Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1869 — An Operatic Romance. [ARTICLE]

An Operatic Romance.

In April, 1800, while the young and lovely daughter of the Earl of D was enjoying, her usual afternoon airing along thaw” Lady's Mile," her fan dropped from her hand over the side of the carriage, and she ordered her coachman to stop anil recover it. Ooacliy curbed his high-step-pers to a halt as quickly as possiblo; but before he could descend from his perch, a gentleman of resplendent black whiskers and immaculate costume appeared at the side ’Of the vehicle, and with a courtly how, presented the lira. A blushing “ thank you, sir” rewarded the act, ami the coachman was directed to head his liotses for Bclgravc Square; hut theJEarl’a daughter carried home in her bosom a vivid mental photograph of the knight of the fan, anu could not help fancying that a soqhaUung in the expression ot' the fine hlibpk eyes luul silently .pleaded for a further acquaintance. To employ the term best understood .by her sfex, she was, in fact, “ struck ” with his distinguished appearance, and couldn’t get him out of her heath It was one Of those eases of in- ■ smntimeduß infatuation which are qhiteas common with the gentler as with the Sternfflysthc. ,The Vftung lady drove In the pafk, (tt the shme hour, On every succeeding afternoon ot the week, for the particular purpose of catching another glimpse off th® elegant stranger. All her efforts to that end, however, proved vain untH one,evening It the' Royal Italian- Opera, where- she accidentally dropped her lorgnette from fier box. Upon that ex- , kjitimg- occasion * several white eravated gentlemen sprang to pick up the pearl and gold biiou; hut there was a quicker I p»bef<k-*,U\cm %11, and the lorgnette was presented by the whiskered unknown of Hyde Park. Our susceptible heroine sljp!ic<l;(sJeiitiiil rosy-rdtl as she received it, and the dark-eyed cavalier gave her. such a look of homage in the act, that her own eyes dropped prettily under the ardent glance, Bowing gracefully, the unknown retired to a station at the back of tjfc boss, and thore \f of foiled wltlf til look until the performance was over,- For a month after this several, silent interviews of the kind tqok place, until at length the peer's daughter felt her-right hand slightly grasped one evening, as she was stepping into a carriage 1-rom the opera-house, anil, on recovering.from her alarm, found a sealed note in the hand thus abased. In nmoment she had guessed wlro the writer 'was, ahd has scarcely patience to gain the privacy of her own room before ascertainJPS itfirbontelitsr The: nyMLYfi yas written in a tine * Italian harul, and the writer avowed hia hohorabTc passion in the exaggergtod style natural to a fellow countrymaU of the Grinds. He Called her his idol, the light of his soul, the star to be. ■worshiped from afiir by the idolatrous wretch who dared not to -draw nearer. T9ie English of the wording was just execrably bad enough to bighteu the romance* ami suggest anglicized marbled Po - Jle should ‘‘kill ‘ biihkely’ Said th* knight; if ini lad 1 did-nht eonceal a “ leetlc npta” in tl>c folds 6f hfer fen off it certain night, and manage to pdrop it for him as site entered her box ’itttthe opera. She did so; and tints be-' ff al ) a a “® crct correspondence which .BRQPfi JJt w promise to dope with the .man. .- lie had repeatedly endeavored to 'Min time information respecting his rank; thpugh rtbt .until it was too late to save i herSdfj and whet fin asstvfcil her tliat pecuhur, but not dishonorable, ,dreumVSfaft ;, an PSm coailshipJmp6ffiible\ She pould only givff him his own waV.. Another , month ’pasSed bn,, and, tipon ft certain afternotin, the youftg lady's hor mW at a railway station, ami- had gone with him trrthc nearest Gretna Green * They knew eocli other very intimately in 1 sentiment, but how the fond foreigner had hartl facts, as canie near l (trowing 41m lovely captive into a swoon bulking upon his knees ia the inn of-the village to which they had' come, Be coriles#ed tjiat.jie was a hirer-mit of h#md--.afrgafeto-the more needy t>f his country--London I In NorriWe English wflWfcd liimsdf for dm-fng iias , su«sT£*®anfc die dcsireffj aud then cast himself Ikadlopst froth the top of the monument in Trafalgar square. Thu Earl’s daughter tfatjshocHp® |) ut '.had gone too far toW j cant; go Bhe gave him absolution from his ptWjqgaJnst ■ Mr, and went with him to a clergyman. Next day thorfe w*s a sensafyWpPMe circles because the Earl of D— s daughter “*had runoff Xfi.fi, mm count, whjwu mewbciv shlp irf-Ahc Human CtrtlKiliCjChurcli had &jt&ayw&tbat; ;

thtew ‘ that noble 1 lord Into' ffesli paroxysms of wrath, Hu sept a crushing an. swer. infusing JongerAn recognize her as iliplilW of^and heaping ouiaes upon her and her Italian. Like a sensible English girl, our heroine took this ail very phUoeqphwnlJy. wfil sang msfrily traja la tq’ the music of a guitar, until tjm pccnliar purity and freshness of her voice attracted the critical attention of her husband, lie called In a celebrated maestro to hear her sing, and was 'rejoiced to learn that hfs wife had a voice worth a fortune to her.' A master Was at once secured foitho lively lady; she studied tire Italian . language and artistic method with avidity, and,-a} tfic roqncet of her lord, consented to sing in public. As a result, the whole city wont wild with enthusiasm over a new diva, and she received an invitation to become scco r nd chnnteune at La Bcalo. Accepting, she gained such a series of triumphs that her husband was frantic With mingled pride and joy. On tho occasion of her benefit he evinced this spirit by giving a grand supper to the dAotunti of Milan, retirod to his bed in an exalted state of intoxication, and died of apoplexy before morning. Has lady buried him with sincere sorrow, and was hardly conscious of what would be her next step when she deceived an offer of an engagement at the English Royal Italian Opera. Withsubducd joy she took advantage of the opportunity to see once more her native land, apd under her fanciful Italian stage name was soon captivating the musical Londoners by her glorious voice. When her English fiunc was at its height, the Earl of I) , hearing particularly of her beau.. ty, went to the opera to observe for himself. He recognized his ungrateful daughter, and even swelled with paternal pride when showers of bouquets and whirlwinds of applause greeted her at the termination of each act of the ” Flgiin.” A surprising magnanimity took possession of his noble breast. He would reclaim the organ-grinder’s widow; he would raise her to his own sphere again; he would restore liis fatherly favor to the idol of art and the haut ton, and would finally marry her off to some titled noodle. Filled with these generous intentions, he doputed a friend to bear liis card to the dressing-room of the prima donna, and was much her refusal to see him. “ She fears my reproaches,” said he, after due consideration; anti on the morrow caused the same friend as before to bear Ids offer of paternal recognition to the goddess of song. The friend u-fts readily admitted to an audience, and became therefrom astonished for the remainder of hia life. The lady said: ‘‘My father cast me off for marrying the gentlfeman of my choice. lie refused to recognize me in my (lays of poverty and obscurity. Now that lam rich and famous, I refuse; to reeognize him. Lei' qs be strangers to each other.” All further ad : vancos were unavailing, and my lord And his daughter remain strangers, 1