Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1903-11-14
the only time. averted my glance.

by her hearuess brother, realizes the
full atroclty 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
pathos and despair. She was intense,
superb In the mad scene. Her voice
had sobs of anguish.
Up swelled the yertiginous staccato
high above the means of the orchestra.
She raved. she wept. and the large
tears rolled down her white cheek;
her hair floated wildly over her culver
Ing shoulders and still rang forth her
magical, heartrending notes.
l trembled; the house groaned.
The mad scene neared Its end, and
the musicians, as If ordered. ceased
to play. They looked at her. she sang
unaccompanied. 1t was terrible, I'M
iQue, sublime.
The eliminating point arrived, and
,, the pains and pangs Of Donizetti's
masterpiece vibrated on her lips as
they had never done on lips before.
She gazed wildly, stupidity about,
when she stopped, and l saw drops
OF blood ooze from her mouth; she
fell heavily upon the stage, and the
| curtain went down. The house was In
tears.
Half an hour later all Milan knew
of the miraculous performance at the
| Scala. The last act of the opera was
| listened to without curiosity, Lucia
There are Reasons why it is desir-
Die that large foreign naval repre-
'ntation in isthmian waters should be
| scouraged just now and until the
wv government is permanently es-
blished. 1t is understood here that
Nre will be little delay about such
enlistment, and as soon as there
a regular government at Panama. in
ace OF the present junta, the state |
nartment expects to take up nego- I
| Wions for the execution of the canal
| than an 49,. $3.50
The director told me confidentially
that he was as nonplused as the audi
ence, and had never beheld the mar
velous singer before. Then, as he
left me, he superstitiously added: "She
was a spirit, l believe"
Full of conflicting thoughts, l walk
ed sadly homeward, and heard again
through the quiet streets, far away
from the riot and revel Of the carni-
val, the heavenly echo OF that unut-
terably divine voice.
walked on, and passed across the
Saint Italda Cemetery to near my
home. 1t was late. The noise of
Milan's festivities reached my ear
from time to time family.
Within a few steps Of my house,
separated by asshigh wall from the
end of the graveyard there, beneath
few cypress trees, in the full glare
of the moon. l beheld an unusual
sight
The cemetery, through which / pass
| ed regularly, and which | knew In
every nook and corner, presented In
| that particular spot singular aspect.
l advanced, and remarked with as
| constituent that q tomb had been ex-
| humed.
Sure enough, the sod on either side
was all strewn and scattered here and
there, footprints were plainly visible,
and, to my horror l saw that the
| coffin was open. In it, wrapped rather
| loosely In a faded yellow shroud, was
a human form.
l was about to call for the guard.
when my eye was suddenly attracted
| by a faint greenish light twinkling
near the top of the coffin.
l stopped over, and to my amaze
ment saw a diamond earring In the
lobe of the corpse's ear-the mate Of
| the one l had found.
The moonlight. checkered by the
| tree-boughs, did not allow me to view
the face, and trembling l drew aside
and lit match. Approaching l gazed
on the body. 1t was the spectral song
| stressl
Utterly bewildered, with haggard
eyes and quivering knees, l grasped
the coffin lid and replaced 1t over the
livid face. On it was written In large
letters:
Virginia Cosseli, queen of soprani,
died September. 1881, requiescat ID
| pace.
l remember a wild thrill of horror
came over me and / fell senseless.
For weeks raved In delirium. When
l had sufficiently recovered l left
Milan. People were still talking of
the mysterious prima dona.-Saturday
Evening Post.