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and that her character was spotless. She
lived in a small, cheap lodging, in the Anton
Brras.se, and an old woman, who passed
for her aunt, resided with her, and al
ways accompanied her wherever she
went. With that one exception, she seem
ed to have neither relatives nor friends.
Bhe was always singularly punctual and
correct in the performance of her thea
trical duties, but she mixed as little as
possible with the other members of the
corps de ballet , or even with the singers
of the opera troupe. Thus, she was
generally voted proud and disagreeable
by premieres, coryphees and prima
donnas alike, and she was left unmolested
in her self-chosen loneliness.
1 obtained an introduction to her at
last, and found, for my pains, that my
fair Flame-queen was, in real lite, a ver
itable icicle. She exacted from me, as
from the rest of her acquaintance, a re
spect and courtesy seldom accorded to the
ladies of the ballet; compliments and
badinage seemed alike distasteful to her;
and ere our first interview ended, she bad
repelled my attempts at both with such
sharpness of repartee, yet with such ex
quisite grace and archness, that i was at
once silenced and fascinated.
However, our acquaintance was kept
up, and on her part slowly ripened into
friendship. She appeared to take some
pleasure in my society, at length; and
many happy hours have I passed in the
little apartments in the Anton Strassc.
seated by Ida’s side, and watching the
graceful dexterity with which she lash
ioned her gossamer stage attire, while old
Martha sat at the window, nodding over
her prayer-book, or sewing at some piece
of theatrical finery. On these occasions
I used, sometimes, to sing to her; and
never since have I so striven, as baust,
Florestan, or Raoul, to delight a brilliant
audience, as I then strove to sing ballads
and popular songs, in a manner that
would satisfy my laughing and exacting
hearer.
I am ashamed to tell you, my friends,
bow short a time our acquaintance had
lasted when I asked her to become my
wife. Kindly, yet without hesitation, she
refused me. \
“1 do not love you,” was her answer;
“and I can never love you. Let us re
main friends, Theodore, and never let us
mention this subject again.”
“ Listen to me yet one moment, Ida,”
I said, earnestly. “Your lif3 is a labori
ous one, and your position painful. I
am not wealthy, but my salary is good,
and should 1 return my voice, there is no
eminence in my profession to which 1
may not aspire. Let my love plead with
you, and induce you to accept ease and
luxury at my hands. Quit this life of
toil, of exposure, of insult; give me only
a husband’s right to protect and cherish
you, and such passionate devotion as mine
will surely win return at last.”
She laughed low and scornfully, and
there was a mocking ring in the tones in
which she replied, “What! become the
wile of an opera-singer, for the purpose
of leading an easier life ? Truly, I am
ambitious, but my aspirations tend some
what higher. And, as for love —I have
never loved any one in all my life.”
We parted in auger, and I ceased to
visit her; but 1 could not so cease
loving her. Nay, alter the lapse of all
these years, as I speak of her, 1 feel that
I love her still.
Towards the close of my engagement,
the management decided on producing
“Hubert le Liable.” I was to be the
Robert, and 1 half hoped that Ida would
be selected to perform the part of the
spectral abbess, Helena. But the role
belonged by right to the primiere
danseuse of the corps de ballet , an ex
tremely thin but highly accomplished
dancer, named Teresa Cortesi. It was
with her that I rehearsed the church-yard
scene, and learned how to perform the
difficult task of receiving and supporting
her properly in the necessary poses. The
first representation passed off extremely
well, the opera was an immense success,
and the theatre was crowded nightly.
One evening, as I descended from my
dressing-room, I was met by the mana
ger, who, in a tone of great excitement,
exclaimed—
“ What, in the name of J upiter, arc we
to do? Mile. Cortesi has just fallen, in
c uning from her dressing-room, and has
fractured her arm.”
“ Substitute another opera,” I dig
ested.
“ That would never do. The house is
e owded, and the audience have assem
bled to hear ‘Robert,’ and ‘Robert’ they
mu st have.”
“ Well, then, omit the act, or find some
danseuse who can take the part,” 1 re
joined, impatiently.
“ The part was studied by another
danseuse, but—”
At this moment a messenger arrived
bearing a small note, which lie presented
to the perplexed manager, who opened
it eagerly. Instantly his brow cleared.
“It is all right,” he cried ; “ another
Helena is found. Let the opera pro
ceed, and hurry, all of you, for the and
ienee is beginning to grow impatient.”
