Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-24
ADELAIDE.

1t is now long while since the man.
ager of a theatrical company, then re-
hearsing "The New Years Present" in
the town of Cividale, near Udine, de-
clared that no stiff doll should be used
to represent the infant introduced into
the piece, but that real baby must be
found at once.
"Hasn't somebody a. baby?" he cried.
A good looking actor who was stand
ing at one side of the stage instantly
nudged his wife with his elbow. She
laughed and blushed.
"Mine is only two months old, mon
sieur," she said. "But l can promise
you that she shall know her part, since
can prompt her when it is time for her
to cry"
"That matter is settled them" the
manager remarked, with a sigh of con-
tent; and the name of another actress
was placed upon the list, and its par
ents drew tiny salary for its services
in addition to their own. Afterward
people said that the baby really cried
and cooed in the right places, and was
evidently born actress.
There was after this no want of a
baby in the company with which its
parents were connected, and at the age
of five the little girl had a speaking part
of her own.
| Little Signorina Adelaide created quite
a furore in this part. She went to Ven
| ice, to Milan, and to Rome; and at an
age when most young actresses are seek
ing an opportunity to appear was well
established in her profession.
1t was at the Royal theater of Turin
that a young nobleman, the Count Ca
pranica Della Grilla, first saw her.
The part she played was one that
called forth all the powers of her genius
and demanded the costliest and most
elegant costumes and the most bril-
liant display of jewels. Her dark
beauty, wonderful even in the simplest
dress, was enhanced by this magnif-
cence, so that it seemed actually super
| human.
The young count leaned from his box
with his eyes fixed upon her. His ad-
miration was so evident that the whole
house remarked it.
The admiration of nobleman for a
| beautiful actress was not uncommon. 1t
| generally ended in one way. The noble
man won the lady's smiles, surrounded
iier WIN luxury ana for awhile adored
her. Then they quarreled.
When the counts devotion became
manifest, as it did shortly, all the world
expected this history to be repeated.
They were disappointed. The Signorina
Adelaide had wise parents, and was a
dignified as well as beautiful girl.
The counts love was tinctured with re-
spect. Shortly he made an offer of mar
riage to the fair Adelaide and was ac-
cepted.
After this he confded to his parents
the fact that he was about to marry the
best, the loveliest and the greatest genius
among women-in fact, the most in
comparable creature upon earth-and
asked them to congratulate and bless
him.
They did no such thing. Parents are
seldom to be calculated ON in this par
ticular, and the young counts were no
exception to the general rule. Instead
of rejoicing, the ladies OF the fam
lily bemoaned themselves with the
energy only possible to Italians The
father, instead of blessing, uttered
curses loud and deep. The daughter of
poor nobody! "An actressl"
The son of their ancient family should
not SO cast himself away. He might be-
troth himself as much as he pleased, but
he should never marry the girl.
The old count went to see Signorina
Adelaide's father, but was treated with
little reverence. He commanded his son
to give up his mad idea, and set before
him the fact that he was about to dis
grace his family. The son declared that
the alliance he was about to make would
honor it.
The old count prayed his son to re-
member his mothers grief, his sisters
tears. The young count declared that
they were not to be pitied, since they
wept when they should rejoice.
Finally the indignant and terrified
father had his son seized upon and car
ried away in fashion quite possible in
Italy and confined in an old castle which
he possessed in Campagna, there to re-
main until he promised to give up his
lovely Adelaide forever and take for
wife some high born madame of his
mothers choosing.
Thus parted from each other, the low
ers grieved and yearned, and watched
the moon, and counted the hours as lov-
ers always do under such circumstances,
but did not despair.
The guard set at the gates would
never have allowed the young count to
pass through them or to climb the walls,
but when wagon laden with provisions
entered no one thought of watching the
wagoner's boy in his frock and slouch
hat, and so little bribe bought the cos
tune of the fellow, and the young count
smacked his whip gayly as he drove over
the hill and got away withou being dis
covered, though the guard would exam
inc the wagon before he let it pass.
The count sat under q tree reading q
book for long while afterward-that
Is, the wagner in the counts clothes
and when the truth was discovered the
was SO great that the con-
federate escaped scot free.
By that time the young count was |
He had met his wife at a little
church TO which. she came with he, |
father and other friends, and they were |
made one and went off together. There
was some talk of the count himself be