Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-10
NEW YORK JOURNALISM

Inc following Rre 4Etracts-from advance
proofs Of an inSerHew recently had by one
Of the perfect loidy reporters Of the New
York Bug with Mile. Counter,Ff tterino.
the famous Hprany who recently ar
4 confess tnl IW1s fiifed, With trepida-
ton as gorgeously burnoosed Arab mute.
with a face like chiseled ebony; led me
to the beautiful, magnificent, superb. sump-
tuous boudoir fthn ssuInptnous. superb,
magnificent, beAutif3 Mile. Counterfeit
terino. Why did I experience trepidation?
All, that would be telling!
''Entrez vous! heard liquid, dulcet.
dove-cooing voice say when the Arab mute
raped on the door of the boudoir. and in
another instant l was in the presence Of
the ,tiful 'tuous, 'ficent, 'perb song bird!
Did 1 feel the glory and the honor of the
occasion? All, ask me!
Mile. Counter-Fitterino was clad in a
loose but close-fitting sheer white silk wrap
per that revealed every line of her ample
yet svelte figure-ah, the disspated, fasci-
mating Russian princes who have shot at
each other (and missed) over the glorious
Nile, Counter-Fitterino-and when she
moved my eyes were daZZled with the ra-
dance of the jewels that thickly studded
the yoke and the Earrings and the cut-on-
the-bias of that weird. wonderful wrapper.
They do not hurt your eyes. l trust,
my childT said Mile. Counter-Fitterino. in
vision from the brilliance of the diamonds.
They are little trifies that were presented
to me-ah. but it would .be- telling were
to give you the name of the German mon
arch who presented them TO me- He was
foofshly fond. of my voice. the poor TEL
low, but when he. begged me to flee to
South America with him-of course, that
would have meant his abandonment Of his
throne-ah, my child,- l. could not have
asked that sacrifice of him, could 1? !
fear his reason is deserving him over 1t all,
the poor boy Mile. Counter-Fitterino
sighed and wiped away a jewel tear that
welled to her divine left eye. Q1er right
eye, en- pasSantr is equally divine.)
Mile. Counter-Fitterino had addressed
me in French. language which. while IA
mfliar enough to me after my two months
course in it at the Wild-Glen-on-the-Ho
hawk Seminary, yet presents occasional
obstacles. So I said to her. with what ad-
dress 1 could muster:
Speakes-ze-Americaino -Anglaze. man.
seller
"'Oh, dear me, yes. my child she re-
piled in perfect English. ct was so naive
to hear her address me as my child,
who am fully thirteen years of age. and
Nile. Counter-Fitterino, in spite OF her
gloriously developed figure, only nineteen
herself-which makes it SO difficult to be-
lieve that she has been the nightingale rage
Of Europe for a dozen years.. You forget
waiting for steamer. And have been in
your magnifique country two days, have ]
not? Speak English? Speak Amencaine?
How love tt-them-both.'
How noble our country, and especially
our splendid city Of New York, must be,
when it is so soon beloved by such 'tiful,
'ficent, 'tuous. 'perb artistes as Mile. Coun-
ter-Fitterino.
You will pardon me, ma petite Mile
Counter-Fitterino went on, anliably. If l
look worried. All. poor me! am so un-
fortunate! Only 1872 of my trunks have ar
rived. SO that when you of the Bug notified
me that you would honor me with visit,
picture my grief-me with not stitch to
wear
And again she wiped away jewel tear,
which, however, was not visible this time,
with tiny lace handkerchief that
"'Ah, l see you are noticing my mou-
choir-my handkerchief, Is it not? she ask
ed me, looking up brightly. All. my child,
such history as that handkerchief has. II
belonged originally to the Inflated Queen
Semiramis of Assyria. and 1t has passed
through so many, many dainty royal hands.
1t was given to me by the Prince de Pulp
headsky-the foolish. tmpressionable boy
fear he loved me far. far more than de-
served-you will remember that he shot
himself at Monaco-they said 1t was gam
bling-but. my child. 1t was not gambling
it was-but promise me you will write
nothing of this?',
Il promised, which Is why have written
nothing of 1t.
1T was this poor lad. by the way re-
sumed Mile. Counter-Fitterino, mournfully,
who purchased ever 50 many thousands
of acres in the south OF France solely that
he could grow there the rare species of
hyacinths from which Is made the only
kind of toilet water that I can endure-l
battle in 1t exclusively. you know. He was
so enraptured over my voice, the silly,
charming boy! He implored me to marry
him, but he was third in the line Of sue
cession, and l did not feel that I should
injure his prospects to the throne nor
abandon my own career! All, my child.
duty, duty is a cruel thing, sometlmes!'
II was weeping myself am not ashamed
to own it-but had the Bug readers in
mind, and so I mastered myself and asked
Mile. Counter itterino:
" Tell me. do you already love the Ameri-
al Worship adore themr she replied,
feelingly.
land do you dine before you are to
sing?'
ask such question! Dine? do not dine!
suffices.-can you not understand 1 am
filled with-oh, dine, dine! You ask me
If I dine! My child, 1 exist alone on the
fragrance Of my--of music!
II of course instantly perceived that ]
had offended the great diva, and I made
haste to redeem my error
"'Of course 1 said, you have heard Of
the great to do in this country over Nine
her singing?'
mile. Counter-Fitterino smiled wanly
and looked out of the window.
"'Her singing, did you say?' she inquired
with a strong accumulation of the word
Singing
well proceeded. is she not supposed
to-er-sing?'
"'Do not ask me, my child replied Mile
Counter Fitterino, with the air of one dis
missing a dsiked subject. Would you
have me begin to question the critical abil-
ity of your countrymen?
"'Would you mind telling the lady read
ers of the Bug whether you rub your face
with glycerine and rose water every even
ing before. retiring?
".Ah, no, am already very SMOOTH
"Is it not glorious to sing with Jean de
ReszkeT
"'Ah, yes. except after NJ. de Reszke has
dined at Portuguese restaurant!
(which do you prefer-Vogner or Yer
DIP
".Bothr
"'Do you think absinthe frappe is in
furious to the complexion
"Tf one takes more than thirty Of them
a day-perhaps!'
"Such was my interview with the 'tiful,
'perb, 'ficent, 'tuous Mile. Counter-Fftterino,
which 1 have here faithfully set down for
the readers of the Bug. 1t is all event that
shall remember to the last day Of my
life!'' s..
ArfiSt'x Rnnu,