The opera passed off’ as usual, and at
length the moment arrived when Robert
is surrounded by the spectral nuns.—
Imagine my surprise when I recognized
in the representative of the abbess Ida
Rosen herself. She was wondrously
beautiful in her white dress and spark
ling wreath, her fair face unprofaned by
rouge, and her perfect form displayed to
unusual advantage by the simplicity and
freshness of her airy dress.
Can I describe to you the witchery of
her smile, the intoxicating sorcery of her
acting ? She seemed, indeed, an evil
vision of supernatural loveliness, sent on
earth to lure some poor tortured mortal
to sacrilege and crime. It was well for
me that Robert has not to utter a sound
during this scene; for I was incapable of
doing mere than to follow her every
movement with a rapt attention which
certainly was not feigned.
[to be continued.]
[From the Pacificator.]
Why the Robin’s Breast is Red.
BY JAMES 11. RANDALL.
The Saviour bowed beneath his cross,
Cloinb up the dreary hill,
Aud from the agonizing wreath
Kan many a crimson rill.
The brawny Roman thrust him on
With unrelenting hand—
’Till, staggering slowly ’mid the crowd,
He fell upon the sand.
A little bird that warbled near,
That immemorial day,
Flitted around and strove to wrench
One single thorn away;
The cruel spike impaled his breast,
And thus, ’tis sweetly said,
The Robin has his silver vest
Incarnadined with red.
And Jcsu ! Jesu! Son of Man!
My dolour and my sighs
Reveal the lesson taught by this
Winged Ishmael of the skies.
I, in the palace of delight,
Or caverns of despair,
Have plucked no thorns from thy dear brow,
But planted thousands there !
4fjomou
IRELAND.
Wc learn from the Belfast Weekly
Observer , of January 2d, that George
Cole Baker, Esq., J. P., of Ballydavid
Wood, Tipperary, was shot dead within a
few yards of his house. The cause assigned
is the serving of ejectment processes by
Baker.
The Cork. Examiner of December 30th
learns on inquiry at Mr. Carlton’s resi
dence last evening, that his condition has
not become worse, and that there are some
hopes of his ultimate recovery.
The Northern Express announces 1 lie
death of the talented tragedian, Mr. John
Pritchard. He died of fever, on Thurs
day, at his residence, Nursery College,
Newcastle, at the age of 40.
The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
has passed a resolution, condemning the
members of the brotherhood who voted
at the last election for candidates pledged
to disestablish the Irish Church, and di
recting their expulsion from the institu
tion.
The Cork Examiner of Dec. 30th,
says: The report that the ship Starry
Banner had foundered at sea, with a hun
dred and twenty-two persons on board, is
believed at Lloyds to be a mischievous
hoax. Nothing has been heard of the
forty-five survivors said to have been
landed in France.
The gales on the English coast, and
on land, for the past few days, have been
most destructive. Numerous shipping
casualties are reported, and in several
towns serious disasters are reported. At
Rochdale, a school-house, in which four
hundred persons were assembled, was
blown down by the gale on Saturday.
Many of the inmates were severely in
jured, but fortunately no fatal accident
occurred,
The Irish Times says that William
Carleton, the novelist, is now completely
prostrated by the disease from which he
has been suffering for some years.
Sir Peter Tait, D. L., has sent a check
for £IOO, to be distributed amongst the
poor of Limerick, irrespective of creed.
The check has been enclosed to Mr. L.
Kelly.
A petition was lodged on December
18th, against the return of Mr. Deve
reux, M. I\, for Wexford, on legal
grounds, against the validity of the elec
tion.
A petition has been presented by Mr.
John Stainforth against the return of
John James Ennis for the borough of
Athlone. The petitioner was a candi
date, and the election was held on the
17 th November.
Mother Anna Maria, daughter of Jas.
Carroll, Esq., of Balingaddy, Kilmallock,
recently died in St. Mary’s Convent,
Bruifi, at the early age of twenty-five
years, seven of which were spent in that
Convent.
The supremacy of the Roscommon
sheep was well maintained at the recent
Dublin Cattle Show, when the first prize,
£5, for loDg-wooled sheep, was awarded
to Mr. Wm. Cotton, and the secoud prize,
£2, in same class, to his son, Mr. Cox
Cotton.
