Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-08-25
CHAPTER XVIII.

Monsieur Leroy was interested in his
visitor, and in powise FASTENED her de-
parture. He led her through the garden
of the asylum, anxious that she should
see that sad life of the shattered mind in
its milder aspect. The quieter patients
were allowed to amuse themselves at lib
erty in the garden.
A woman of about sixty advanced to-
ward him along the dusty gravel path be-
tween the trampled grass and the dust
whitened orange trees, a woman who car
ried her head and shoulders with the pride
of an empress, and who looked about her
with defiant eyes, tanning herself with a
large japanese paper fan as she came
along, a fan of vivid scarlet and cheap
gilt paper, which seemed to intensity the
brightness of her great black eyes, as she
waved it to and fro before her haggard
face a woman who must once have been
beautiful.
Would you believe that lady was
prima donna at La Scala nearly forty
years ago?" asked the doctor, as he and
Mildred stood beside the path, watching
that strange figure, with its theatrical
dignity.
The massive plaits of grizzled black
hair were wound, coronet-wise. about the
woman's head. Her rusty black velvet
gown trailed in the dust, threadbare long
ago, almost in tatters to-day; gown
of strange fashion, which had been worn
upon the stage-Leonora's or Lucrezias
gown. perhaps, once upon a time.
At sight of the physician she stopped
suddenly, and made him a sweeping curt
sy, with all the exaggerated grace Of the
theater.
She was cousin to old Castellani. He
trained her for the stage. and she was
the original in several of his operas She
was his slave. his creature, and lived
only TO please him. | suppose she expect
ed him to marry her, poor soul; but he
knew better than that. He contrived to
fascinate a French girl, consumptive,
who was travelling in Italy for her health,
with a wealthy father. He married the
French woman and l believe the marriage
broke Maria's heart"
WAS it that event which wrecked her
mind?'' asked Mildred, deeply interested.
mo: il was some years afterward that
her brain gave way. She had brilliant
career before her at the time of Castel-
lani's aesertion, and she bore the blow
With the courage of Roman. So long
as her voice lasted. and the public were
constant TO her, she contrived TO bear up
against that burning sense of wrong which
has been the Distinguishing note of her
mind ever since she came here. But the
first breath of failure froze her. She felt
her voice decaying while she was COM
paratively young woman. Her glass told
her that she was losing her beauty, that
she was beginning TO look old and bag
gard. Her managers told her more. They
gave her the cold shoulder. and put new
er singers above her head. Then despair
took hold of her; she became gloomy and
irritable, difficult and capricious in her
dealings with her fellow artists. and then
came the end and she was brought here.
She had saved no money. She had been
reckless even beyond the habits Of her
profession She was friendless. There
was nobody interested in her fate
Not even Signor Castellani?"
'.Castellani-Psolo Castellani? The
nan was q compound of sslh<hness t-esch-
cry. She was not likely to get pity from
him The very Fact that he had used her
badly made her ioathsome to him.
doubt If he ever inquired what became of
her. If any one hsd asked him about