New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-08-19
HER 0NE ERROR.
OR
THE FISHERMAN'S BRIDE.
CHAPTER XLVIII-CoNTINUED.

enough to arrest even the eager i'm
patience of the audience. Despite
The mixed feelings with which they,
too, anticipated the debut of the
stranger, the old favorites did their
best. At the second act, the curtain
nose upon the prison scene, that in
which the young stranger was to
appear before her judges to pass the
dread ordeal OF first attempt. The
first burst of applause was we'll due
to the scene. Certainly, moonlight
more natural had never been effected
even at the Little Jewel, where
they W ere strong in moonlight;
the waterfall, too as seen through
a back grating was fine
and the reflection of the
stars in the water, a decided novelty.
There was a lull in the clapping of
hands, which, however, broke forth
with treble vigor as the young captive
entered, dressed, of course, in white
after the manner of prisoners, heavily
fettered, and with her long dark hair
etreaming down her shoulders and be-
low her waist.
Her eyes were raised, with scared
and timid look-alas! too natural
TO the boxes and gallery, whose gal
liant greeting we'll nigh petrified her
With an emotion all new to her. She
stopped, in the long-practiced atti-
tude, in the very spot where that
oh! so we'll lnown-chalk line indica-
ted in the moonlight. The applause
dropped; dead silence followed, the
hush of anxious expectation.
For a moment she stood, still gazing
upward. Her lips parted, but no
sound came. The soft breathing Of
the accompaniment was heard; still
she uttered no sound.
Suddenly, to her ear, perhaps to
none other, came the first notes, sub
dued as an echo, OF her song. Swiftly
SHE took it up-snatched as it were,
from the air-and burst into melody.
In the moment all had vanished
/ faces, applause, restraint, fear, dread.
:She WAS alone with song; and the
temporary oblivion OF the moment
but warmed her to the intense enthu-
Il .siasm Of her art.
i The pathetic plant of the captive,
3 the sad reminder of her former happy
life, the tender appeal to her lost
lover-all were given with a sweet
ness, with grace, with
a naturalness that defed criti'
cism. Again and again the less pune
tillious portion of the audience broke
( out into loud applause, to be as
quickly quelled by the more fastidious;
greedy OF every note OF the sweet
strains which each drank in to his
very soul.
Her last tones died out upon the
most hushed silence; then the house
ECHOED to the thunders which shook
it. A tempest OF boisterous applause,
such as the Little Jewel had never
heard, called for the new singer, who
had aWoke the nature OF every listen
er. They would brook no delay. The
manager was unheard when he would
have spoken. The actors, old favor
ties, who, by shallow device of old
,Spangles, made feint OF supposiug
themselves the objects OF the accla-
nations, were secuted off, The hurly-
burly bordered on riot, and Spangles
was tearing his. hair, while Ida wept
out her Joy in the arms Of her beloved
mother, who, trembling, had witness
ed from the side wings the triumph OF
her daughter.
-"What the deuce there was to cry
about" Spangles couldn't for the life
OF him see; and, more disheveled than
ever, he led on the successful debu.
tante, who, humbly curtseying, re-
ccived the cheers and shouted compli-
ments OF her boisterous admires, and
more subdued, though not less en-
phatic demonstration gilmore cultur-
ed devotees.
"How lovely she is!''
~'What a splendid creaturen'
@'Egad, Animals dished from to-
night"
sThe prima donna's star is set for
ever!'
'Never was such voice."
A'Did you notice her eyes?"
These and many more such re
marks foated from lip to lip
and caused almost to pass disregardec
the first few scenes, till the favoritt
again appeared.
. This time the hesitation was scarce
momentary, and certainly impercepti
BILE, save perhaps, to thefellow-player
by whom some words were first ad
dressed to the maiden, still captive
though brought from her dungeon, tt
scenes Of luxury and wealth, designed
as temptations to induce her to betray
the righteous cause and its support
ers. -sr
A few words in the form of a speed
belonged to the character, which tn
girl spoke warmly, and with a feel
ing which showed she entered into tn
spirit of them; but when she burst in
to the song by which she was made tx
express her contempt and disgust Q
the means which had been used t.
gain upon her, she rose even beyond
herself and the occasion, and poured
forth, in such a fiery whirlwind Q
passion, her sloathing 50 sternl.
emphasized the words Of scornful re
nunciation, and drew the contrast 9
a pure heart with the painful degrad
alton OF a bartered conscience, with /
force and majesty SO far above ever
the promise OF her years and power
~ I,~1o Inh ,,r ~,