The Skibbereen correspondent of the
Cork Herald , under date of Dec. 15, says:
Mr. C. D. O’Sullivan, of California, has
forwarded a check of £2O to his friend,
Mr. McCartie, of this town, for the pur
pose of being distributed amongst the
poor of Skibbercen at the approaching
holidays.
A petition has been lodged against the
return to Parliament of John Henry \ is
count Crichton, for the borough of Ennis
killen. The petitioners are George Kit
son and Thomas Johnstone, both electors
for the borough of-Enniskillen. The pe
tition charges bribery and corruption.
On the 16th ult, Right Rev. Dr. Mori
arty, Bishop of Kerry, consecrated the
new Roman Catholic Church at the Tra
lee Workhouse. His lordship was assist
ed during the ceremony by the Very Rev.
Dean Mavve, P.P,
While recently out walking with Lord
Castlerossc, iti his demesne, the Catholic
Bishop of Kerry was very near being pre
cipitated into the river Dinagh, by the
breaking of a hand-railing of a bridge
against which he was leaning. But that
Lord Castlerosse seized him, he would
have been immersed in the waters be
neath.
A petition has been lodged against the
Parliamentary return of Viscount St.
Lawrence and Sir It. Blenncrhassett for
borough of Galway. The petitioner is
Mr. McGovern, solicitor, and in addition
to the ordinary grounds, priestly intimi
dation is added as a reason against ihe
return of the declared sitting members.
A petition has been lodged against the
return to Parliament of Mr. MacClure
from the borough of Belfast The peti
tioners arc James M’Ticr, of No. 8 Old
Park Road, and Charles Murray Arun
dell, of 21 North Street, Belfast. The
petitioners were voters at the recent elec
tion, and in their petition they charge
bribery and corruption.
An Irish paper, noticing certain fea
tures of the recent Army Medical Report,
mentions that Ireland sends two recruits
to the army for every seven Englishmen.
Dublin ranks next to London as a suc
cessful recruiting ground, Liverpool fol
lowing close after. The largest propor
tion of rejections for deficient physique
took place at Belfast.
The Mayo Examiner says : Father
Ronaviie, the officiating clergyman at
twelve o’clock Mass on Sunday, Dec. 13,
drew attention to the petition which
would be submitted for signature, pray
ing the Government to release the politi
cal prisoners. It is unnecessary to say
that the petition received the willing
signatures of the entire congregation.
The Right Hon. Thos. O’Hagan was
sworn in on the 18th before the Right
Hon. Abraham Brewster as Lord Chan
cellor of Ireland in the Four Courts.
The Rev. Hugh McFadden died at his
residence, Glena, Falcarragh, on Friday,
the 11th December, at the age of 73
years.
It was with deep and marked regret
the announcement of the demise of Dan.
Molony, Esq., Solicitor, was received at
Thurlcs, at Kingstown on the 14th, and
was fully evinced by the expressions of
sorrow that might be beard in every
mouth, and by the business people
closing their establishments.
A Naas correspondent, alluding to the
mildness of the season, says : Mr. W.
S. Gray, of Naas, has some ripe strawber
ries at present growing in open air in his
garden. The same stools bore fruit last
Summer, and also in December last, and
are a class particularly well suited for
forcing, as the fruit is large and well
flavored.
The pending trial of the Limerick
election petitions continues to absorb
public attention. A number of citizens,
including several Catholic clergymen,
have been already summoned at the in
stance of the petitioners or their agents,
to give evidence in the case, and handbills
are being freely circulated warning all
who may have been bribed, either by
offer or by acceptance, to come forward
and state all they know.
It was announced Sunday, December
27th. in the several Catholic Churches of
Limerick that the petitions to Govern
ment, praying tor the release of the Irish
political prisoners, would be prepared and
iaid at the Chapel doors for signature on
Sunday next, and the congregations were
invited to subscribe their names exten
sively to the documents.
During the rejoicings at Cong, for the
return of George H. Moore, a party of
young girls formed into regular marching
order (four deep) and paraded the town
several times, singing national songs, and
giving other proofs ot their being true
Irishwomen. When passing by the police
barrack, three hearty groans were given
for the present “executive” stationed
there.
Tiie death of Thomas Kemrnis, Esq.,
who held the lucrative office of Secretary
to the Treasury, occurred shortly before
4 o'clock, on the 18th, at his residence,
Kildare street. Mr. Kemrnis was for
several years Crown Solicitor for the
Leinster Circuit. Within the last tew
months, he resigned that office, and was
appointed Crown and Treasurer Solicitor
for Ireland, which becomes vacant by his
death.
