The age-herald., 1901-10-27

Thou nam's me rightly now indeed. In wonder forests deep recesses I passed my days in solitude; How harm'd I thee? how harmd I thee? Joyless, bewailing the misfortunes So long inflicted on my race. How harmd d I thee? how harm'd I thee?
 Elsa-Good Heav'n what lay'st thou
 to my charge? By me vert thou to misery brought?
 Ort.-To think that thou couldst look
 with envy
 On me because the man despised By thee-me for his wife preferred?
 Elsa-All-gracious Heav'n, what canst
 thou mean?
 Ort.-Beguild by some insane illusion, Thee. innocent, he charged with guilt His heart now melts with deep contri- tion-
 How heavy Is his punishment
 Elsa-Avenging pow'rsl
 Ort.-Aye thou art happy. Thy hours of short-lived grief are ended. Life wears for thee a smiling face. Thou heedlessly canst cast me from thee, Deaths never-failing path 10 trace. Thus never will my sorrow never Darken the threshold of thy door.
 Elsa-How i'll should repay the boun-
 ties,
 Kind Heav'n, of thy surpassing grace If when the wretched bent before me I drove them hence with scornful face. l Myself for thee will open the door.
 (Retires into the Kemenate)
 Ort (springing from the steps with wild
 delght)-Ye godsl now sighted, on
 ye am I calling.
 Would ye remain forever in the shade? Your cause Is mine, ye Deities appalling Ahi check the progress of the renegade Wodan, lnou ever great and strong, Freia, once sung in snany a song, Give your assistance to deceit My vengeance then will be complete.
 (Elsa and two servants, with candles
 enter from the lower door of the Kem-
 enate)
 Elsa-Ortrud where art thou?
 Ort. Qkneeling)-Here behold me pros
 trate.
 Elsa-Arise. Thus must see thee kneel-
 ing,
 Thee whom know so great, so proud? 'Twould move heart devoid of feeling, Thine head to see so lowly bow d., Arise. All wrong thou hast committed Free pardon now for all receive. Thou art not scorn'd, but deeply pitied; Me for thy woes in turn forgive.
 Ort.-For this compassion Heav'n re- ward theel
 Elsa-He who tomorrow calls me bride, Like me shall with pity regard thee, And Fred'rick shall forgive beside. Ort-What gratitude can e'er repay thee? Elsa-When first the morn begins to glow,
 In costly ornaments array thee; Then with me to the Minister go, Where the hero shall await, Whom Heav'n has deigned with me to mate. Ort.-What fitting homage can I show thee?
 So poor and weak, thou knowest well A wretch am too far below thee Thorph inv favor I may dwell Of one small pow'r have none bereft me. One pow'r unweaken'd still I have, Can use 1t still while 1t is left me. From sorrow thee perhaps to save.
 Elsa-What mean'st thou?
 Ort.-Gentle Elsa, mind thee,
 Although the present seems so fair, Thou must not let its brightness blind thee Thy future veal must be my care. | Elsa-What threatens? l Ort.-Canst thou fathom ever | How wondrous must his magic be Who ne'er could leave thee, madden | As he by magic came to thee? | Elsa (shrinks from Oftrud and then re- gards her with pity)-Poor creaturei thou canst never measure | The depth of bliss in trusting heart5; Neer canst thou understand the pleasure | Which faith and faith alone imparts. | Come, enter here-come, I beseech thee | And learn from me the purest joy. | Yes, I true happiness will teach thee A happiness without alloy Ort-Ah hateful pride! yet it shall teach me The way to mar this purest joy. Her words unwittingly beseech me The bliss she boasts of to destroy. (E,lsa leads Ortrud Into the Kemenate lighted by the servants. The day has
 begun to dawn. Frederick comes for
 ward).
 Fred-Thus mischief enters wonder The game, my wife, thou craftily art
 winning.
 The work thou hast to do cannot stop. The mischief, with my base defeat be-
 ginning,
 Now on my foes with crushing force shall drop. Of all before me, this see alone The murd'rers of my honor are undone. SCENE III. (Broad daylight Warder gives morn- ing signal, which Is answered from distant tower. Servants enter from the interior of the fortress. They dip pails into a well and carry them into the Pallas. The four trumpeters then come out of the Pallas, and after sounding the royal summons, retire. Frederick has concealed himself be- hind buttress of the Minister. From the gates of the fortress and through the town gate nobles of Brabant and retainers advance to the front of the Minister and greet eacli other.) Nobles and Retainers-The early sum- mons we obey. How bright with promise seems the day! Oh he who could such honor gain Fresh glory surely will attain. (Herald with his four trumpeters, ad- vances from the Pallas to the eleva- tion in front of 1t. The royal sum- mons is again sounded)
 Herald-I now proclaim the Kings au- gust decree! Hear with respect then what he says thro' me.
 Fred'rick the Count of Telramund is bann'd,
 Who faithlessly in sight of Heav'n could stand l IT any dare consort with at all, | On him by ancient law the ban shall fall. | All the Men-Our curse upon the traitor Whom Heav'n has overthrowni Let good men all avoid him | To him be rest unknown. (Trumpets sound again) Herald-And further, solemnty the King proclaims
 That he, the stranger av'n-appointed. names To hold the land and Dukedom of Bra bant As Duke he will not be. By royal grant He bears the title, Guardian of Brabant. All the Men-Hail! Heavn-appointed! hail whom God to us doth grant; Loyal and true. we hail the Guardian of
 Prah har r1f