Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-04-10

\6LlOlLd ASd1A u lEE dStOUAuAAS 1
ceDtion bestowed upon her under
study, she was at once cured Of an
iHcipient attack OF bronchitis and a
bad 1T OF sulking against the manage
ment. and lost the slightest inclina-
ton TO shiFk her duties From that
time, she worked with all her might
TO smother" her rival, enIisting the
services of influential friends to per-
sUade the managers not to give Chris
tine an opportunity for a fresh tri-
umph Certain newspapers which had
begun to extoI the talent Of Christine
now interested themselves only in the
fame Of Cariotta. Lastly, in the the
alter itself, the celebrated, but heart
less and souiiess diva made the most
scandalous remarks about Christine
and tried TO cause her endless minor
unplea santnesses
When Carlotta had finished think
ing over the threat contained in the
strange letter. she got up.
We shall see" she said, adding a
few oaths in her native Spanish with
a very determined air.
"
ing out of her window, was hearse.
She was very superstitious; and the
hearse and the letter convinced her
that she was running the most serious
dangers that evening She collected
all her supporters, told them that she
was threatened at that evenings per
Torrance with a plot organized by
Christine Daae and declared that they
must play trick upon that chit by
filing the house with her, Carlotta's.
admirers. She had no lack OF them,
had she? She relied upon them TO
hold themselves prepared for any
eyentuaIity and to silence the adver-
saries if. as she feared, they created
a disturbance.
NJ Richards private secretary
called to ask after the diva's health
and returned with the assurance that
she was perfectly well and that,
were she dying" she would sing the
part of Margarita that evening. The
secretary urged her, in his chiefs
name, to commit no imprudence, to
stay at home all day and to be care
full of drafts; and Carlotta could not
help, after he had gone, comparing
this unusual and unexpected advice
with the threats contained in the let
ter.
Il was five o'clock when the post
brought a second anonymous letter in
the same hand as the first. 1t was
short and said simply:
You have a bad cold. II you are
wise, you will see that it is madness
to try to sing tonight"
Carlotta sneered, shrugged her
handsome shoulders and sang two or
three notes to reassure herself.
Her friends were faithful to their
promise. They We're all at the opera
that night, but looked round in vain
for the fierce cOnspirators whom they
were instructed to suppress. The only
unusual thing was the presence of M.
Richard and NJ. Moncharmin in Box
Five. Carlotta's friends thought that,
perhaps the managers had wind, on
their side. of the proposed disturbance
and that they had determined 30 be
in the house, so as TO stop it then and
there: but this was unjustifabIe sup
position, as the reader knows, NJ.
Richard and NJ Moncharmin were
thinking of nothing but their ghost.
Vain. In vain DO I call, through my vigil
weary.
On creation and it's Lord
Never reply will break the silence dreary!
No sign! 10 single world"
The famous baritone, Carolus Fon-
ia. had hardly finished Doctor Faust's
first appeal to the powers of darkness.
when NJ. Firmin Richard, who was
sitting in the ghosts own chair, the
front chair on the right, leaned over
to his partner and asked him chatting
ly:
We'll, has the ghost whispered
word IN your ear YETI"
Wait, don't be in such a hurry"
replied NJ Armand Moncharmin, in
the same gay tone. The perform
ance has only begun and you know
that the ghost does not usually come
until the middle OF the first act.
The first act passed without Incl
dent, which did not surprise Carlotta's
friends, because MaTgarita does not
sing in this act. As for the managers,
they looked at each other. when the
curtain fell,
That's one," said Moncharmtn.
Yes, the ghost is late, said Fir
min Richard.
It's not a bad house said Mon
charmin, for "a house with a curse
on it
NJ Richard smiled and pointed to
fat. rather vulgar woman, dressed III
black sitting in a stall in the mid
die OF the auditorium with a man in a
broadcloth frock-eoat on either side
OF her
Who on earth are 'those?' asked
Moncharmin
Those, my dear fellow, are my
concierge, her husband and her
brother
Did you give them their tickets?''
Il did. My concierge had
first time-and. as she is now going
to come every night, wanted her to
have good seat. before spending her
time showing other people TO theirs
Moncharmin asked what he meant
and Richard answered that he had
persuaded his concierge. ia whom he
had the greatest confidence. to come
and take Name Giry's place.
BY the way" said Moncharmin,
you know that Mother CRY Is going
TO lodge a complaint against you
With whom? The ghost?'
The ghost Moncharmin had al
most forgotten him. However. that
mysterious person did nothing to bring
himself to the memory of the man
ayers; and they were just saying so
to each other for the second time,
when the door of the box suddenly
opened 20 admit the startled stage
mana4sr
What's the matter?" they both
asked amazed at seeing him there at