The amount of duty paid at the Belfast
Customs house for the week ending Dec.
12th, was £16,622 15s. Bd., against
£17,555 14s. ( .)d. the previous week, and
£19,757 7s. 6d. same time last year.
The number of pounds of tea entered
for consumption at Belfast, for the week
ending Dec. 12th, was 63,564 lbs. against
62,856 lbs. the previous week, making
a total of 3,122,480 lbs., since Ist Janu
ary, against 3,338,634 lbs. same time last
year.
The Examiner , of the 19th ult., says :
A hasty line in our impression of yester
day, announced the death of Rev. T. Mur
phy, P.P., Ballinhassig. He was for forty
three years a Missionary Priest; of these
twenty years was spent as Parish Priest’
During that long period, he never awa
kened an enmity: while, on the other
hand, he aroused for himself the warmest
feelings of gratitude and affection.
In the County Meath, a landlord named
Rotheram, who was about to serve no
tices of eviction upon a number of his
tenants, under very unjust eircmstances,
was returning home in his carriage with
his wife, when he was fired upon from
behind a hedge. Unhappily, one of the
balls struck Mrs Rotheram in the fore
head between the eyes, inflicting a dan
gerous but not fatal wound. Mr. Iloth-
cram escaped uninjured.
A Justice of the Peace at Charleville
named Thomas Sanders, having heard
that Very Rev. Dr. Croke, P.P., aged
eighty-five years, was going to celebrate
Mass f«r the Manchester Martyrs—Alien,
Larkin and O’Brien—addressed him an
insulting note, by a policeman, at the
hour of midnight, stating, in effect, that
if ihe report was true, he “would find it
necessary to take steps lest it assume an
illegal character.” The answer of the
Priest was: that “he would celebrate Mass
for the souls of all who died in commu
nion with the Catholic Church, in defi
ance of you or any other paid or unpaid
functionary or authority in the land.”
The Mass was celebrated and the Magis
trate did not interfere.
The Munster News states that more
than £9OO have been collected by the
Catholics of Fermoy towards the fund
being raised for the purpose of com
pleting the steeple of the handsome Ro
man Catholic Cathedral, and second in
the published lists stands the name of a
Protestant, Sir G. J. Abercrombie, Bart.,
a popular landlord, and one who owns
more than half the town, coupled with
the munificent donation of £IOO.
A petilion was presented to the Com
mon Pleas, on December 12, against the
return of Messrs. Gavin and Russell for
the city of Limerick. The petitioners
are Daniel Ryan, of Chapel street, butter
merchant; M’Knight, of Sexton street,
butter merchant; Matthew Brennan, of
Patrick street, grocer; Robert Stackpole,
of Loch-quay, accountant; Thomas Mc-
Nemara, of Thomas street, gas-fitter;
and Denis Grimes, of William street, shop
keeper, ail of the city of Limerick.
On Saturday, Dec. 19, a preliminary
meeting was held in the school-room at
tached to the Presbyterian Church, May
street, Belfast, to take steps for the erec
tion of a memorial to the late Rev. Dr.
Cooke. The Mayor elect (Frederick H.
Lewis, Esq ) presided. A good deal of
discussion ensued as to the form the me
morial ought to take, some advocating a
Presbyterian Hall, and others a statue.
Ultimately, a committee was appointed
to consider the matter, aud the meeting
was adjourned.
The Fermanagh Mail says: La>t year
Sir J. Emerson Teunent caused the walls
and the tower of the Parish Church of
Tempo, to be embellished by covering
them with ivy, planted on all sides. The
effect gave so much satisfaction that, this
year, Sir Emerson had the other places
of worship iu the village, the Presbyte
rian Meeting House and the Roman Cath
olic Chapel, ornamented in the same
way, much to the gratification of their
respective clergy and congregations.
But not so the Protestant congregation
of the Church; for, on finding what had
been done for the chapel and the meet
ing house, they’ stripped the ivy off the
walls, tore it up by the roots, and iiung
it out of the churchyard.
