The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1872-06-01
EMMA ABBOTT.
A POOR GIRLS STORY.

Some Of the members Of Dr.. Chaplin
church, New York, have, by subscription,
sent young lady member Of the church
to Milan, there to enjoy the teachings Of
European music masters. The young
lady expects 10 return 10 America in two
years, prima donna. Her early struggles
are thus described in 3 late New York
Commercial Advertiser:
Miss Emma A. Abbott was born in Chi.
cage, about twenty years ago. In 1864
her father, then music teacher, took her
to the little city Of Peoria, Illinois. The
little child then took intense delight in
music. She had dreams of singing in
public ut the age Of sig. When they read
to her stories Of actors and singers on the
stage, she thought they meant q coach,
and wondered, with infantile fancy, how
they could throw boquets into stage.
From six to nine, she sang about home,
catching every tune she heard her father
play, and, to the surprise Of everybody, be-
gan herselfto play the guitar. She became
so proficient that At the age Of nine her
father, q very poor man, chained down
with large family Of children, brought
her ont with her brother George At O con.
cert in Peoria. Her debut took SO we'll
that her father, u man Of restless genius,
but shittless and always unfortunate, deci.
cided to tske little Emma on concert tour,
which no did, keeping her thus occasionally
employed with varied fortune until she wss
thirteen years old. At this age she went
. to Mount Pulaski, in company with some
Peoria children. While here they wanted
her to play her guitar and sing, so she 60,
up q concert on her own hook. Though
0 wearing short dresses, she went to the Pu.
2 laski printing office, got out her own bills
!. and then went and posted them around
town. On one of these bills, now before
me, 1t says:
mis-. Abbott will sing The Merry Swiss
n The little thing didn't know what a choru
meant, but it looked nice, and 80 she hat
y them put il on the bill She drew quite ,
: house, took in 81, and sent it home to hel
= mother. After giving concert at Lincolr
y in school house, she came home again anC
. gave guitar lessons to pupils twice as Ole
us herself, ut 20 cents per lesson. She nov
went to school, but her father being to,
Q poor to pay her tuition, the little child wo
d man borrowed the money from friend
, agreeing to pay 1t after she should becom,
" a teacher.
y At fifteen, little Emma succeeded in Sc
0 curing y class.of twenty poor children, VIII
. came to recite ut her mothers house. A
~. the same time she sang in the Hebrew
o Synagogue-a kind old Rabbi, Marx Nose
teaching her to pronounce in Hebrew ant
J.. German.
|. The spring Of her sixteenth birthda,
:, found her father poorer than ever before
and our little woman, to help her mother
u tried to secure u clerkship In u store, bu
y failed. In great distress, she heard Of /,
school nine miles from Peoria, which wa
in need Of q teacher. Thither she went OF
'' foot. through the mud and s!ush. Sh,
found the principal trustee, kind old man
at dinner
"WLat do you want, my little woman p
asked the old farmer, 10 he laid down hi
knife and fork to survey our little hero
inc.
~ live Ia Peoria, sir, and l walked"
"Whati walked, child" interrupted
the old man in establishment. ,
"Yes, sir, and want to teach YOU
school," l.
swell, I declare, my child, there Or,
y fifteen applicants, but you're pretty girl
, and plueky as julius Csesar. Have YOU
; got your certificate 2"
! "No, sir" faitered little Emma.
y well, II you've walked nine mile
. through this mud and slush, you'll do Il
dinner"
Emma commenced the school the ne1
week-won the respect Of the parents and