San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-24

Commune, does she speak Engnsh.
"Just as well as do myself. returned
the general emphatically.
Poor girlr' said Jocelyn as if to him
self.
what are all these questions for,
anyhow demanded lingo, after
pause.
"What sort of an actress is she?" went
on Jocelyn, not noticing the interruption
Realistic or conventional or what"
Independent, should call her." said
the other. She doesn't seem to act
much anyhow, if you know what
mean. Free - graceful = spontaneously
he explained, waving his short arm
about, with forkful of mashed potato
in his hand. Worth your money to
see her just walk about the STAGE" he
added, engulfing the potato in his enor-
nous jaws.
"She'll dol" said Jocelyn, leaning back
in his chair with the air of man who
has succeeded in an arduous and ingen-
ss,is enterprise. "Youi famous Russian
diva, my dear Signor Impresario, lives
not more than a hundred miles from
where we are sitting; and if know any
thing about human nature, and hers in
particular, she will make her appearances
as per advertisement, and sing herself
and you up to your chins in bank notes,
not to mention my modest little com
mission
bah! What ails him now?" said the
general, helping himself to another
croquette.
"Let me tell you little story" CON
tinued Jocelyn. about hundred
miles from New York city there lived,
once upon a time, a beautiful and tai
ented young lady, only daughter of
father who had brought her up in lux
ury, refinement and seclusion. This
young lady had an amazing genius for
music, and voice so ravishing that the
larks came down from the clouds to lis
ten to her, and the nightingales grew
hoarse with unavailing rivalry. The
best instructor in the world was pro
cured to train her, and in the course Of
y few years he turned her out finished
in every respect. But, unfortunately
for mankind, her affiuent circumstances
forbade her appearance on the public
stage. At this juncture, however, a
providential change of circumstances al
tered the entire complexion of her career.
She had brother, wild and graceless
youth, who, finding his native place too
narrow for the development of his ener-
gies, went forth to investigate foreign
lands, with an unlimited letter of
credit ON the paternal exchequer.
Now, this same letter of credit is
the specious-specie, would say-dis-
guise of the fairy who works the trans
formation. The energetic youth makes
use of it to such good purpose that in
less than year from the time of his de-
parture he has not only exhausted the
family income, but has made desperate
inroads into The capital, most of which
has to be sold and the remainder heavily
mortgaged-the old gentleman paying
all demands for the sake of what he calls
the honor of the family, though other
people might think it was in order to
prove what an incorrigible idiot man
of Anticipated prejudices and aristocratic
lineage can make of himself when he is
afforded the opportunity. The result, at
any rate, at the time of which we speak
is that the old gentleman finds himself
choked with honor and destitute of cash;
that he is on the point of being obliged
to sell the ancestral mansion in order TOT
satisfy the creditors, and that were thes
honor he has preserved at so high a price
worth anything in the market he might, 1
perhaps, be disposed to mortgage someI
of it in consideration of an assurance of /
bread and butter for the rest of his |
life"
"rve heard of gifted amateurs before
now" began lingo, shaking his big head
with a sigh; but Jocelyn interrupted
him.
what you've heard before is nothing
TO the purpose" said he. This is pre-
cisely the case that contradicts all expe-
rience. Now, it 50 happened that a GER
tain distinguished impresario had spent
vast sums and made stupendous prepa- /
rations to introduce famous singer to-
the New York public. 1t so happened. I
too, that the diva in question, although 1
so famous, was personally quite I'M
known in this country; and, as if for the /
special purpose of insuring the success
of the grand enterprise that was prepar
ing, she had even taken within to allow
no portraits of herSei. to be exhibited +
For some cause, ut present unknown to
this historian, the diva at the last moment
backed ont of her contract. The distin- h
guished impresario, with disgrace ana