Year: 1879

alarm, look at that housn. They will be
crushed to death in their terror and
Gro uding to 60 out"


LISTEN" said the Italian girl in the
same calm, constrained manner
"Send the call boy to tell the door-keep-
er to order each one as they pass or, to
depart quickly. l will clear the house
quietly"


"Yes; here is the boy; send him and
clear out the company; will do my
part"


The manager blindly obeyed the strong
will and steady purpose of the master
mind, as people in emergency generally
do, whatever their relative positions in
the world. Anna Carolla passed on to
the stage and advancing at once to the
foOtlights stood for one moment, her tall
commanding form and beautiful head
drawn erect, unfinchingly facing that
crowd, meeting full even the astonished
gaze of the Emperor himself and the
wondering look of her lover in the or
chestra below her. Then she said, in
voice not loud but clear as bell, with
cool steady authority in every measured
accent:


II am here ny the managers orders.
His Imperisl Majesty has been robbed
tonight Of rare diamond, and the thief
is 10 the house. Every one," and the
speakers dark eyes swept the audience
fiom gallery to pit, sis at once to with
draw quietly and in order; any one at :
tempting to remain will be Immediately
arrested. The band will also retire at
once"


Even as she spoke her ear, painfully
strung for the sound, conld hear the
warm mum of the flames from the back /;
but unmoved she stepped back, swept a
deep obeisance to the audience ard EN-
peror, and the curtain fell. The Empe-
ror instantly left his box, whispered to
the gentleman to whom he had before
pointed out Anna Carolla:


"There is something behind all this; l
am not robbed. Send Col. Bergmann
around to summon the manager to our
carriage door,"


Meanwhile the vast crowd filtered rap
idly out, in quiet order and In safety only
learning at the door, as they hurried
away, the awful death by fire or crushing
from which the brave and quick Hitted
girt had saved them. The last few 10
leave the auditorium smelt the fire and
heard the cracking of flames and hur-
ried, wildly spreading the alarm. But
the terrible cry Of fire came too late to
do mischief, and once outside the police
and soldiery, under the cool directions oil
the Emperor himself, kept order. And
though the flames mounted at first, An
mas timely discovery and the energetic
measures taken, forced the fire UNDER
In less than an hour and half il was
completely drenc'ied out, and the mutt
lated opera house left in charge of Tie
pol;cc. Then, and not until then, did the
Emperor dismount from the horse he
had used and return to his carriage; and
rs be did so he paused suddsals.


"Bergmann, see! there goes that Ital.
ian gill herself, leaning on the arm of the
young fellow who led the band SO spleh-
didly tonight. Go see who and wha,
they are


Col. Bergman departed to obey the or.
der and the Emperor drove of. The
next day the whole story was in the gov
ernment organ, with an intimalion, Gin.
spired" OF course from that quarter, thai
his Imperial Majesty had graciously
caused inquiries to be made about the
young singer. A few days later, old Herr
Rosenfeldt received an official intimatior
that his gifted son Carl and his fiancee
Anna Carolla, were both under imperial
protection, and their marriage was dt.
sired to take place as Immediately al
possible, the Emperor lowering the
bride. The manager also received {
similar invitation through Colonel Berg
mann, that his late chorus singer was to
he brought forward and advertised fol
the reopening of the opera as Madame
Carolla Rosenfeldt


Once more the elite of gay Vienn.
crowded the opera house to witness tn,
debut Of the new singer, as "Agata' il
I"Der Freischuz."