The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-09-06
THE DAILY DISPATCH
wEONEsDAY MORNING. sEPTENsEa 6 isss

THE DAILY USFA ICn
wEDNEsDAT MORNING, sEPTEMBER 6 iss4.
EA1D TINEs AND SOFT PEoPLE-0RIsl AND
MAalo-rHE MYsTERioos ENGLISH wo-
MAN.
We published yesterday an account Of the
auction sale Of tickets for the first night OF
Grisi and Mario in New York. The details OF
this most exciting contest occupy two CO.
lumus and = half of the New York Herald
and the whole amount realized for . single
operate performance, was $4,000, showing
that the times in N. York are getting awful,
and reminding one of "Nero fiddling while
Rome was burning In order to prove that
a little humbug is essential even to the sue
cess of real genius, we find a mysterious
stranger, by the name Of Coutts, bidding
$3.50 for the first seat, which he was SO fortu-
nate as to obtain. A voice thereupon ex.
claimed, who is Mr.. Coutts1'' to which
query the auctioneer not answering satisfac
torily, the Herald responds that Mr.. Coutts
is, in point of fact, woman, an English Ia
dy Of great wealth, who has fallen in love
with Mario, the husband Of Grisi, and "per-
sists In following him wherever he goes, al
though he has frequently denied her an inter
view. While in London she never was alb,
sent night during bis engagement, and al
ways occupied the most conspicuous place in
front of the stage. When he went to st. Pc
tersburg, she followed him, and on his ap-
IF ha fret
saw among the brilliant audience of the Rus
sian capital, was his constant and ardent ad
mirer. In her devotion to him, she crossed
ocean and continents, and although he has
always sighted her attentions and refused to
listen to hor addresses, her lOve-if love it
can be called-has never grown cold, but APP
pears to increase with time. AS soon as she
heard of his intention to visit this country,
she kept vigilant watch on his movements,
till she found that he was coming in the Bal
board that vessel, and accompanied him to
this country. On their arrival, Mario and
Grisi put up at the st. Nicholas, and SO did
Mr. Coutts; and now, at the first auction of
tickets, we find him I'VE beg the lady's par
don-her) giving two hundred and fifty dol
lars for the first seat"
Having delivered itself of this famous
yarn, the Herald ask, "Where is Genin!"-
1t might, with more propriety, ask, Where
is Barnum? If that worthy does not proceed
forthwith to astonish the world with some
new feat of genius, his reputation will be-
come as musty as the bones of Joyce Heth.
When he had charge of Jenny Lind, what
fable did he invent to increase the attractions
of the musical Swede, at all to be compared
with this device ofthe wealthy English lady,
who so kindly makes high bids at Crisis auc-
ton tickets, yet never bids high enough to
purchase Marios memorable soul? What
hard hearted Joseph! 1t is astonishing that
Madame Grisi, with husband so sought af-
ter, so followed over the world by a wealthy
English woman, should not free herself from
the annoyance by the very obvious method
of recommending the case of Coutts to the
authorities of Bedam.
That devoted English woman is first-rate
idea The men will rush to see Grisi, the
women to see Mario, and all the lovers of the
mysterious, under which class about the
whole human species is comprised, to see
Miss Coutts We should like to know whe-
ther Miss Coutts was the conception of Ma
mayer Hackett, or whether the personation
Of that character is of older date. Is there
any Irish gentleman, first cousin perchance
tn Sionorina DOnivanni whose nrofession II
is to die of broken heart for sweet Mario,
and to pursue the retreating footsteps of the
tenor, with love transcending that of Ophe
liza for Hamlet love only requited by the
rude rebuff, go to nunnery. Where's
your father?"
In view of the immense sum realized by
the first sale of tickets, the New York Herald
asks, "Who says we do not know how to pa
tronise music, after that" No one says so, of
course; no one will dare to say so. Have you
not pure based your reputation and paid for
it! Certainly. Whether one in five hundred
of you understand the first principles of the
music you are "patronising," or have &C.
quired the simplest rudiments of common
sense, are different questions. Our private
opinion is, that if the high notes of Grisi re-
ssmbled railroad whistle, and Mario cater
wauled like an amatory Grimalkin, ninety
nine out of every hundred present would
clap their white kids and swear it was 'dem'd
toyne." Great is fashion, and irresistible is
humbug