The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-12-17

10 sing IN PROFESSOR POrp0ra' S
school. He was handsome. He had
Imagination which colered his fine
voice when he sang. Consuelo, a
scrawny, dark-skinned Spanish peasant
girl, was another of Porpora's pupils.
She was plain, but had beautiful
voice and spirit.
She and Anzoleto were good friends,
nothing more, but he-an errant philan-
derer-was always falling in love and
coming to Consuelo for sympathy and
advice. He was a rascal and an in
crate.
Consuelo made her first public ap-
pearance in the simple dress of n
peasant girl, and her voice-filled with
the fire of her soul-took the city.
Everyone was at her feet. Young
suitors sought her hand and among
them was Anzoleto. 1t was the ro-
mantle period in Venetian history.
about 1850. Consuelo engaged herself
to her fellow-pupil, but repulsed the
others. Her genius had won admira-
ton; her dignity and modesty had
won respect.
The Count Justinian not only en-
gagged her for his theatre, but fell in
love with her and tried to win her from
Anzoleto. She would not be led away
and made 1t a part of her contract
that her betrothed should also be en-
gagged to sing. Her sweetness and
fidelity the more deeply enslaved the
count.
Consuelo's rival, a singer named
Gorilla, was bitterly incensed by the
action of the count. Anzoleto played
on her jealousy and pretended to be
her lover Of this perfidy Consuelo
knew nothing.
At the first public performance Con
suelo achieved renewed success, but
Anzoleto was almost overlooked.
Her teacher warned her not to
marry Anzoleto and to prove his case
forced her to visit the home of Gorilla.
They found Anzoleto there and Con-
sueio was convinced of, his peridy.
She repulsed Anzoleto, refused the
love of the count and fled to Vienna
on the uuNlCS VI IOIIOlds
A little later, Porpora sent her to
his friend, Count Christian Of Bohemia,
to serve as companion to his niece, the
Baroness Amelia, just come from a
convent school at Prague. Consuelo,
who arrived at the castle on stormy
night, was in awe of the count and
his surroundings, but Amelia, lovely
girl, treasured her and won her instant
affection. That night, as Consuelo
came. an ancient tree on the estate.
known as the tree of misfortune, fell
in the storm.
News Of its fall threw the counts
household into confusion and terror.
"Some evil is abroad" the countess
said, and soon after Count Albert, the
son, entered, a handsome, pale and
sad young man, who announced that
a strange peace was about to settle
over the house. He smiled at Con-
suelo, touched her hand and withdrew.
leaving her deeply mystified.
Albert, she soon learned, was gen.
tie and admirable soul, but a man of
morbid moods which were in effect
frances and was only mildly interested
in Amelia, who was intended to be his
wife.
Amelia told Consuelo that Albert was
not only medium, but seer as well
as a scholar and that she found him I'M
attractive.
Consuelo, on the contrary, was
aLoux,,a,5 ,,,;tb AIhart vxyhn Snempd much
benefited by her presence. He accept
ed her as the consolation promised by
an inner voice Her singing called him
from his frances, transported and
strengthened him. She became his ply
sician as well as his confessor.
She found herself surrounded by
mysteries. Secret doors, inexplicable
flames, gliding phantoms stirred her
curiosity and allured her to explora-