Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-02-23

/ HER ROMANTIC HISToRY-A STRANGE
STORY.
New YORK. February 10, 1872.
America has thus far produced such a
small number Of superior singers that
tie prospect OF addl g another to the
list is matter of general interest. With
out deprecatng the talent of Miss Kel-
logg, Adelaide Phillips or Mrs. Moulton
it must be admitted that there is ample
room for more vocalists of first-class tai
ent. A new aspirant or musical honors
has lately appeared in New York, of
whom such praise is spoken, and such
high hopes entertained by competent
! Judges. as to render detailed sketch of
her history and qualifications appropri-
| ate.
Miss Emma Abbott, thesoprano of the
choir in DR.. hapin's church, is the sing
er in question. Though only 22years of
age, her life his been almost romance,
owing to her long and strangely inciden-
tai struggle to obtain recognition Of her
genius. She has been to some extent a
protege of Miss Kellogg, while Parepa
Rosa, Adelaide Phillips and Nilsson have
acknowledged her great vocal abilities.
She is just now preparing 20 go to Eu-
rope to study for the operate stage, and
a short time since she had the most bril-
liant offer ever made to a young singer
in this country. A gentleman of mea ns
volunteered to give her S100,000 and ex-
penses for FIVE years of her services. pro-
vided she would go before the public al
once, but as Miss Abbott's wish is to OBJ
tain a thorough training first, she de-
clined the offer, and is going abroad in
stead, her expenses being paid by the
voluntary contributions of her friends
and admirers. Miss Abbott is native
of Wisconsin, and one of large family
10 very humble circumstances in small
country town. Her father was a music
teacher, and two of her brothers showed
some musical talent, but nothing above
mediocrity. Emma was precocious, and
aim st from infancy had love Of mu.
sic and desire to sing. In her fourth
year she obtained picture of Jenny
Lind, who at once became her idol. Al
later period she read Barnums Auto
biography, and had her imagination fir.
ID by the account therein of the tri-
umphs of the Swedish Nightingale
When only nine years of age she took
part in concert with her brothers il
public, and rapidly developed quite ma
ture vocal powers Her family, how.
ever, failed to recognize her talent, but
gave her all the schooling within iheiI
small means Her father seemed born
to ill-luck, and the family were often IN
distress. Urged by pressing necessity
Emma determined to try and earn some
money by her talents, and at the age o
| u
she sang number of songs, to the ac
compartment of a guitar, and made
quite little sum by the entertainment
T Emboldened by this success, she set ou
5 by herself and visited all the towns ad
joining the place where the family wer,
: then living in Illinois, giving concerts
: each one of them. Some proved sue
cessful, while others failed utterly, ant
she often had trouble to pay the neces
sary expenses of printing, advertising
etc. 1t seems incredible how such
mere child could have got along as sb
did. On arriving at a strange place
she would go to the principal hotel, oh
e tain permission to use the parlors,
t school or some neighboring church fo
her performance, and then 60 about f
the newspaper offices, or other gathering
! places, distribute circulars, and arrang
!, in other ways to advertise herself Some
. times she would have full house, ant
J, y go on her way rejoicing; at others th
. audience would be slim, and the proceed
7 barely enough to pay her bills and rail
IF way fare to the next town. Her plucl
and perseverance, however, carried he
through, and she trsversed the whole o
Illinois, Michigan, and parts of Iowa
R. Minnesota, Indiana and Canada, in thi
E way before she was Is years of age
" Twice she was connected with small cor
We cert troupes. but she preferred to trave
alone in spite of the risk. She studie