The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-24


 who would know anything of literature must know something of her work, was an unquiet spirit whose life seemed to be a complete negation of her early train ing and her family influences. Her own story is perhaps as interesting as any she has written; but Its shadows are dark and many of it's incidents pain ful.
 The novel of "Consuelo" is a good ex- ample of her style, and has in it, scat tered about, fragments of her undigested socialism and her predigested atheism. It is story powe -ful in many respects; but 1t has the fault of being rather fragmentary in it's conception and of be- ing left hanging in the air." as it were, at the end. We feel that the adventures of Conseulo are by no means ended when we take leave of her. and regret espec- ially that the author could not have paused to give us a picture of the rage of Porpora when he was seized at the Prussian frontier. The descriptions of Venice are excellent and the author shows knowledge of the stage and it's pitfalls and intrigues which, doubtless, she learned from practical observation and experience; for George Sand wrote many plays as well as many novels,
 A LTHOUGH Anzoleto was nearly A 19 years old, he sat dangling his bare legs n the lagoon while he strung those pretty shells which in Venice are poetically called flowers of the sea. This child of the canals had all the beauty of youthful Bacchus of the best days of Grecian statuary; but there was something bold and forward in the ex- pression of his jet black. eyes that dis pleased the celebrated Maestro Porpora. The maestro regarded him carefully for two reasons one was that in company with Consuelo he was the fayorite pupil of Porpora at the free school for music, and the other was that the Count Zus- tiniani who amused hilself by manag- ing the opera house of San Samuel, had called the maestros attention to the boy as being a lad whom. in a few years, he proposed to bring out as a singer.
 "If l amuse myself with shells it is to help little Consuelo here," said the boy as he handed the necklace over to his companion and arose with self-assurance to bow to the Count and the maestro. Consuelo was at that age when young girl is apt to be all eyes and legs; in fact, Consuelo was most decidedly not good looking. But she had the voice of an angel and the Cou..t, who had heard her sing at vespers, was thinking of making a bargain with the maestro for her serv- ices when she should have finished her course at the free school. In fact, with
 
 Count faced the future of his opera house with cheerful anticipation. 'a2
 Consuelo was the child of a wander ing singer, woman who came origi- nally from Spain and had a dash of the Moresco blood in her veins. Who her father was the child did not know, but she did know that when her mother came to die in the squalid lodgings in the Corte Minelli she had resigned her breath in the firm belief that the hand some and sturdy AnZoleto would look after the orphan And so it was un derstood between the boy and the girl. That they were to be married eventu- ally went without saying. But there was no hurry about it. That they loved each other dearly also went with out saying. But it was not necessary fo dwell on the fact unduly-at least, so Anzoleto tn ought
 At last came the day when Anzoleto was 23, and the Count, having dressed him in gorgeous clothes, brought him to sing before select audience at the Zustiniani palace. Anzoleto was a sue cess. Even had his voice been less worthy of praise, his handsome person would have carried him through. As 1t was, the Count was delighted to find that his patronage had not been i'll bestowed.
 With success Anzoleto walked on air; but he did not forget the little girl in the squalid Corte Minelli And when you sign my contract, my lord" said he to his patron, 1 suppose that the con tract of Consuelo will be signed also? We are betroth ed, you know, and will soon be married. We had understood that we were to make our first appear ance at the San Samuel together"
 "Humw replied the Count, you mean that plain faced little thing, who does, ,star II sipp diytnalV2 Well we will see. But the fact is, my dear fellow, your little Consuelo is too ugly. She would never do for a prima donna"
 This unexpected obstacle struck ter TOT to the narrow soul of Anzolto. As he hurried toward the Corte he kept muttering to himself: Not pretty? Ugly-frightful But perhaps the Count is mistaken.
 Why do you stare at me so?" asked Consuelo as the young man entered her apartment. "One would think you had never seen me before.'
 'Tell me, Consuelo, do you think me handsome?
 Surely do, since I love you.'
 .'Is it because you love me or am really so?"
 How do I know"
 Are you ugly, Consuelo? Tell me truly, are you ugly?'
 Do you not see it?"
 No"
 .sThen I am handsome enough"
 But tell me-" the young man urged. T must know. Are you ugly?'
 NO. I ap, not" at last said Consuelo a little p,,ued T used to be ugly, as a child. but the years have been kind to me I am not great beauty, but I am far from ugly. How do I know? Have I not my bit of looking glass?'
 Consuelo spoke the truth. She had been one of those children who from ugliness develop in a few years itno comeliness if moi into beauty. In fact, the pale, rather sod face of Consuelo had about it a dis tinction and grace of intellect that made ,t more than attractive. It was one of those faces that grow upon one-lightly regarded at first glance, perhaps, but afterward haunting ones dreams.
 The next day Anzoleto sought his patron to tell him Consuelo was not ugly.
 "perhaps,' said the count And re- membering how the girl could sing, he gave orders that she be brought to his naIace to sing before the critics After that Count Zustiniania partially forgot his enthusiasm for his Anzoleto in his admi- ration for Consuelo.
 Roth appeared at San Samuel and scored an instantaneous and great suc- cess Gorilla, the prma donan who was disnlaced by the new star, flew into sucb rage that she fell i'll and all tha male singers in Venice were ready to knife Anzoleto.
 4Rah.'' said old Porpora, the cynical music teacher, who regarded Consuelo as his own child, Bah, you must not marry that Anzoleto. He is selfish. He is en-