Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-08-28
sters and contractors paid off and dis

One Thursday evening, not long ago
the philosopher was sitting in Mus
kingum Park, watching the crowds as
they surged to and fro, and listening
to the music which the band was dis
coursing from its brightly lighted
she'll The influence of the music,
beautiful as it was, soon sent the phil
osopher into the realms ofa dreamland
filled with images and scenes of days
long gone by; and presently through
strange metamorphosis, the melody
of the moment became altered some
what, and by an odd freak of fancy
there seemed to come to his listening
ears the soft sweet strains of that
r,rst wondrous!y passionate OF ell
Wagner's operas-Tannhauser. CLAD
rs alkyr'as' VOICES were thev and
their fancied cadences sent ghostly
memories of some half forgotten
scenes fitting through his brain
And as 1.-The philosopher--sat
there, wrapped round in the mantle
of retrospection, Old Father Time
| stopped and laid before me the garn-
cred sheaf that l might once more
scatter its chaff and enjoy to the full
its kernel All of the present, but the
music, went out then, as with the
shutting of a candle, an in its stead
saw the twinklinC footlights, the
raised curtain; felt the expectant hush
of the waiting crowd bright in uni
form and silk; heard the notes of the
moment before grow full and pure
rising and falling as from masters
baton-sitting as l did one night in
the grand old opera house in Munich.
1t was a scene not soon to be for
gotten In a box on the right sat the
Grand Duke Ludwig, brother of the
Empress of Austria. Tall, dark, with
black hair and eyes, and possessed of
a thin Mephisto like face, with strong
character written in every line, he was
man among a thousand, and one
who would attract more than passing
attention. Into his life, SO the story
goes, a touch of romance had come.
In his youthful days he had met and
loved young actress, of great beauty
and moreover a true woman. Con-
trary to the supposed custom of
princes, he asked her to become his
wife, and thereby raised storm at
court. Notwithstanding the loss of
many of his estates and the decreed
ending his title with himself he pluck
lily stood by his sweetheart and mar
ried her. A few short years of happi-
ne followed and then she died He is
today, however, one of the most ad-
mired and respected princes in Ba-
varia.
Following the leveled opera glasses
caught a glimpse of Prince Alphonse
attired in the full uniform of the army
and accompanied by his wife, a niece
of the Grand Duke Ludwig.
Oi--NV4o VI liiC La a. iuil IL Win
their ladies sat above in the dress cir
Gle and in the orchestra stalls, max
ing a very pretty show.
During the interval between the Sec
ond and third acts, strolled out of
the house and wandered into the large
square which fronts it. There l met
friend of mine, a German, and to-
gether we walked along. He was a
big, stalwart fellow, and noted duel
ist as a number of broad, red scars
across his face we'll proved. AS we
waited for the bell he told me of an
affair of honor in which he was then
entangled, and which he meant to set
tie that night in the American fash
ion, as he expressed it. Some days
before he had challenged TO a duel
fellow student on account of some
grave insult, and had prepared him
self to fight; but his adversary know
ing well his skill with sabre and pis-
tol, had declined to meet him, thereby
covering himself with disgrace Now,
my friend had seen his man at the
opera during the evening, and in
tended to wait for him at its close and
get the satisfaction which he had de-
manded. Just then the gong sounded.
and promising him to be on hand at
the meeting if possible, we separated
and hurried to our seats.
Nogel sang that night, AMI the won
derful tenor held spell-bouud audi
ence from first to last But during
the evening l noticed that peculiarly
OF the German opera, which Mark
Twain describes in one cf his books.
That IS in keeping before the public
singer whose voice has long since
gone, and who is merely tolerated on
account cf former grand reputation.
This was true Of Frau Vogai, wife Of
the tenor, who took the part Of Venus
Her acting, however, was superb, and