The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-24
:'GEORGE

life seemed to be complete nesatioh of her carly training and her family influences any she has written: but it's shadows are dark and many Of its incidents painful.
 r,s ne <, ncvei % r,. or consreio E good ensm about, fragments of her undigested social ism: and her pre-digested atheism. It is atory powerful in many respects; but 1t has conception and of being left hanging in the the adventures of consueio a are T by no 'i means @ ended when we take leave of her. and re- sret especially that the author could not have paused to give us picture of the rage of Porpora when he was seized at the Prussian frontier. The descrptions of Ven : knowledge of the stage and the pitfalls and iptrigues which. doubtless. she learned from Georgel Sand wrote many plays as well as many novels. W
 Although Anzoleto was nearly nine- teen years old. he sat dangling his bare legs in the lagoon while he strung those pretty shells which in Venice are poetica1ly called flowers of the sea. This child of the, canals had all the beauty of a youthful Bacchus of the best days of Grecian statuary; but there was something bold and forward in the expression of his jet black eyes that displeased the celebrated maestro Porpora. The maestro regarded him carefully for two reasons: one was that in company with Consuelo he was the favorite pupil of Porpora at the free school for music and the other was that the Count Zustiniani. who ann used himself by managing the opera house of San Samuel. had called the maestro's attention to the boy as being . lad whom, in a few years. he pro- posed to bring out as a singer.
 eff I amuse myself with shells it is to help little consuleo here" said the boy as he handed the necklace over to his companion and arose with self as- Burance 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, Consuleo was most decidedly not good looking. But she had the voice of an angel and the Count. who had heard her sing at ves- pers. was thinking of making bar gain with the maestro for her services when she should have finished her course at the free school. In fact with Consuleo and Anzoleto before him the Count faced the future of his opera house with cheerful anticipations.
 Consuelo was the child of wander Ing singer, a 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 he 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 Hn- derstood between the boy and the girl. That they were to be married eventual ty went without saying. But there was no hurry about 1t. That they loved each other dearly also went without saying. But it was not necessary to dwell on the fact unduly--at least, so Anzoleto thought.
 At last came the day when Anzoieto was twenty three. and the Count, hay ing dressed him in gorgeous clothes, brought him to sing before a select au- dience at the Zustiniani palace. Anzo- leto was a success. Even had his voice been less worth of praise, his handsome person would have carried him through. As It was, the Count was delighted that his patronage had not been i'll be-, slowed. t.
 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, q suppose that the contract of Consuelo will be signed also? We are betrothed, you know, and will soon be married. We had under- stood that we were to make our first appearance at the San Samuel to- gether."
 Hum" replied the Count, you mean that plain-fa little thing, who does, after all. sing divinely? We'll, we will see. But the fact is. my dear fellow, your little Consuelo is too ugly. She would never do for prima donna"
 This unexpected obstacle struck ter TOT to the narrow soul of Anzoleto. As he hurried toward the Corte he kept muttering to himself: Not pretty? Ugly-frightfui? But perhaps the g Count d rnfafakAn"
 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? rt.
 Surely do. since I love you"
 "Is 1t because you love me or am I really so?'
 How do I know?"
 Are you ugly, Consuelo? Tell me truly, are you ugly?"
 Do you not see tt?'
 No"
 Then am handsome enough"
 But tell me-" the young man urged. T must know. Are you ugly?'
 "No, am not" at last .said Consuelo, little piqued. T used. to be ugly. as child, but the years have been kind to me. l am not great beauty, but 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 few years into comeliness if not into beauty. In fact ths pale. rather sad face of Consuelo, had about 1t a distinction and a grace of intellect that made 1t more than at- tractive. It was one of those faces that grow upon none-lightly regarded at first glance, perhaps. but afterward haunting one's dreams.
 he AVz 4IatA !, tU patron to tell him Consuelo was not ugly. f Perhaps" said the Count. And re- membering how the girl could sing, he gave orders that she be brought to his palace to sing before the critics After that Count Zustiniani partially forgot his enth husiasm for his Anzoleto in his admiration for Consuelo.
 Both appeared at San Samuel and scored an instantaneous and great suc- cess. Gorilla, the prima donna who was displaced by the new star, flow into such a rage that she fell i'll and all the male singers in Venice were ready to knife Anzoleto.
 "Bah," 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 entirely without principle. He sings only fairly well. He is handsome, but so much the worse. No. no. decidedly you must have nothing more to do with him." As a matter of fact since their great success together. Anzoleto had --.tAI lad ANRNs0