Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-01-18
THE PRIMULA LADY.

- Il - 4 4h ~ Liza LIZ n ~ Il .
l entirely forget the name of the
opera, what it was about and who sang
in it, but know it was the first ever
saw-if indeed l can be said to have
seen it At all events, was present at
the performance, and the evening and
its occurrences are indelibly stamped on
my memory. was II, thoroughly I'M
musical, but possessed of keen sense
of enjoyment, and the scene, looked
upon for the first time in my life, de-
lighted me. The fair faces, the gorgeous
to lets, the hum of voices, the light, the
movement, all combined to quicken the
beat of my pulse and make me feel giddy
and light headed
The curtain went up, and after the
first few minutes 1 began to be bored.
1t was heavy opera, so I was told,
with no "airs'' in it, and full of loud,
deafening choruses. 1t seemed to me
there We're nothing but choruses-
choruses of monks and soldiers and vii
lage ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the noise
wearied me. I did not understand the
plot, and l turned to the spectators for
amusement. Opposite to US, in a bcx
immediately facing ours, sat a couple
whose appearance arrested my attention.
l could not see the lady's face, for it
was turned away from me toward the
stage, but in her hair was a diamond
comb of quaint design that took my
fancy. Against the smooth dark tresses
the stones sparkled and glittered as in a
setting of onyx. 1t was warm evening,
but she kept her brocade cloak of Gu
rious shade of Rose du Barri pink shot
with gold wrapped closely round her
She had no bouquet, but in front of her,
on the ledge of the box, was an enor-
nous black feather fan mounted in tor
toise she'll. Her companion-a slight
man with pale olive complexion and
dark beard streaked with gray-had a
face that interested me strangely. 1t
wore such weary eXpression-more
weary perhaps than actually sad. He
looked like % man who at some time Or
other during his life had made an effort
beyond his strength and had never re-
covered from the exertion. Like me, he
did not appear to be interested in the
story of the opera.
The noise went on. The peasants re-
tired, and after short love scene be-
tween the hero and the heroine band
OF soldiers camo on and sang to some
very loud music. I leaned back in my
seat My head was beginning to ache
and my eyes tofeel tired. closed them,
simply for few minutes rest. When
opened them, they seemed to light nat
urally on my opposite neighbors, and
started as I noticed the changed aspect
of the box. The lady had evidently
thrown off her cloak and had come more
forward. Her eyes were no longer fixed
on the stage. They We're turned toward
me. And "hat different eyes they were
from those thought she would possess.
They were soft and yelled by lashes very
little darker than her hair, which could
scarcely be termed golden, it was so
fair. How could have believed her to
be a brunette? She must have been
seated i'll the shade when first saw her
and had since emerged into the light.
She had moved her fan, and in it's place
lay bouquet of mauve and white prim-
ulas. A small bunch of the same flow
ers were 2 nned into her simple high
white dress at the throat and another
showed among the loosely coiled tresses
of her fair hair
1T cannot be the same woman"
said to myself "and yet my eyes were
not closed for more than q minute or
two, | am certain. There could not have
been timc-and-yet The irritating
accompaniment to the "recitative," the
perfume of my chaperon hostess bou-
quct, the effort to explain the mystery,
the ulusualness Of the scene, and the
exhausted state of the air, all combined
to produce an overpowering effect on
my brain. I closed my eyes again and
was very nearly asleep-not quite, am
certain-when touch from Mrs. Wal
dos fan aud the sound of a light, I'M
familiar laugh recalled me to myself
and to consciousness of my duty.
The first act had come to an end, and
gentleman had just entered our box to
pay his respects to my chaperon, who
forthwith introduced us, "Mr Venning,
Miss Iinthrop.' l bowed and felt very
sheepish. l had literally been caught
mapping. Mrs. Waldo's explanation was
not soothing:
Miss Linthrop is unaccustomed to
late hours, Mr.. Venning. This is her
first season, and her very first opera. I
wish for her sake that it had been a
more amusing one. Valezzi has clearly
mistaken his vocation. He must never
attempt another opera, must he? This
ono is deplorably dull.
at is, as far as we have gone. But
still ones first opera is always-one's
first opera, and one is too we'll amused
to be hypcrcritical. I'm sure Miss Lin
throp wasn't bored, although she might
have been little sleepy"
81 was not at all bored" l replied,
and then going straight to the point as
has ever been my wont, | continued ::
''Who are the people-the lady and gen
tleman i'll the opposite box-the lady
With with the primulas, was
going to say. But, 10! they had van
ished, and so had she, and in her
place sat the tall dark woman in the
mini hrnca6o ,!oolr Will, tho