Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-05-20
A SWEET SINGER.

am plSSlOnaJely IOnu OF music, ana
seldom miss an opportunity to crafty
my desire in that respect. A woman's
voice in song has for me powerful and
peculiar charm above all others. Be-
meath its influence | am swayed and
shaken; my senses become cnthralled
until am passive prisoner, obliyious
to all surroundings. forgetful of past and
present.
Going to hear debutante fills me
with most delicious anticipation; such
delicacies are grateful to the satiated
stomach of the theater-going Partisan.
My young friend, the Prince de N,
had asked me to accompany him to the
''trancaise" to hear a young English
artistic of whom great things had been
promised.
''They say the English miss has Above
ly face" observed the prince that even
ing as we sat over our coffee. "a lovely
face and sweet voice." he murmured
more to himself than to me as he looked
at the chandelier through his half
liam was handsome fellow, with the
face and form of an Apollo, fascinating
beyond description, debonair, and gay;
alas! too gay. for his pleasures were of
ten obtained at heavy cost, and total
disregard of consequences. AS looked
at his face tonight sighed involuntari-
ly for the web of danger that was GER
tainly weaving for one more woman.
An hour later we were in our accus-
toned place at the theater. The princes
box, close to the stage, was marvel of
velvet, silver, and glass. Mirrors re-
peated you from all sides, giving ample
view of back, front, and profile /
studied the princes face, which was at
all times an open page. He never took
the trouble to mask his feelings, good or
bad. He was unusually silent tonight,
and | did not like the look upon his
face
twas the opera of ia Somnambula
Amina was the role chosen by the young
debutante, who came on the stage nerv-
ously, very white and tremulous. l
looked at her with pleasureable disap-
pointment; the sweet, cameo-like face
was quite guiltless of what is known in
stage parlance as makeup" The
youthful, almost childish figure was
clothed in an inartistic manner, the tout
ensemble suggesting nothing whatever
of the actress, but great deal of what
was lovable, pure and womanly. / fan
cied. could hear a murmur of disap-
pointment among the audience; most
theater-goers come prepared to see even
debutante display all the chic and
stage style for which they have an in
considerable and Unsuitable longing. But
the vast concourse held an expectant
breath when she commenced to sing.
Weak and trcmulous came the notes at
first; the mouth, like cupid's bow,
twitched a little, then the wavering
words grew strong and clear, soaring
upward as if the music bore them ON its
wings, sowing the air as it assembled
with wondrous melody. / was fast los
ing myself. What an awakener of
memories is sweet, sympathetic voice,
calling back scenes and faces long for
gotten? Truly there are depths within
our hearts unsounded, lying deep and
dormant to which music. pleading and
passionate, can only reach.
The pallid, lilylike face was trans
formed now; life, light, and beauty
shone from it. The cheeks became ra-
diant with color; the large, lustrous eyes
seemed to emit light from their lovely,
dark depths. She sang as if her very
soul went out in her song! The frail
figure swayed in the ecstasy of her emo
ton. To me she looked like goddess
of music, ready to immediate herself up
on the altar of her god.
"Dios, murmured the prince, of
whose presence had become oblivious.
and who, / have no doubt, had forgot
ten my existence What voice. / re-
piled, looking at him. Without SEEM
ing to hear me he whispered to himself
again, what face. !"
His expression at this juncture was
one of entranced admiration, mixed
with q gloating gaze which was not
good to look upon. There must have
been serpentlike fascination upon him,
tor j tried to turn my eyes again to the
stage and could not.
While my gaze was still upon him
Amina had been discovered in the
counts room. Her pathetic protesta-
tons of innocence, childlike yet power
full, crcpt into callous hearts and moist
encd eyes that had seldom known tear.
| am Il man of the world, mayhap sinful
and selfish, but never shall | forget the
tenderness and pity which that woman's
voice awakened in my heart. She felt
the part and made others feel for her.
You saw only the wronged and wretched
Amina sobbing out her sorrow, and |
pitied her-aye, loved her, even as |
listened.
Women sobbed audibly and men were
busy with their handkerchiefs. felt
impelled to turn my eyes again toward
hn ,t-ho ohan
| scarcely recognized my friend of fif-
teen years. Amusement was so stamped
upon my face that he could not help
Noticing it, and his glance for moment
rested uneasily upon me.
His face was drawn and haggard,
great drops of perspiration stood like
beads upon his forehead, distant.
wandering look came into his eyes, and
his thoughts seemed to be far away. for
| spoke TO him and he never needed me.
felt alarmed, and shook him by the
arm. He seemed to drag himself from
some painful path of thought by an eff
fort, and putting his hand over his eyes
with n gesture of utter WEAKNESS begged
me to accompany him home.
The opera WAS not yet over, yet he
never looked once more at Amina. and
invountarily closed his eyes, as if they
could hold last glimpse of her.
That the prince was undergoing some
great mental change there could be no
doubt. What remorse or remembrance
that singers face and voice may nave
brought back to him even /. his bosom
friend, never knew.
lost sight of him for several days. At
length he sought me, his handsome
young face scanned with traces of some
infinite pain.
Pierre, | am going to see the En-
glish miss to-day; will you come with
me?''
was glad to 60, and promised.
Would be ready in an hour?
O YES | thought of many things dur
ing that hour. Only little while ago
and he would have been in the green
room the first night. and it was rare
case indeed when the prima donna's
name was not linked with his through
the mud and mire of Paris next day.
! dreaded nothing like this now, and
yet | wished that he might never meet
her
We called at Miss r. IS hotel, sent up
our cards. and soon found ourselves con-
fronted by the impresario, siave and
smiling little Frenchman, who declared
himself hearthroken because he could
not induce the English miss" to be