Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-03-17

| There Is a sort OF rough honesty
about him, after all l fancy that
with a different education he might
have been a fine character"
There's no denying. anyhow. that
at present he's fine tyrant," said
Sardoni ITS my belief that you
would find excuses for the devil him
self, Valentino"
Valentino" had become Carlos
nickname with the company. One
evening at Naples there had been a
discussion in the green-room about
an article in some journal on the mer-
its Of the new baritone, in which his
valentino" in particular had called
forth the warmest praise. and was
termed "a new creation" Gomez.
who never lost an opportunity Of max
ing himself disagreeable 10 the new
conner, had turned to him with his
contemptuous smile, and said:
Il congratulate the Signor Valen-
tino, and it is certainly true that he
plays the part as though he we're to
the manner born"
To Carlo and Sardoni, who were
the only ones present who we're cap
able OF understanding the speech, a
hundred hateful innuendoes were con
veyed In look and tone; but the others
caught up the idea as though it had
been a jest, and Tannini, drawing the
sword which he wore in his costume
OF Ceprano ,smote him ON the shout
der and, with the most nasal OF Yam
kee twangs. shouted Arise, Sir Val
entino,"
'Knight-errant." put in Sardoni, sec
ing that It would be well to let the
Spaniards innuendo pass for jest,
And so. like the San Carlo" spite
fully suggested by Generic, Valentino
became a household word among the
troupe, and lost all bitterness, becom-
ing indeed. a sort of symbol Of the IA
miliar teasing the playful fondness,
which Carlo speedily won from his
! companions.
II seemed that Sardoni had not ex-
aggerated matters in speaking of Mer-
| iiIO Aitbptib iVA az tAAA1 iA0thphh h(
entered the coffee-room with the omin-
Gus double crease in his brow and the
dark look about his eyes, which al
ways betokened a stormy day for
those in his immediate neighborhoOd.
| At such times he was certainly a
most repulsive-looking man, and at
first Cairo had felt that he could not
live with him, that the mere sight OF
him would be intolerable. BY this
called into existence sort Of exist
| ence sort Of fondness for his brother
in-law; he had the rare and enviable
gift of seeing people as they might
have been under happier circum.
stances, and the still rarer power of
treating them as such and so the con
slant society of the impresario had
been quite tolerable to him, or only
intolerable at rare moments when his
natural impotence Overmastered him,
and made him feel ready to break
with everything and rush back to a
peaceful ilfe In his native land
80 you're down at last" said Mer-
limo, who resented IL as a personal In
jury IL any one lay In bed after he
did As ne had an inconyenient
OF always waking early. however late
he had been the night before his com,
panons sometimes found this trait in
his character rather provoking, par
ticularly as with most people the ca
reer Of an operate singer does not
tend to promote the virtue of early
rising,
Il hear that Marioni has been In al
ready" said Carlo What has gone
wrong"
Everything" said Merlino, say
aEely Il wish 10 goodness that, In
stead of lying in bed till this hour.
YOU had been down 90 the theater IN
the place of that blockheao,"
Well. / will go now II anything
can he done. said Carlo. ignoring the
rudeness and unreasonableness Of the
remark
Insomnia, Much good now That
! Is SO exactly like YOU, pouatt always
ready with patience and cool common
sense over other pcople's difficulties
/ know there would he a cursed differ
cuce in your tcne II the ditncuty were
yours and not mine"
sardonl was on the point Of break
ing in with a remoustrance. but Carlo
/ gave him "a glance which made him
hold his peace and taking mp paper.
he appeared 60 be reading the leading
article. though in reality he was lis
tcn;ug 20 his two companions He re
membered. no, without certain
4 twlures Of conscience, that Carlo had
been helping the baggage men and
seeing after all the lost goods Of the
troupe when he himself had turned In
ON the night previous probably Val,
entino. who was always seeing after
other peoples worries. had been the
last Of the company to SO to bed
I'm sorry I'm late" said Carlo.
How has Mariou managed to rut his
foot in III"
/ He declares The orct-'s.ra is no,
halt ready and he has been auarreliue
with the manager about the rehears-
( ais"
Ten 70 one ho has made some mis-.
take" said Carlo The manager lr
no. likely 20 speak Italian. and Mavi