The times., 1898-12-25
1.-The claria Sonata. y

81 - = . . . . . . .
ever-growing horror and a vague sort of |
dread in his heart
Claria was beyord herself even that |
right
What did 1t all mean? What did it all
mean?
Frau Won Stromberg sat and shiyered /
visibly. Her eyes closed and she appeared |
to be half fainting.
On went the music soaring upward and |
sinking down, row waiiing with the pas |
sion of a broken and despairing heart. |
then changing into veritable song OF |
triumph. |
On, on ii went. See the multitude of |
warriors, see banners waving. listen to the |
peoples joyous shouts Mark the wealth |
of color. the god, the silver. the Jewels |
Look at the uniforms of the cavalry, look |
at the proud dancing and caracoling OF |
the noble horses. Here comes bevy OF
princes, gorgeous in their splendor-truly.
never was such a sight seen before now
come fair women; oh. how lovely and how
fair, And after them. surely angels with
curious. tender rustling of their wings
which seems to keep time with the music.
Hush hush! she Is coming; the queen OF
song. the queen of the whole world
Claria herself! !
The music ended with an Overwhelming
burst of bewildering triumph. Ciaria had
reached her zenith
There was an intense silence for nye
seconds.
Ciaria's and Hans.s eyes held each other
spellbound Then her arms dropped to
her sides. and she fell suddenly forward
on her face, and SO lay, stretched at fuii
length.
Hans flew to the mot!onless form of
CIaria. He raised her tenderly in his
arms.
Neither Frau Won stromberg nor he
spoke.
They looked at each other and theii
lips parted slightly.
1t was just half-past ten. In the great
theater thousands of cxpectant people
waited. The place was blaze of light.
wealth of color. sight which was 50
gorgeous and SO complete that 1t fairly
dazzled those who looked upon it.
All round the grand tier sat the royal
ties Diamonds flashed in many t:aras;
orders and ribbons seemed to have be-
! come quite common property.
Far above the name Clara" triumphed
in white lilies. And the young grand duke
looked up at 1t and smiled little to him
self and murmured the word over and
over again to himself under his breath.
And the prineesses on either side of him
voted him dull and smiled and nodded at
each other. and then at the stage, but he
did not see them do this.
| Then there was murmur which ran
| all through the mighty crowd.
| The stately white figure moved slowly
| across the stage until she came to where
she should stand. And then the crowd
| raised shout. 1t was a wildly. turbu-
lently, overpoweringly glad shout. 1t was
| always her peoples welcome to Ciaria. At
| first 1t had frightened her a little. but that
had been long ago Now she only loved
it. But tonight she did not smile. Her
| face, habtually pale, looked sad. Her
eyes seemed TO look beyond the crowd.
| The grand dixie bent forward. but she
did not see him.
| Then she began her sonata.
1t was the same thing over again. only
| this time she had her thousands to listen
| to her. instead of three or four spellbound
souls in a tiny dwelling. No other sound
but that of the Won ierful violin could be
heard throughout the whole great build
But as she neared the end Claria's mood
seemed TO change. Instead of working
| up to her song of triumph as she had
! ever done, the music seemed to wander
| away into the minor and become slower
and sweeter, and sadder. And so it died
| away, weirdly, tenderly ravishingly 1t
l
more softly, more adelicately, more en-
| thrallingly sad, till il died away alto
! gether
Hundreds of women were weeping,
| few fell into Mysteries, and shrieked
| aloud. Men mopped the perspiration from
| their brows and drew deep breaths, and
| dug their finger nails deep into their
| palms, and looked al each other. And all
| asked the same question with their eyes,
! which dilated with wonder
What has she done2 What has she
| done?''
She had surpassed herself
Then the throns rose as man, and peo-
| pie waved ant shouted as though they
would burst the. lungs And Claria was
overwhelmed with. nowers-great wreaths
| and baskets from the rich, bouquets,
small and large, from many Others for
| hardly soul there but had brought a
| tribute. As they brought or threw them
she stood all the while as though in a
trance, looking Ike beautiful white
| statute. But her eyes had met those of
| the Grand Duke, and she was smiling
family. And he remained like one trans
| fixed.
That was claria Won strcmbergs last
! appearance.
She turned and slowly left the stage.
The audience called again and again for
| her. The grand duke as well as the other
princes present, Joined in the calls.
But Claria did not return
Presently the impresario came before
the footlights and made excuses for the
non-return of the great Claria She had
returned home, being a little indisposed
so he appeared. and he appeared rather
| agitated.
| So the program was proceeded with.
But the grand duke was annoyed.
AS soon as he could frame an excuse
sufficiently important he left the front of
the theater and made his way to the
artists rooms.
what was the matter with Fraulein
Won Stromberg?' he cried on catching
sight of the manager.
The great man. with many bows ex-
| planned that the lady had only arrived. as
she had said she would do, just in time
to play her sonata. And when it was over
l-he shrugged his shoulders apologetical-
| ly-yhy. she went away Immediately. so
quickly in fact. that it chanced no one
had even seen her go. But she must have
gore. since her coupe was not to be seen
at the side door, though some one had
run very fast TO try and detain her.
The grand duke was angry.
She is beginning to give herself airs y
he thought. though she is the sweetest
and best and most beautiful woman in the
world"
Then he ordered his carriage TO be
brought at once and drove hastily to
Claria's little home.
Claria lay on her bed In the inner room.
She was still dressed in her wonderful
white gown. but her golden hair was un-
bound and fell across her shoulders and
down far below her waist, and her hands
were crossed upon her breast.