Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-01-22
rHx 8lsa1s OF rHs BsAlsr.
Romantic Hassory Of Belle, Pre-
micro OF shS ssZsntaas Ballet.

ROMANTIC History OF nehto, ffe.
miere OF shS .szsntaa'' Ballet.
Tbose who ATTENDED the presentation
OF ~ anita" at the Opera House Thursday
evening will recall the premiere Of the
ballet, 5ignorita Bella, whose exquisite
dancing aroused the spectators to great
snsbusissm. 6ne Ia an Italian, young,
Of singular beauty, and better illustrates
the so-oalled s'poetry Of notion" than
any artist before the American public.
Her pleasing manner has won her the
affection OF the entire company, who
svinoe the greatest pleasure In her
triumphs, and call her the ''ma,ohlsss
Bella" The little beauty says the ssA
taught her to dance when baby by the
ocean, and her foster father tells the fol
lowing romantic story of her life 10
Philadelphia journalist:
I'VE were filing, Giovanni Falerro,
Tomaso R ,ssi, Luigi Bscco stdi l. Aiessauo
Angelo. The water In lts Try aEa vary
blue audclesr, aud seles 10 III. 4 sislc-
WAS bath "a in The piIk lisbt OF e,,l,
dawes beautiful sr+re. We saw drift.
ing toward us piece Il week Ia mast,
Will rissiyg sttkched--ALd We etesItd 10
intercept It There IL something tied TO
H. cried Luigi Bacc0-'it lives, II is
child Sure enrush, high and dry above
the water, dashed 20 the riegipg aud
wrapped round with sails was baby
Quickly we rsleAst d 1t and lifted It into
our boat 1t was tiny girl, some ls
months, the sweetest bit OF . child and In
q few moments IL smiled and prAttltd In
baby fashion. On board the smack we
soon made oouoh for Il with our costs
and IL fell asleep after drinking some
wine and water. Then we looked TO our
nets, and what fortune We he'd
"In two hours We could carry no more
with us-with the child came fottuue-
II was Bella On land all OF us wanted
to adopt her, so we drew lots and Luigi
won, and the child was placed in the
arms Of his wife, Teasa, and called Bella
the beautiful. The cl0thiu5 was OF
superior quality and round the infants
neck was a gold medallion OF the Blessed
Mother hanging to a ribbon. That was
the relic which saved Bella, for 1t was
| miraculous that the child should have
fl,sted on nnhurt when the sea was live
| III sharks aud other ocean monsters.
| Just rs she ia now, SO as child was
she the embodiment Of grace, and almost
before abe wslked she danced At s years
Of age she was like fairy dancing in the
moonlight end all the quarter used to
assemble and watch her. She used to
sing, "SwayinE backwsrda, swayiDR for
wards, that's the song learn feom the
ees"-and truly the rolling and roaring
Of the waves must have been indslibly
impressed upon her baby senses, for to
this day she tells us that she always
hears the billows singing in dance
measure TO her.
Nineteen years ago Bella lost her fra,
foster.fasher-that was by fire. Tessa
her foster-mother was also dreAdfullJ
burned, and died In few days.
"Tomaso now became her father. Il,
was baohetcr, but he would not resign
her, and when he was called TO his regi
: ment for the war Of 1866 wss with us tn
child Of 8 and tho soldier OF 80 went Il
} the war together aud shared rstions
! The little one was given nest in one o
the baggage wagons, and this colone
D allowed Tomsso to be one OF the guard
Q over the wagons. Bella soon became III
pet Of the regiment, and, che would dAuo
3 on the top of the large drum to the d.
, light OF the whole camp. Doe morning
r sharpshooter's bullet killed poor Tomast
!, and Bella was left to the regiment. The,
took good care Of her and left her anon
+ them until 1870, and then Bella entere
7 Rome with the troops, she fast asleep o
gun carriage, wrapped in the overoos
!. Of q ouirAssier. Giovanni Falerro and
d claimed the girl and abe was delivered |
8 us, and Giovanni became her guardian
"The little girl was nov years OF ss
i and her home in Milan, to which CIT
o Giovanni had moved and followed tt
o trade Of fruit seller. Bella was sent I
70 school and the dancing aosdemy, but
II the latter place they could teach h,
" nothing, and at last, yielding to the 8
10 lioitations OF theatre people, Bella WI
r permitted to dance dn q scene at Il
70 Theatre del Be. Her life has been OF
II long dance ever since; It Ia her existeno
!, she has no other. Giovanni and b
family, wife, two sons and dAughte
10 were stricken with small pox and ,thoup
'r Bella was with them all the Tins TO the
e death, she did not suffer the illne
OF day, II Is the medallion
the heavenly mother which protects
her again. II was now my turn to tai
the child, and Bella came to me. l b.
managed to save little money, aud 81
| could afford to have Bella instructed
certain stage dances, and engagement
l. followed quickly and at Last l retir
y from my business-thst Of selling fish
OF to follow my child wherever she 3
psared We have tppeared in me
OF cities in Rurops and now We shall 90
IN all the cities OF America