Telegram-herald., 1889-07-15

active eiAp.ossssea. bus shs Aad sFowa
rS.ssiy iye s.zlal<4 l4sr soat's Dominating la1s-
sx4os. I'D Ill Let @srrt herself - lsaoA
- sAe sAo0sa rave eose. OHscs Ia gEeAE
whlls sAs weua rssal. III Is .s4s . Easrs
nzsA In rtAs pa Few psop.s ~ao al
aoE kne~ hel~n knowttoa san lAzZias
sach : psrse0, Saa there Is Ia ds4es that
she w@s az e1csPs-sa ~ the rule VI
woLaAaAcod
Jlss al the tiLas OF which l write, she
was absorbed IL the study VI L~r new
Part, ard tie thOslsaRa ass oae rsiegs
tAzs lad 70 30 xEs<nasa - before tie
evsaEfal night oR which tks new opera
was 10 tss produced Every oBe Il New
Ysrk wL.o had = rSctaFe oE soek rslxs-
lag ia aay way ~ hslsa Of Troy sent il
70 her, aad al took = PersoAl Interest
ia tie presentation Of the opera The
night ws.s drawing asar. fks SATURDAY
nlatinee Was post Roned that she might
get more rest and study, and there Was
70 10 = full dress rehearsal On SUNDAY,
- which the critics Of the press and
favored few were - be invited EoadAy
night was the great night, and you may
imagine that she w3s more eE lees nerg-
Gus In anticipation. Uncle Lshuoot
Myers sent her sci n gold bands for
her hair. with his best wishes for her
success, and West Hastings sent her .
beautifully wrought golden giTdle. with
the inscription. And, like another
Helen. tirei another Troy" engraved on
the inside.
Ii seemed a. though every one in New
York wanted 10 have some part IN the
production Of the opera beyond the mere
buying of seats La thar they ~ere gen
erous enough, for everything IA the
hoass was bought up the day the box
Office opened. Monday came. There
was furry Of spring snow "A the morn
ing. bat BY afternoon it was bright and
clear. Helen did not get W until IL
O'Clock. STE ate the hghtest sort Of
breakfast, and at had heartier meal
All day long she was not allowed 10
speak-which was no deprivation. rs she
did not feel like il. being too much ex-
cited for words. At o'clock the car
riage was at the door, and she was
driven 10 the Academy with Aunt Re-
becca and her maid. For tho next hour
everything WAS confusion in the dress
ing room ar the foot of the little stair
way. Stitches that had dropped had
to be caught up, tight sleeve had t.
be let out, and all the thousand and
one details that crowd into the last mo-
nents Of a great occasion had to be at
tended To. .s-.
As the prima 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 q 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, NV child.
Mon Dieul how exquisite Superb And
he kissed both of her hands enthusias-
tically and retired. Then came the lead
or of the orchestra. with 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 iOA tiic opera w DIS
she ready? Yes; begin at once. / am
nervous as a witch, but nothing is gained
by delay"
The house was packed; there was not
square inch of standing room in the
place by half past 6. Even the boxes
were filed, 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
''tixer'' if any one had suggested it.