The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-07-14

IL seemed as tnOugh every one In New
York wanted to have some part in the
production of the opera beyond the mere
buying of seats. In that they were gen.
erous enough, for everything in the
house was bought up the day the box
Office opened. Monday came. There
was furry of spring snow in the morn
ing, but by afternoon it was bright and
clear. Helen did not get up until IL
o'clock. she ate the ightest sort of
breakfast, and at 4 had a heartier meal.
All day long she was not allowed to
speak-which was no deprivation, as she
did not feel like it, being too much ex-
cited for words. At z o'clock the car
riage was at the door, and she was
driven to the Academy with Aunt Re
becca and her maid. For the next hour
everything was confusion in the dress
ing room at the foot of the little stair
way. Stitches that had dropped had
TO be caught up, tight sleeve had to
be let out, and all the thousand and
one details that crowd into the, last mo-
ments of a great occasion had to be at
tended to-
AS the prinna donna stood in front of
the long mirror, maid and costumer bus
lily at work upon her skirts, she would
open her mouth and run a scale to see if
her voice was in condition, while the
narrow wall trembled with her song.
When the finishing touches had been put
to her toilet the manager came in to see
how she looked. Beautiful, my child!
Mon Dieu! how exquisitel Superbp' And
he kissed both of her hands enthusiast
tically and retired. Then came the lead
er of the orchestra, with q similar &C.
stasy of admiration and the announce
ment that it was time for him to begin;
that the ballet had been danced and the
men were tuning up for the opera. Was
she ready? Eyes; begin at once. l am
nervous as a witch, but nothing is gained
by delay"
The house was packed; there was not
4 square inch of standing room in the
place by half past 8. Even the boxes
were filled, the usually tardy occupants
being as anxious as the family circle to
welcome the prima donna when she
came upon the stage in her new role
And they did welcome her. They gave
! her three cheers, and would have added
tiger" if any one had suggested it.
But where WAS Rush Hurlstone all this
time? He was not far away. Being
unable to buy seat-they had been sold
before he came to New York, and
the spectators prices were beyond his
means-he acted upon the suggestion of
his friend of the ballet and accepted the
stage managers offer to don Grecian
dress and go on the stage as a Trojan
warrior. You would have supposed that
he was going to sing the leading tenor
role, he was SO exceedingly nervous on
this occasion. But it was not the thought
of facing an audience that unstrung his
nerves; he knew well enough that he
would not be seen, or, if seen, recognized;
it was the fact that he would be takinga
part, no matter how small, in the same
performance with Helen Knowlton, and
that he would be within touching dis
lance of her garments perhaps a dozen
times in the evening.
1t was a great occasion. and the new
opera was a complete success. Helen
never sang more beautifully. In the
great aria just before her flight with
Paris she brought the house to its feet
by her dramatic singing and acting.
Uncle Lightfoot Myers leaned out of his
box at an angle that innperiled his life,
and waved his opera hat, shouting
"Bravap until he was hoarse. West
Hastings, who occupied a proscenium
box with his sister, Mrs. Dick Griswold,
stood up and applauded with an elegance
that was remarked by every one in the
house; and Mrs. Dick not only threw
the bouquet that lay on the railing of
her box, but unpinned the bunch of
roses at her corsage and threw them at
the prima donna's feet. Mrs. Vande-
water Tod, who occupied the next box,
not to be outdone in enthusiasm, took
large diamond star from her hair, and,
pinning it to bouquet, threw it with
excited fingers at the singer; but it fell
short of its mark, and, striking the
venerable bass VOL player on his bald
head, bounced into the orchestra. The
house roared with good natured laughter
as the old man, after feeling his head to
see that the skull was not cracked,
picked up the bouquet with its precious
addition and handed it to the smiling
prima donna, while the family circle
shouted and the boxes waved their
handkerchiefs. The ushers were worn
out carrying 'foral tributes" down the
aisle; and, altogether, such night had
never been known.
The most excited person in the house
was Rush Hurlstone. By lucky
chance he was standing in the wings in
all the dignity of his Trojan armor when
Helen made a sudden exit. Coming
from the brilliantly lighted stage into
the dark behind the scenes she struck
her foot against carelessly laid gas pipe
and almost pitched into his arms. He
put out his hand and she caught hold of
it quickly. The thing did not take half
a minute. "Grazie," said she, lightly,
thinking of course that he was one of the
regular Italian chorus. Then she passed
on to her dressing room followed by her
maid bearing her train, and her aunt,
who had just thrown wrap across her
shoulders. Rush blushed scarlet under !
his warriors beard. He was afraid the
men standing around would hear the
humping of his heart against his tin
armor. When no one was looking he
raised the back of the hand she had !
touched to his lips and kissed it, and