for
the door.
But the absorbed artist beat time with
her little foot for moment and ther
proceeded al crescendo.
WouIdst betray us, then, hareheart?
Traitor! 1t is thou alone shalt fire the palace
Here Is thy torch
| alone will guard the postern.
And she handed the champion hand.
shaker matcE, and, seizing prop
erty dagger from the mantelpiece,
placed her back against the door, mean.
while running the scale in a manner
that made the very walls crack.
"Now, If yell out for help, 1 sup
pose I'll be murdered. groaned Smith,
who was bathed in cold perspiration.
"This crazy woman will slice me all
up" just then his eye fell upon tho
electric fire alarm button.
Certainly I'll fire the palacer' he
said aloud, and lighting the match, he
appl ed it to the aforesaid safeguard.
In a few seconds the door was burst
open by six porters carrying Babcock
extinguishers, and before he could pre-
vent it, had made a fia5by wreck Of
the Counts awe-inspiring shirt-front,
besides almost squirting PATHS head of
her shoulders:
The Count rushed out to telegraph
for the Lunacy Commissioners. and it
took all the diplomacy of Mapleson,
who arrived just then to square matters.
The Count was finally pacitied with
the gift of dozen elegantly embroid-
cred fronts. but they do say that he has
since given the diCa a wide birth, and
never hears her electric voice in the
court yelling for her chambermaid,
or more towels, w ithout hiding
behind rack and shivering like dog
swallowing bone.-Derrick Dodd, la
d