Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-05-23
Romance CT g. Street Singer.

One of the most interesting events in
the musical world was brought to light
in London, Eng, some time since, is re-
gard to the fate, fortitude and final for
tune ola contatrice, rs will be found by
reading the following narration by a
contributor to Once q Week:
"Some time ago mysterious para
graph went tn round Of the press, to
the effect that Young and beautiful wo-
man made her appearance every night
at ten o'clock, III one Of the west end
squares, and that alter a superb vocal
display she disappeared no one knew
how or where, exactly as the clock
struck eleven. Scme Of the papers pro-
fessed to give special and exclusive par
ticulars Of this anonymous nightingale,
rs she was termed, anu went SO far as to
hint broadly that she was a celebrated
vocalist married to penniless lord, who
took this mode of enlarging an in uficieut
income. OF course this piece Of family
history proved TO be an invention.
had the good fortune to hear her once
III Berkly Square. Seeing large crowd
waiting in an expectant attitude just
where a fashionable hotel is located,
inquired the cause, and was told that
the mysterious vocalist, the nightingale,
was about to show herself. As the clock
struck ten, lady dressed in deep
mourning, and having the upper part OF
her face concealed by thick veil, glided
forward and took her place in the center
OF space purposely kept clear for her.
| decided, from noticing the beautiful
formation of the mouth and chin, and
finely rounded fair throat, that she must
be both young and more than commonly
attractive. She was accompanied by Il
little boy, also in deep monrning, who
carried an open reticule. Without de
lay, the nightingale commenced bal
lad, and sang with such surprising taste
and feeling as to hold the miscellaneous
crowd ill mute and wraEt attention. The
song was followed by several favorite
scenes from popular operas, all exhib-
iting the talent and culture of an accom-
plshed artist. A collection was made !;
few gave coppers-all who could afford
it gave silver. The little boy sent in
his bag to the hotel, the balcony Of
which was crowded with visitors, and
it was returned apparently heavy with
precious coin. The sum total must have
been considerable, and this l was inform
ed was the usual reward of the hours
work. When IL struck, the unknown
stopped her song, made sligth courtesy
and threaded her way quickly through
the crowd. Her real history, l after
wards learned, was a pitiful one. She
was the daughter of q celebrated teacher
of music, and had been educated for the
stage she married, against the wishes
Of her parents, clerk in Il post Office,
who being detected in the then unpar-
donabe sin of uttcring forged bank
note, was tried, convicted and hanged.
With three little helpless infants and no
means of earning sufli cient income, the
bereaved young wife adopted the plan
of making her fine voice and scientific
attainments furnish the means of subsis-
tance. The close Of this story is more
hopeful. Her beauty, misfortunes and
accomplishments attracted the attention
of a clergyman in one of the eastern
counties. He married her, and she dis
appeared from public view
G.. w. Curtis, in Harper's Weekly