Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-11
mrs. BERNARD- nEKRE AS La roscA.

MRS. BERNARD BEENE An LA IOSCAs
rible for the stage, they said. But In each
case the result was the same-the theatres
were filled ut each performance. In Paris
great audiences gathered TO sec what could
call forth such praise; in America the curl
osity Of the people was aroused to see what
was worthy Of such wholesale condemnation.
For some reason the play was not given In
London until the present season, but recently
Mrs. Bernard. Beere has brought it out In tho
English metropolis. Stoical John Bull has
not gone to either extreme In speaking Of the
piece--raptures are not in his line. The Eng
iish critics Siy little OF Sardous work, but
they praise Mrs. Bernard-Beere.
A condensed story Of tho play follows; A
young artist, Mario Cavaradossi, Is painting
in church In Rome. Cesare Angelotti, po-
litical prisoner who has escaped from tho
Castle st Angelo, rushes in and begs Cavara-
dossi to save him. Mario swears to do %,
and dresses Cesare In womans clothes, taking
him In that disguise from tho church to his
studio. Baron Hcarpia, regent Of police,
traces the fugitives, but by tho time he has
reached BIario's studio they have fed to the
latter's country house, the location OF which
is known only to its owner and his mis-
tress, Floria Tosca. Scarpia decides to work
on La Toscas jealousy to discover its where
abouts, and tells her, in order to do this, not
that hor lover has fed with man In wo-
mans costume, but thar he has run of with
q woman.
La Tosca Is reused to paroxysm Of jeai-
ousy aud goes to Mario's villa, followed (but
without her knowledge) by the police. She
finds Mario and overwhelms him with 70
proachos Mario reveals tho truth and points
to Angelotti, still half attirod in female COS
tune. La Tosca grasps the situation at onc9
and tho lovers fall into each Others arms.
At that instant noiso is heard outside the
villa. IL Is the police. The lovers conceal
Angelotti in n grotto just as tho police forcs
nm entrance. La Tosca and Mario swear THAI
they do not know where Angelotu II, and
Mario Is taken to an adjoining room, leaving
Scarpia and In Tosca together. Scarpia
says:
''Tell me where Angelotti Is aud you will
save Mario Cavaradossi from q mauvais
quart d'hcure."
La Tosca exclaims: "what Is happening
behind that doorl"
Ecarpia replies, with cool malignity, "Ohi
merely this-Maro Cavaradossi isreclining In
an easy chair; his legs and arms are tied fast
with steel chains; a band OF steel with three
sharp spear headed points encircles his fore
head; an cxecuticner stands over him grasp
InS III Ills nuluS u btfcW, cuSu WI u Va WhsSs
drives the steel points into his forehead. The
torture will be most exquisitely excruciating
unless you by one word reveal Angelotti."
La Tosca hcsitates, pale as ashes and trem.
bling.
Then Mario, with superhuman effort, Ia
faint accents, excIaims
''Tosca, you know not where Angeloti is,
you can disclose nothing"
"Tournezp shrieks Scarpia.
Then terrible wall Of pain a cry that
seems to come from the very soul of dying
man--is heard 1t Is a frightful cry, that
seems to veil tho universe with misery and
desolation.
La Tosca yields and Angelloti is dragged
from his hiding place, but hc Is dying from
poison self administered Cavaradossi ap-
pears with blood dripping from his forehead
"a frightful sight. La Tosca tries to en-
brace him, but he, seeing that she has be
trayed his friend, pushes her aside. where
upon she falls fainting. Scarpia places Il
Tosca and Mario under arrest.