The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-04

mozart! could not stay In Naples. ! came
to London. Only onco since her marriage
have seen Angola. 1 met her in Picca-
dilly ono day last August We walked in
tho Grcon purk. 1t was tho happicst hour
have known since tho old time In Naples.
AT first sho declared that sho was hap
Ply, bit do you not think could read hor
faceP ! told her did not believe her. She
wcpt and confessed that she WAS loading a
miserable life. And how happy might
havo made her! Failed on tho stage? Yos,
but not only TINT. Hcr husband, who was
now professional entertainer, was cruel
Co her. He had struck hor-yes, struck
Eer
II said, Il will avengo your
No, no, sho cried, for my sake do not
raise u hand against him. Promise mo,
promise mo, FrancoscoP
What could tlo9 I promised hcr that
while she lived would not touch him.
And have Kept my word. But, by hoav-
en-
Astarita did not finish tho sentence.
He was livid with emotion and trem bling
from head to foot. I, urged him to DO
calm.
"Yos; must be calm" no said "What
Is going on on the stageP"
stepped forward.
"a troop of ncrobats-No. s."
Ho leaned back in his chair and wiped
his forehead. glanced round ut tho au-
diencc and Immediately felt grip on my
shoulders, while Francesca Astarita whis-
pered, almost hisscd into my ear:
tSho is doad'
turned and looked him in the faoo.
"Then try to forget it ALL" I said.
"Let the past DO buriod.''
Tho curtain descended.
"Givo me the programmed" he said
quickly.
Ho held it in front of mo- with tho long
thumb nail Of his right hand cutting
through q point in tho middle Of tho pagc.
Look thero The next itom-' Mr.
Christopher Quincy, vontriloquist' That
Is tho stage namo of tho scoundrel, Her
bert Ross!''
Let us go away urged. "You arc
excited and unwell. 1t will do you no
good to SEQ him. Como away"
"No, no; not yet' he answered. "Pres-
ontly."
The boil rang, and tho curtain rose,
discovering a row of grotcsquo and grin
ming figures waiting to receive animation
from the magic powers Of the yentrilo-
quist. Christopher Quincy appeared and
made his bow. Taking his stand in tho
midst of his puppets, he began his enter
tainment. His dialogues and jests wore
bright and up to date, and peals of laugh
ter were frequent from tho audience.
L looked round ut Astarita. He was
standing behind me, leaning against the
side of the box, half concealed by n long
curtain. could SEQ his faco and noticed
wild madness in his eyes.
"Shall wo go?' 1 said again.
Presently" was all the reply.
Tho ventriloquist was now making one
of his figures sing comic song. 1t was
accompanied by tho band and had re-
frain that L have never forgotten, and
that mover comes into my head without
bringing back that night at tho Joflity.
The song came to an end, and loud ap-
plauso rang through the building In the
midst of tho clamor tho performer bowed
his head, and, to the alarm of every body,
fell face downward in front of the foot
lights. There he lay motionless, with his
row of uncanny puppets grinning upon
him.
Attendants now rushed on from the
wings, apd rs they lifted tho inanimato
body saw II red stream flowing from his
head and dark stain on the floor of the
stage. Tho curtain WIS Immediately run
down, and tho audience was stunned by
tho terrible scene they had witnessed
turned instinctively to Astarita. He
was palo and excited.
This did it!' ho said
He held i'll his hand an nirgun, which,
till now, he had concealed from my sight
was transflxod with horror at his crime
L sat like ono dazcd, looking into space
and just conscious that some one was
standing before tho curtain addressing the
audience. Then l awoke to n full sense of
my position, and determined to secure the
criminal, rose to go.
Ho had gone!
went out into the noisy streets. There
was flno drizzlc, and the roads and pave
ments wcrc slippery, but l walked along
like ono in u dream. Where went 1 can
not remember, but I know that I did not
enter my chambers until nearly o'clock
in tho morning. was wet through and
covered with mud AS 1 crcpt into bed l
resolved to tell the police all that 1 know
on tho following day.
Next morning l roso calmcr, but with
no appetite for breakfast. / took up my
newspaper to sec if there was any account
OF tho tragedy ut the Jollity, when my oye
fell first on the following paragraph:
Lato last night man was seen to
throw himself into tho Thames from Wat
orloo bridge. Attempts were mado to save
his life, but without success. Tho river
police, however, recovered the dead body
From articles found OH tho deceased it
would appear that he was an Italian,
named Francesca Astarita, but ut present
nothing is known Of him nor of his mo-
tive for committing tho crime"
But mt tho end of tho account of tho
sccno at tho Jollity was relieved to read:
''On making inquiries at the hospital
wo were informed that tho injuries TO Mr.
Quincy arc not so serious rs was at first
feared, and thcrc is every hope of his COM
photo recovery. There is ut present no Glow
whatever to tho criminal"
have, therefore, rightly or wrongly,