The funeral of the Rev. L)r. Cooke, on
Friday, tLe 18th, is said to have been
the largest which has ever taken place in
Belfast. There was a great public pro
cession which was nearly two miles' in
length. Ail the public boards and insti
tutions of the town were represented, aud
all denominations of the people. Tin
pall-bearers included the Mayor of Belfast
the Lord Primate, the Bishops of Down
and Connor, Thomas M’Clure, M.P. ; \y
Johnston, M.P.; Edward O’Neil, M.p
In the streets through which the funeral
passed the shops were closed and busi
ness was suspended.
The Northern Whig, a Belfast paner
of which town both Judge O’Hagan and
Lord ex-Chancellor Cairns are natives
observes: “ The new Lord Chancellor ot
Ireland is known to be one of the mov
able, accomplished, upright, amiable of
those who have occupied the Irish judi
cial bench. He has not—he could not
have a personal enemy. No man is
more generally popular. If a Catholic
was to be elevated to the Irish Chancel
lorship, Judge O’Hagan was the very
man for the high office.”
A party of men, numbering about two
hundred, visited the house of a man
named Charles Diamond, residing at
Drumderg, near Drapcrstown, a few nights
since, at the hour of midnight. In Di a .
months house a man named Bra Hey
teaches a school, and it appears that bath
have made themselves obnoxious to the
people of the neighborhood by what they
consider undue interference in some local
affairs, and their mode of showing their
dissatisfaction, as evinced on this occa
sion, is rather of a novel character. They
first secured Diamond by locking him up
in his own stable, and then proceeded to
remove all the school-room furniture,
books, &e., to Bradley’s own house, a
distance of about a mile, where they were
left the whole night outside exposed to
the weather on a very wet night, and were
of course much in j ured. They also posted
on the door of the .school room when leav
ing a threatening notice addressed to
Bradley and Diamond, warning them to
cease all further interference in the mat
ters in question. —Northern Wins, Dee.
19.
In County Galway, near Shannon
Bridge, there is an estate owned by
Archdeacon Butson, a pillar of the Estab
lished Church. On the estate is some
land which the present tenants themselves
reclaimed from a bog. at their own ex
pense, with the understanding that they
should occupy it rent free. Some time
ago the venerable Archdeacon informed
the tenants that they should pay thirty
shillings an acre for this land, and also
that he should raise the le it of some
other lands they occupied from 3Gs. to
oos. an acre. They refused to submit to
this imposition, and an attempt had been
made to serve notices of ejectment upon
them, which had been successfully resist
ed. Archdeacon Butson’s bailiff then ap
plied to the authorities for the aid of a
detachment of police to enable him to
serve the notices. A body of ninety con
stables was sent to the place, and arriving
at the estate the bailiff went towards the
houses of the tenants and their friends,
and were assailed with clubs, stones, and
a compound of filth and lime which the
women had prepared, and which they
used very freely. The bailiff was knock
ed down, and the head-constable was so
well pounded that he was placed hors de
combat very quickly. But the reserve
were now called up and they fought their
way to the houses, nailed the notices of
ejectment on the doors, and then Rat a
retreat, carrying the wounded with
them.
FRANCE AND ROME.
Rome, Dec. 18. — I am now in posses
sion of authentic information as to the
propositions made by the Marquis de
Bonneville to Cardinal Antonelli for the
augmentation of the French corps ot oc
cupation. The Ambassador inquired
whether his Holiness was willing ro re
ceive French garrisons in Yclletri and
Frosinone, and to allow another division
to occupy the Eternal City. The Cardi
nal replied that the Pope would be con
tent to see the French at Yelletri and
Frosinone,.as well as Civita Vecchia, but
that he only wished them to enter Home
in the gravest eventuality. The Am
bassador then requested that the Pontifi
cal troops might be placed under the
orders of the commander of the trench
army of observation, and this proposal
also was declined, the Cardinal urging
that the Pontifical Government could
not adopt such a measure without sur
rendering its independence But t
. Marquis de Banueville, far fron bom
daunted, considers the Cardinal’s tone an
encouragement to renew *the proposition;
and official circles admit that it a v ; ai
broke out, the Pope would allow hi
troops to be employed as an auxiuai;
force against Italy. It may be in connec
tion with this design that the Ircneu
Ambassador has held a long conießiy'
with Francis 11, of Naples. Meanwui e
General Dumont is very busy in * 11 ’
and General Ravel has review and
French troops at Civita "V eceli.a,
distributed Pontifical decorations aili ng
the officers.
No success nas attended the neg