Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-11-04


enchantment; the strange woman had
turned aside and began the ordinary
stage business and duet with Edgardo,
as Alfieri would have done. The act
ended In indescribable amazement.
"Who is she? Who is she? What
voicev' and such EXPLANATIONS were
heard on all sides.
The director appeared at this mo
ment, evidently anxious to find out
for himself who the beautiful pale
songstress was, but could answer no
inquiries.
In the meantime I hurried behind
the scenes to Alferi's dressing-room,
where I had often gone to chat with
her, expecting to see this marvellous
creature.
The apartment was Illuminated;
Lucia's bridal costume for the second
act was ready on the sofa; a bottle
of Asti wine, which Alfieri always
partook Of between the acts, stood on
the table; but naught proved that the
room had been occupied previously
by another-nothing showed the pres
ence Of the newcomer.
I waited few minutes, took q few
whiffs from my cigarette, and was
about to return, when I spied upon
the floor an earring Of such uncommon
size that stopped to pick it up, and
gazed upon it in wonder, held spell
hound bv fro hearty
1t was solitaire diamond, richly
set Of a slightly greenish tint.
knew the value Of green diamonds.
and estimated this one to be worth
at least seven or eight thousand dol
lars, being really finer than any /
had seen In the famous vaults Of
Dresden.
I fastened down to the directors
Office to remit it, thinking it belonged
to the newcomer or to Alfier1. The
director was absent; soon I heard the
bell ring. The diamond in my hand,
1 fastened TO my seat.
The unknown woman again entered;
she was, if possible, tinge palel than
before. She wore gloves this time,
and her lips were not SO cruelty red.
She sang, and, We gods, what song!
Her voice scared, spread, fused with
other invisible voices; it rang sono
rously, and murmured divinely in
magnificent power and harm0ny-a
voice all fire, voice all soul.
l trembled-the audience quivered.
Still that strange being stood 10 the
same position, still did her great lum-
inous black eyes gaze continually up
ward; she seemed not to heed her fell
low-artists; the bewilderment OK Ed
gardo, the anxious, inquiring glance
of Ashton did not move her; she would
glide by them like a sylph, vinion-
light, ethereal, graceful. No one
heard her walk-she sang!
Again the curtain fell, again the
house cried out with delirium. "Brava!
bravaw yelled the rabble.
But no one appeared.
Again I went to Alfieri's box while
the ballet (Which in those days was
performed between the acts) was go
ing on, but it was empty; so l re-
turned to listen to the animated dis
cussions and conversations in the
lobby.
"A1fieri Is eciipsed; she is Pasta and
Persiani combined! She is not human,
she Is an angel from Heavens gatesv'
"Tis the Beatrice Of Dante descend
ed from Heavenv'
A friend came from behind the
scenes.
"Wen, what news, Ricciardo? Fave
you seen herr"
mo, but Grazzini has" (Graszini
was the tenor, a handsome fellow,
'and he tells me he spoke to her
forced to do SO by some subtle, mag
netic attraction. He told her of his
wonder, his admiration, his love, I
believe, and she answered him, In
Milanese dialect, we shall meet
again."
The bell rang, and the curtain went
up slowly. The lights seemed to burn
badly, and the heat was sitting, but
upon the entrance Of the mysterious
stranger a sudden chill pervaded every
one.
We did not breathe to listen, and
as I gazed upon her, charmed by her
supernatural beauty, I noticed that
from one Of her ears hung bright
large stone, similar tothe one 1 held
In my hand. Scarcely had I seen it
when she caught my eye. She smiled
the only time. averted my glance
The music went on.
The scene where the unhappy Lucia,
after having been dragged to the altar
by her heartless brother, realizes the
full atrocity Of his conduct, seemed to
influence the sombre sprite-ike prima
donna, for she reused herself at Last
and acted-acted with the frenzy Of
passion, acted with the sublimity Of
pathog and despair. She was intense,
superb In the mad scene. Her voice
had sobs Of anguish.
Up swelied the vertiginous staccato
high above the means Of the orchestra