The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-08-01
THE MYSTERIOUS
PRIMA DONNA.
She Came From No One Knew Where
and Disappeared AS Strangely.
A Diamond Earring Re-
vealed Who She Was.
BY HARRIET E. MEAD.
ooooooooooooooooooooooc

| OOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOO
1t was the third day of the carnival at
New Orleans. Donizetti's immortal mas
terpiece, Lucia di Lammermoor," had
been revived and was TO be presented for
the first time in this country by a COM
pany of Italians. New Orleans was in
an uproar, the streets, squares and ar
cades were Illuminated, while the joyous
laughter of 10000 pleasure seekers made
the old streets ring and echo again, and
the st. Charles theater, ablaZe with glo-
ry, had placed before its entrance in let
| tiers of flame the magic word. 'tLucia.
No wonder the crowd FASTENED thither,
for it was the first presentation, and
fame, beauty or gold could not force an
entrance. 1t was now 6 o'clock, and the
| pit and gallery, boxes and stalls of the
| immense theater were crowded to suffo-
cation. Two thousand eager people were
! waiting with subdued frenzy for the cur
| tain to rise.
The heat was sitting. AT 1870 the
overture began. The immense throng
was silenced at the first wave of the con-
ductor's baton. How the audience was
moved, How it trembled with eXpectant
ecstasy! For were they not to hear Cas-
sella, the gifted songstress, over whom
all continental Europe was wild? The
curtain rose.
| The hunters chorus was listened to
| with Indifferent attention. The baritone's
song which followed caused but slight
impression in spite of its excellence, and
| the shifting of the scene to the park
| where Lucia makes her first appearance
was welcomed with a hushed murmur OF
| delight. There was sudden hush a mo-
ment of suspense, while they waited the
| entrance of the aRgel/yoiced Cassella.
A frail, white ROBBED female form adj
! yanced toward the footlights. Her eyes
We're cast down, and she moved slowly
| to the center of the stage. There she
stood still, raised her eyes and gazed
upon the audience
howl of anger and disappointment
arose from the crowded house.
''She is not Cassella" was echoed on
all sides. Groans, kissing and stamp
ing of feet drowned the orchestra. The
frail woman confronting the audience
seemed not in the least disconnected
and walked leisurely around the stage
during the uproar.
The stage manager peeped from the
side scenes. "Who is that woman?" he
asked. mo one knows-no one saw her
enter" was the reply.
Again the conductor raised his baton.
The unknown prima donna seemed to
rouse herself from her pensiveness and
again took he. position at the center of
the stage.
The clamor had ceased. She raised her
eyes and stood in the full force of the
light. She was wondrously beautiful,
but white-white as a shroud of snow,
deathly, specially white. Not tinge
of color enhanced the marble beauty of
her face, which was faultlessly Greek.
Her eyes, black and radiant, flashed
luridly. When she dropped them, their
tint became sad, gray and crepuscuar.
Her lips shone red as vermillion and
seemed like a gash-like a hideous CASH
when contrasted with the glacial white
ness and rigidity of her face. Her hair,
long and purplish, rioted over her Shout
ders. She had no ornaments A. tube
rose thrust in a rebellious curl adorned
her brow. Around her throat was a
piece of broad, black velvet. Her gown
was all white.
She gazed weirdly upon the audience
and began, in strange, unearthly tone
of voice, the ravishing aria of Lucia"
upon her entrance. | recall perfectly
the cold sensation and chilliness | felt
when she delivered the first few notes
of her song. 1t seemed to me as if some
humid cavern had been suddenly opened
upon me and that had breathed the first
icy watts of air emanating therefrom.
She continued. Not sound save her
voice was heard. Her hands hung list
lessly by her side. do not remember
how she finished. | heard her first
strange tones change to a soft, sweet
voice of fascinating, bell-like brilliancy
and awoke from trance by hearing
the audience shrek and stamp with de-
light. The first act ended in an indie
scribable state Of wonder and amaze
ment.
"Who is she?' "Who is she?' "What
a voice" were the ordinations heard on
all sides.
The manager appeared at this moment,
evidently anxious to find out for himself
who the beautiful songstress was, but
could answer no inquiries.
IL the meantime | hurried behind the
scenes and. in company with the mana
ger, sought Cassela's dressing room, ex-
pecting to see this marvellous creature.
The apartment was dimly lighted. The
bridal costume for Lucia's second act
was ready on the sofa. A bottle of Asst
wine, Cassella's favorite refreshment,
was on the table, but naught proved that
the room had been occupied previously.
Nothing showed the presence of the new
conner. The manager was called away
and, saying he would return shortly, left
me alone. | waited few minutes, took
few whiffs from my cigarette and was
about to leave when | spied upon the
floor an earring of such uncommon size
that | stopped to pick it up and gazed
upon it in wonder.
1t was solitaire diamond, richly set
and of a slightly greenisn color. l knew
the value of green diamonds and esti-
mated this one to be worth $1,000 to
$4,000. l FASTENED down to the man
ayers office to remit it, thinking it be-
longed to the newcomer or Cassella.
The manager was absent, and / heard
the bell ring for the second act. Holding
the diamond in my hand, l fastened to
my seat.
The unknown singer entered again.
She was if possible tinge paler than be-
fore. She wore gloves this time, and her
lips were not so cruelty red. She sang,
and, ye gods, what voice! Her voice
scared, spread fused with other invisible
voices; it rang generously and murmured
divinely in magnificent power and har-