, 1897-04-09
HIS FAvoRITE ROLE.

x1xO hOAE.
Among my dearest memories Of Italy
= that Of the evenings I used to spend
IN Venice with the Cavalier Cicogna,
- he WINS known upon tho stage. We
Usually nat in the garden Of the Osteria
until late into the nieht-sometimes
tete-a-tete, sometimes in the company
Of old Captain Amati.
By the garden Of the Osteria one is
not to understand anything like that
which the name, used elsewhere, might
imply. 1t was simply u small courtyard
about II feet square and was paved
with slabs Of marble. Four high walls
inclosed it like a funnel, and from three
Of these the court was overlooked by
windows and balconies which, as a rule,
were festooned with Rrimy washings.
But, unless n chose, be need see moth
ing Of this, for above our tahle-there
was space for only one-the branches of
. noble vine interlaced to form a thick
screen Of foliage.
Thus one could sit here quite cool and
comfortable, and, when the moon came
up over the tall chimney tops and its
silver lines threaded the dense mass Of
leaves and tendrils and dallied with the
bottle Of dark Trentino which stood on
the notified marble before US, this very
garden became a little world full of
poetry. Then was the place we'll suited
to the tales Of the Cavalier Cicogna.
In his jokes, anecdotes and stories,
the Italy Of the robbers and romantic
wars, the Italy of the Austrian occupa-
ton and of secret conspiracies, the Italy
Of Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel,
and, not least of all-for Cavalier
Cicogpa had been one Of the most dis.
tinguished im%personators Of Doctor
Bartolo and Dom Pasquale-the Italy
of Rossini and Donizetti. Here the
old man told us the story Of Signor
Campobassi, concerning which he de-
clared somewhat violently, as was his
wont, that the Madonna might withdraw
her favor from him if every word were
not the truth. The story which he had
told Us repeatedly, As was his custom,
ran - follows:
"Are you familiar with Farli? No.
Well, it does not lie on the regular
route Of tourists. and I am not surprised
that You are not acquainted with it.
But you know it by name, captain, do
you not? And You have no doubt heard
Of Signor Campobassi-but only casu-
ally, Ell? l knew him we'll. I have sat
with him over Refosco as we sit here
over this Trentino. He was a very agree
able comrade, and it grieved US all to
lose him. The ladies adored him, for he
wa . slender. finely formed fellow,
with the most beautiful eyes in the
world and q mustache-as if the Ma
donna herself had meant him for a tenor.
We men liked him because we had in
him q true friend, and one who always
stood ready to help with his purse or
his dagger, and who had no trace Of
haughtiness about him, although he was
the favorite of the public. He was one
OF those exceptional men who have not
m enemy.
but I forgot. Farli is in the vicinity
Of Rome, At the foot Of the Abruzzi
mountains, q small but rich and very
nourishing town. 1t was in the fifties
that I went thither with newly formed
company.
"Farli had a very spacious new thea
ten. We pleased the public, did a thriv-
ing business and accordingly were well
suited to stay there. But it was our
primo tenore, Signore Campobassi. who
awakened the most interest. Our i'm
presario smiled contentedly whenever
be CHANGED to mention him. and said,
with q knowing look, That was the
best hit ! ever made I can still re-
member well to what straits he had been
put for . tenor. He refused to lay out
much money for one, and tenors, as a
rule. are high in their prices. Then one
day, % we were sitting in the cafe.
Campobassi appeared, inquired for the
director and asked him to try his voice.
He said he was u peasants son from the
neighbcrhood Of Areggo, but even az a
child he had had such an ear for music
that he knew by heart all the airs he
had ever heard. 1t was the opinion
among his acq~uaintances that he could
sing finely. and 50 he had thought that
he might make his fortune in the opera.
Now, hs had heard that Signor Mario
was looking for q tenor, and SO he had
made haste hither to offer himself.
"Our impresario was a cunning fox
and shook his head gravely at this. 1T
would bs . great deal Of trouble to coach
you,' he said. But Campobassi replied
that on this account he would be con-
tent with . very small salary.
"Signor Mario still shook his head.
but be took up his glass, contemplated
for awhile the d~issolving bits Of ice and
finally drank the remainder Of his
granite with an air of decision.
We'll. we will try it, said he.
Colleagues, II you have any desire to
be present At the rehearsal. follow me.
I'VE were all curious enough, 8
we started for the theater in spite of the
midday heat. There Campobassi sang a
couple Of airs from the most familiar
operas, and the more he sang the more
significantly did Mario wink at MS. His
fat, round face fairly shope aud glowed
for Joy. Nevertheless at the end he said
rather coolly, You will make N mnch
work. Campobassi, but I will give You
. trial
"As . matter Of fact, the trouble he
made m wa very slight. He had such