Connecticut western news., 1920-12-02

S0e O6Sce1QeQ IL anu IOunu secret passage. This she traversed and be yond 1t found her lever deranged and ] III, in the care of an imbecile servant. She nursed him back to health. Consuelo's exposure and excitement In this midnight expedition produced a violent fever and Albert's love and care deepened. For a time 1t seemed as though he might win her hand, but be- tween these devoted young people the absolute Anzoleto thrust himself. Although at first she gave way be- fore him, Consuelo regained her self control and put him aside. The good Count Christian, finding her nobly frank about her early life not only ex- pressed his admiration, but requested her to marry his son, whose reason she had restored.
 To this she answered, "The honor Is very great, but am a singer. must return to my art"
 To avoid Anzoleto she fled by night toward Vienna in order to rejoin Por- pora. her teacher. Consuelo reached there only to find old Porpora a master without a school or a pupil. In her attempts to secure a position at the Court theater she failed by req son of the opposition of the Empress Maria and the enmity of Gorilla, her bitter rival. The corruption, the saw age hatreds which marked the atmos- phere of the court and the theater, led her to dream of Albert and the mar riage he had offered.
 At last she wrote to Albert. express ing her love for, him.
 Porpora, to whom she gave her let ter to post, burned it and wrote ono of his own to Count Christian. He was Jealous of her art and desired to profit by it.
 Six weeks passed. Consuelo heard nothing from Albert. and as a sudden chance to sing in opera came to her, she accepted it. Her goodness and gen. erosity had won even Gorilla, who yielded her part to her.
 One day, while rehearsfng for Zeno- bia, her first great part, Consuelo thought she saw Count Albert in the dark spaces of the theater, a silent, fitting, mysterious figure.
 At about this time, Baron Trenck, the notorious pandour and freebooter, coming to the city chanced to see Con- suelo, and instantly fell in love with her, as did all men, She was terrified by his fierce manner and his disfgured countenance.
 One night he forced his way into her dressing room, and pleaded for her love. He cast magnificent jewels at her feet and then in a transport of fury, seized her in his arms as if to carry her away.
 A disguised, powerful man darted through the door, seized the bandit and threw him down the iron stairway.
 Although her rescuer's face was cev- cred, Consuelo believed him to be Count Albert. She called, she ran to- ward him, but he was gone. AS she the prompter announced the second act of the play and she went on the stage as Zanobia, adding to her triumphs. She sang now for Albert, believing that he was somewhere in the audience.
 Her conviction was confirmed when amid the flowers which fell around her, flung by the empress and the people of the court, she picked up a small sprig of cypress, which was to her a sign of grief and despair. It was like symbol of death.
 In the midst of her uncertainty a letter came from the director of the Royal theater in Leipsic, offering her fine engagement. An agent brought the papers with him. Consuelo desired to leave Vienna, for the empress was de termined that she should marry one of her favorites.
 As Porpora had destroyed her letter to Count Albert, so now he pretended to have had a reply in which Count AL bert renounced all claim upon her.
 With unshaken faith in her old teacher, Consuelo sorrowfully accepted the new engagement, signed the con- tract and started for Germania.
 It happened that the king of Prus- sia, Frederick the Great, travelling in- cognito, met her and was so pleased with her that he gave orders for her  entertainment in his capital, but con- manded that Porpora should be sent back to Vienna.
 All these plans, however, failed, for Baron Rudolstadt, uncle of Count AL bert, brought word that the young man was dying and greatly longed 10 see Consuelo before he passed away. With out a moments hesitation she hastened to the castle.
 Filled with exalted love and pity, Consuelo kissed the dying man, realiz- ing that he was even then hardly more than spirit. He desired her to mar ry him, in order that his fortune and his title might pass to her. and so firm and insistent was his demand that Consuelo consented.
 Count Albert lived only few hours after the ceremony, leaving Consuelo sorrowful, but after all, at peace. Then