The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-11-23
ONLY A CHORUS GIRL.
a Leaf from tho Like of an opera sipsor.


-
- leaf from tho Like of an Opera Ginger.
A group of girls stood at the stage door
of the Grand Opera House 1T kienna
taking to each other and to the employees
passing in and oHt. Among this mum
bcr was a beautiful italian girl named
Anna CaronI. "We must sing our best
to night" she was saving, "IOr the En-
peroT, am told, will be here"
AMI where didyou learn that ?" some
one asked.
"FIom Carl Ros -nfeldt,D tha girl en-
svered with blush. '.1'llere he comes
now with lis VIOLIN" as n handsome
hungarian was seen approaching.
ais it 50 the Emperor is coming" ," they
chattercd .-
Yes. The Imperial Gsurl arc now
at the entrance. hope you viii do your
best, girls.
Then he went up to Anna Carolla AMI
said, with a smile ----
A ma, dear, lead the Vi olin to night,
Stendgall i ILL.,"
i AN glad Tor you AMI sorry for him."
she said, laying a soft, white hand cen
..iIngly in his. Seeing waich some OF
the members OF tiIe company cougIcd
an / turned their heads away. The
lovers, however, w.re too occupied TO
notice.
Here comes the orchestra" :" shs ex-
rlai'ned suddenly, ami they hIsteuc OF
10 take their places-he 10 mis- place in
the band ant she 10 the lreSs.n. roo.a
She was soon ready and standing al th
win IS looking out on the house through
hole IN the curtaiE.
How fast every place was filling from
floor 10 gallery! The auditorium MAS
one blaze OF Splendor and a. she gazed,
tine poor, irien less chorus singer
whose dramatic tlisnt AMI splendid voice
ought, ii she hal only the lorlule TO get
The first hit 10 pace her high ON the
lyric stagc-wondcrcd sadly IL such
chance woulJ ever come TO her. II no,
Caris father would never consent 10
their marriaye.
and now the whole house rose IS the
Emperor entered his box, s,b.cniid. V
dressed, S!ItterilE with jewels OF rarCst
value, which flashed thousand rays as
he bowed right and left with his usual
courteous grace. Then tie hand struck
up The overture, en1 with the last baJ
the curtain drew up,
Fitting hero an there during the per
forularc-,, with eyes and ears Tor every
thing, the manager noticed the Imper al
visitor lnli catinz TO 4 gentleman beside
him some one in the chorus.
IL was Anna Csrolla, whose beauty
had attracted his eye, whose rich voice
his ear had caught above ami through
all the others.
The iirst act went splendi lily, and tlle
second act soon commenced, but Fats
had decreed that it should never bc
played out tRat night Hall way through,
as the manager, pleased and complaC
Was quietly standing back in one of the
wings, he suddenly felt his arm grasped,
and turned sharply TO see Anna Cspoe-s
lovely face, 50 fuil OF determinSson end
character, IT his side.
"HuSh - she said very low and qn{st-
ly; Snake no eNclamatiors, hut go aud
see to il before II gains or is dis ,oyeref
The theatre is on GT5 Somewhere b2Ni;
of the grecn--oo!n. Tho company can
leave By Ihc s.aye-door. Shnd the call
boy 10 tell the doOrkecpcr TO order each
one IS they pass out 10 depart quickly.
viii clear the house quietly"
You do that :"
''Ycs, here IS the boy; s,nl him, AMI
clear oUt the coalP@ny ! viii do NV
part"
The manager blindly obeyed the strong
Will and steady purpose OF the master
nan |, aS people in emerg meg generally
co, whatever their IelaIyc posi- ions IN
tine world.
Anna Csrolla passed. on II The sage
an advancing at once to tine :ootlighis,
ste 81 !or onc moment her al co umand-
-
rnin chin -ly facing III crowd, meeting
full even the astonisl;cI gaze OF the En-
peror himself, and the wondering Look OF
her lover in e orchestra below her.
Then she sad, in voice no, loud, hut
clesr ne bell, with cool, steady author
lty IN every measured accent:
II am here by the managers orders.
Ills Imperial Ma esty has been robbed
TO night OF 4 r.lro diamond, and the thief
Is IN this house. Ivory one AMI the
speakers dark eyes swept the audience
from gs'llcry 10 pr, rs at once to with
draw quietly, and in ordcr; any one at
tempting 10 remain will be Immediately
arrested. The band will also retire Ut
once" H
Iy2n as she spoke her car, painfully
strung iOr the sound, could hear the
WI rm nan OF fianles from the back, hut
mu.oyed she stepped back, swept q deep
obCSIJn-c TO the aGuiencc and I-mpelo-,
and tho u:tain fell.
J lac Emp, ror Instantly lett his box,
whispering 10 the gentleman TO whom he
had before pointe +; out Anna CarhliI:
There Is something Eehnd ali this
| ara not robJef. Sen Colonel l.. rg-
mann round TO summon ths manager u
our carriage door.
Meanwhile the vast crowd fltcrel
rapidly in quiet orlcr and safely out,
nEly learning at the door as they were
hurried away the awful death by fire OF
crushing from which the brave and
quic&-wtted girl had saved them.
4 he last lew TO leave the auditorium
smcit the fire and hearl the cracking OF
flames. and hurrieI wildly, spreadin,
ths al rm. Eut the tcrrihl. crv OF fra
came 70 late to do mischief, and once ont
side, tho police AMI soliicry, undcr the
cool directions OF tie Emperor himself,
kept or.ler- And though the flames
mounted ut first, Annals timely discovery
and energetic measures taken forced the
IRE under In less tn IN an hour and a
half II Was completely drenchJd ont, IN
tie nlntil.ted opera house left in charge
OF the police.
Then, and not till tl.en, did tho I'm
peror dismount from the horse he had
used and return 10 his carriage.
'i'egSmann, see there CO.'S that
Italian girl herself, leaning on the arm
81 the young fellow who led the band So
sp!cndldly tonight. 60 and see who
snd what they are" Colonel Berrmanu
departed 10 oaey the order and the
Emperor drove OF.
An, nzNt day the whole story was in
q GovernWcnt organ, with an intima.
tioa, lnSPircl,' OF course, from that
ouar;er, tIat Ills Imperia, MAJ, stv ha
graciously cause! IN iurics to be made
about the yo1ns chorus singer.