The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-08-22

" tho iAi6h VIZ od C&EAA 90
an hours notice to take the place of
the singer who was i'll.
you rendered o u few bars very
WELL" she said. with a gracious smile.
what is your name? I forget
The "under-study.' a m~iddle-aged
man of handsome yet dissolute appear
ance, bowed low, flattered by the
famous prima donna's notice, and re-
piled:
Josef Manuelos, madame
"Ahi that is your stage-name, of
course. Your father's name was
Manuelos. and your own is Josef. 1t
is a pretty combination! Mine is also
pretty. I am known as Miriami, put
my real name"-and she smiled again
brilliantly-'is Miriam David, just as
yours is Josef Perez"
He started, and an awful pallor
blanched his features. The orchestra
was playing a delicious "~intermezzo,"
and it seemed to him like the Shrek
ing of devils.
Miriam David!" he grasped.
Miriam
And he stared. panic-stricken, at the
magnificent woman before him, with
her regal figure, her blazing eyes, her
scarlet lips, parted just now In that
strange. cold smile.
Yes, | am Miriam she said. You
would scarcely think 1t. would you?
But children alter so much, you know.
Are you not glad to see me? I am
particularly pleased to find you; I have
been looking for you a long while! 1
knew you could sing a little; but I
never thought you would make 1t a
profession. How strange 1t is we
should meet like thISi"
She spoke in the lightest and most
Indifferent tone possible; but conscious
guilt made him quick to hear he sup
pressed fury in her voice, and quick
to see the gathering passion In her
eyes. He covered and shrunk before
her; a cold ~perspiration bedewed his
forehead and hands.
"This is your property, I believer"
she said, suddenly, drawing a ghttering
object from her belt and showing 1t to
him. He uttered O. faint exclamation
it was the Spanish dagger with which
he had murdered old Reuben. He
looked wildly around him-the stage
was full of supernumeraries, carpen-
ters and dressers, who were all busy In
their respective places, preparing Tor
the last act of the opera-he tried TO
, speak, but vainly-he sought every
where with his eyes for some means of
exit and escape. and Miriam saw IT.
Replacing the dagger In her girdle. she
approached him closely and whispered
Beware what you dol If you make
the least attempt to leave tho house I
will have you arrested at once. ! shall
watch you every motion--youS every
look! Play your part throughout the
opera as / shall play minei We can
settle our private affair afterward!"
He lifted his eyes to hers in terri
fed appeal, but saw no pity in those
night black orbs, no softening touch of
pardon In the expression OF h beau
tifuI face. a face such as Judith's must
have been when she went forth first to
capture and then to slay the mighty
Holofernes. At that moment the man
ager approached; he was In an excel
lent humor. and entirely delighted with
the success of the new opera. He be-
gan to compliment the prima donna on
her triumph. and added, with a glance
at the 'understudy:"
''Signor Manuelos satisfied you In his
part, madame?"
Perfectly" replied the great
Miriami, composedly. "As I have
lust told him, if he continues
to perform his role as well as he has
begun, we shall not quarrel
"Ah. we'll! whatever his faults are,
you will soon get rid Of him, as you
kill him in the last act" laughed the
manager. $50, for any mistakes ne
makes he will be punished. The cur
lain goes up in two minutes, madame
And, bowling politely, he hurried on.
Miriam-or Miriami-stood still, look
ing m~editatlvely at Perez, who, despite
himself. trembled in every limb.
"You had better take a glass of sher-
ry or cognac Signor Manuelos," she
suggested, TRANQUILITY, emphasizing his
stage name somewhat sarcastically,
cor | fear you will be too nervous to
sing your death-song. You u pre-
sent a bold front when l kill you. Stage
fright is a terrible malady."
And. moving to one of the side wings.
she took up a position where she could
watch him wherever he went. The
wretched man tried to conquer the
palsy of fear that possessed him like
the ague; a super brought him, at
his own request, some wine, which he
swallowed at a gulp, while he sought
to assume the jaunty manners OF one
perfectly at ease. But he felt tho basil
isk eyes of Miriam upon him, burning
as it were, into his very hearts core;
the flash of her jewels, the rustic of
her robes. the faint perfume of the
priceless lace upon her breast, all these
trifing things seemed to pervade the
air he breathed with a CHASTITY chill
of terror. He could not tell what he
feared, and tho fear was all the greater
because so vague and ~unspeakable-
The curtain at last went up, n the
opera proceeded; the grand finale In
which there was a magnificent piece of
vocalization for the prima donna be-
gam. Never had the famous Miriami
sung more superbly; her voice rang
out with luscious f~ulness, like a peal
of golden bells, and in the concluding
cadenza she executed such a marvel
Gus roulade of upward trills that the
audience were fairly taken by surprise,
and listened in almost GREATNESS
silence. The moment had come when
the heroine of the piece was to turn
f1ercely on a certain false servant VINO
had betrayed a secret, and slay him
with her own hand. This false servant
was personated by Perez. Uneasy ana
nervous, he advanced toward the foot
lights, n sung in a faint. husky voice
- Il. H. - a mart a n