Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-05-04
HER ONB ERROR.
OR
THE FISHERMAN'S BRIDE.
CHAPTER XLVIII-

eDOugn 10 arrest even I00 eager I'LL
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
rose 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 well due
to the scene. Certainly, moonlight
more natural had never been effected
even at the Little Jewel, where
they ere strong in moonlight;
the waterfall, too as seen through
a back grating was fine
and the reflection of the
stars in the water, 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
streaming down her shoulders and be-
low her waist.
Her eyes were raised, with O. scared
and timid look-alas! too natural
to the boxes and gallery, whose gal
liant greeting well 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 well known-chalk line indica-
ted in the moonlight. The applause
dropped; dead silence followed, the
hush of anxious expectation.
For moment she stood, still gazing
1,4 hut 10n
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-
;siasm of her art
The pathetic plant of the captive,
the sad reminder of her former happy
life, the tender appeal to her lost
lover-all were given with sweet
ness, with a grace, wit n
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 a feint of supposiug
themselves the objects of the accla
nations, were secuted off. Thehurly-
burly bordered on riot, and Spang!es
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-
ceived the cheers and shouted compli
ments of her boisterous admires, and
more subdued, though not less en-
phatic demonstrations gilmore cultur-
ed devotees.
GLOW lovely she is!'
"What a splendid creature"
"Egad, Animals dished from to-
night"
"The prima donna's star is set for
ever!'
'ENever was such a voicel'
"Did you notice her eyes?"
These and many more such re-
marks foated from lip to lip,
and caused almost to pass disregarded
the first few scenes, till the favorite
again appeared.
This time the hesitation was scarce
momentary, and certainly impercepti-
BILE, save perhaps, to thefellow-player
by whom some words were first adj
dressed to the maiden, still a captive,
though brought from her dungeon to
scenes of luxury and wealth, designed
as temptations to induce her to betray
the righteous cause and it's support
ers.
A few words in the form of speech
belonged to the character, which the
girl spoke warmly, and with a feel
ing which showed she entered into the
spirit of them; but when she burst in
to the song by which she was made to
express her contempt and disgust of
the means which had been used to
gain upon her, she rose even beyond
herself and the occasion, and poured
forth, in such fiery whirlwind OF
passion, her loathing-so sternly
emphasized the words of scornful re-
nunciation, and drew the contrast OF
a pure heart with the painful degrad-
alton of bartered conscience, with
force and majesty SO far above even
the promise of her years and power,
that the whole multitude hung as one