The morning call., 1891-01-29
THE PEARL OF 'CORDOVA.
[CoNCLUDED.1

would come TO her as lie nau done az CoI-
dova and she would forgive him, or was he
to forgive her? II was all so true to her,
the music intoxicated her senses. Whirlln g,
pirouettng, her 1.-the body in perfect rhythm
with the music, De Etienne's existence was
forgotten for the moment. An lnslgnlhcant
bunch of violets, with card attached, was
thrown at her feet. She glanced in surprise
at the box from whence it came A hand
some, taunting face met her gaze, a
woman's face that made her falter in the
dadce, and there at her side. with mock
ing sheer on his lips, in his hand the Oriental
fan of the woman, sat Louis de Etienne.
Clenching her hands tight above her head,
the light swimming in her eyes, Carmenia
retreated to the rhythmic cadence of the
music bending low and clutching the vio-
lets, then retreating backward, back, back,
until the friendly, waiting scenes hid her
from sight. The room SWAN before her and
she retired to her dresSing-room, there IN
the better light read the card she held: La
Belle Rosita." Carmenia gave sharp lit
tie cry and glanced at the reverse side Of the
card. How familiar the writing appeared,
but the dust of tine stage had blurred the
words She carefully rubbed it away and
held the card to the light, "A solace." Then
it all came back TO her; his threat had been
no idle one La Rosita! The French dan
seuse. How dared she sheer at her III that
open way?
CaTmenia gave way to the nervous passion
of her excitable nature. She wrote dozen
notes and as often fore them up. Snatching
the flowers from the ashes where she had
thrown them in her first passionate grief,
she kissed the poor, Snged petals with
tenderest love caresses; then, as murder
Gus resolve against La Rosta took possess
sion of her, she flung them to the floor,
grinding them to nothingneSs under her tiny
heel. Then, as the calm OF exhaustion
numbed her senses, she babe her maid pre-
pare her for the next dance-she would
dance in her turn with bravado that would
belle the grief she felt. Then she bethought
herself of the tiara of opals. PICKLE as
woman's love" She laughed bitterly as she
fastened them in her hair, then to the sound
of the music she danced down the stage
smiling, radiant-child-like- all intents
the personifcation Of happiness, and the
audience applauded and cried "Carmenia!
Carmeniap'
La Rosita turned to her companion. ''She
is a genius" she said, land these people are
forgetting me-" She maliclOusly said to
herself, .Ah, my dainty Carmenia, your
career will be short"
The words were prophetic. The tickle
French populace turned again to their favor
ite, La RoSita. Carmenias steps were faulty
her skirts hiGdered free movement-irOn
toes were necessary. Stung by adverse
criticism and burning with hate for the
French danseuse and De Etienne, Carmenia
went to London. La Rosta left the applause
and the midnight suppers aud Journeyed
westward with her dreams, her maid and
De Etienne. The gossips of the Grand
Cafe ascrbed to him no subtler motive than
a passing fancy for La Rosita, little guess
ing a deeper significance. As for him, he
little realized the cruelty of his course.
Filled with pique at his disappointment, the
cruel throb that ushers in the chase had
taken possession OF him, goading him on TO
revenge.
Prosaic London was interested in the
struggle Of genius versus art and praised
both stars unstntngly.
Down on Pail Mall crowd had gathered
around an artists display. Portraits of
noted women, famous beauties, were on dis
play. a carriage Is driven to the edge Of
the curb and stops next the admiring crowd.
The occupant rises from the cushion, looks
out over the crowd, anXiouSly scanning the
portraits above her head. There is a fash
ing of black eyes and a knife-like gasp for
breath as she takes her seat and motions
the driver to start, drawing her veil to hide
the strange pallor of her cheeks.
a man turns his gaze from the carriage
back to the pictures. at is De Etienno,
Carmenia," he says, by way of eXplanati II
TO his neighbor. Her picture is not here,
but just above you there is La Rosita."
London said she had never danced so well
as on that night and it was whispered dissi-
patton was telling on La ROsita. Or per-
haps it was only the longing for her dear
France. Perhaps; we'll, Paris again rang
with her praises. Cordova demanded the
return OF its Pearl, but Carmenia had grown
weary. Of applause. she gave answer, and
she left the glare of the footlights and the
world lost sight of her.
Two, almost three years went by and still
La Rosita danced and favored Gales at mid
night. They told strange tales, but this is a
censoTiouS world. Perhaps it was sense of
triumph, perhaps it was her manager took her
to Cordova. She had heard of new debu-
tante. Nine. LuZan, who was to capture Span
lsh hearts, and straishtYay announces her
determination to dance on the same night
Iheaters were packed long before the cur
tains went up. The orchestra is playing
the self-same airs to which Carmenia danced
her farewell years ago. The curtain rises
to throbbiug, wailing cadence that sends
a chill down more than one aristocratic
back, and then "Carmenia, Carmenia!" is
the cry. She is dancing with all the old
1.-THE grace; dancing with perfection that
was wanting in the old days. The lights
dim her eyes and she hides the glare with
her hands. A royal welcome from loyal
COrdOVa is hers.
The news was carried to La Rosita as the
curtain was rising. She shrugged her Shout
ders and went on the stage. An hour later
she was busily packing her trunks, STOP
maid Midnight saw them well on their way
to sympathetic Paris. COrdova was salts
fed and avenged, but rumor told of the
weakness of Carmenia's eyes. Physicians
forbade her going on the stage. She had
worked too hard; she needed rest, more
amusement and less tears. Three years of
hard work had brought its reward. Europe
rang with her success and prophesied still
greater laurels-aiter she had recovered.
Down in Seville they have penchant
for gayety and dancing. Perhaps La Rosita
could win back her prestige there, aud to
Seville she went.
1t was year since her failure at Cordova
and tickle Seville welcomed her. In the
narrow passage leading to one of the boxes
a woman and child we're cropping
e onened way sa The sS door t to the box
took their seats. The performance had just
begun. flash of color across the stage, a
whlrllng OF short skirts, simpering smile
and La RoSita receives her homage. But
she is unsteady tonight, and the flush on
her cheeks is not wholly due to rouge
wise ones whisper champagne" Yet she
dances well, but the memory Of Carmenia is
waited like mist over the house and in
terest flags. A few curious ones are gazing
at the box where the woman and child are
sitting The veil IS removed from a color
less face, and the child is whispering:
Now, Senorlta, now She is dancing
badly, she will soon finish"
The, veil was pushed still further back
and the woman arose, tall, majestic, the
beauty of intense purpose flashing in her
qqencate iaee-a pure. regal beauty I'M
dimmed by dissipation's faint. The audi
enee looked and shuddered, then looked
again. La Rosita did not notice the figure
standing in bold relief against the dark cur
talns OF the box. She little suspected that
her hour OF triumph had waned. Carmenia
stretched out her arm in mute appeal to the
audience. Despair, grief, hate were written
on her colorless cheeks. The passion-bud
had bloomed, but bloomed in darkness of
midnight. bl0omed where tile passion heart
yearned for light and warmth In the wears
OF brooding over her love for De Etienne-a
love that had been SO cruelty hurt and
wronged-the gypsy blood kept clamoring
revenge" Upon whom? DE Etienne? He
had gone to India long, long ago. Who
then, but upon the woman who had
planned maliciousiy planned against her ? 1t
all came back to her now, surging across
her brain and nerving her for the trial
Suddenly, above the click of the castanets
and pianissimo OF the music. hiss was
thrown out. "Carmenia," cry the assem-
blage. She bowed at the old familiar greet
ing, and the Kisses rush from her lips, lash