The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-06-30
Madame NllssOn.R .ROureaud.

Christine Nilsson, says a foreign
writer, does not look rs II she had ever
been n street singer, amenable to the
Migrants Act, and accompanying her.
self with fiddle for the entertainment
OF provincial Swedes. Yet she begun
this life when ten years old, and varied
her fiddle performances by an occasion-
al solo on the flute, which cheek.dis-
torting instrument gave none but pleas:
ant sounds under her touch. One cold
day at nightiall, Count Tornerhjelm, n
uoblemAn with rs much wealth rs kind
ness-rare combinatiOn-heard her war
BILE out her clear childish notes as she
shiverod under the biting wind, having
earned but few coppers that day, times
being bud. He took compassion on
her and caused her to be well educated.
She came out at the 0pera in Stock
holm in 1860, being thea seventeen,
and her voice was admired but she
wanted method, the which her patron
supposed Paris alone could give her;
so he dispatched her there to be finish
cd, regardless OF cost, as a penny pape!s
would put ii, by NJ. Victor Massc and
Herr Wastel. Christine Nilsson was sf
gentle disposition, but little prim,
and with no more sentimentllism than
would till nutshell. She had n curious
way Of arguing, and became early i'm
bued with the business aspects OF the
career she was going to embrace. Her
tirst engagement in 1864 WIS at the
Theatre Lyrique, Of which Madame
Miolan- Carvalho, wife OF the lessee, wis
the star and popular favorite. Madame
Carvalho was Just the opposite Of Chris
tine Nilsson-gracefal, tasteful, play
ful, French all overland she did the
Swedish girl not little good in teach.
ing her by what arts to captiynte that
faHciiul thing, the Parisian public,
which will not give u rush fora voice
that is not warmed up by q soul.
Christine Nilsson's debut was success,
but not such flashing one as PATHS
Ind been. Paris found her notes too
metalic-sometlling like those OF the
silver flute on which she continued to
be proficient, and with which she
would regnlo her NcquaintNnces when
they came to visit her Of n Sunday aud
sip the somewhat yellow tea she pro-
yilled. But she grew upon her public
lust as they grew to like her, md.
thanks to Madame A[iolAn, gradually
learned to die in the Tnviat1" in II
manner to set the audience sniyelling
in their handkerchiefs after the most
approved fashion. She then lived Oh a
third story IN small street close to the
Conservatoire, did her own marketing,
and overhauled the butchers bills with
perspicuity deserving oil honor. Her
hands were cold, her smile amiable, her
talk sensible, and her blue eyes keen.
Frenchmen being e,terprising all the
world over, she received presents, and
love notes along with them. sne Ind
no objection to the presents, II decently
offered, but she burned the love notes
She was very hard Mt driving n bargain,
and had no idea Of singing for nothing.
Once, though, she must have thought
she Ind parted with three whole songs,
anl all in ono night, too, for nothing.
1t was at Madrid. She Ind returned
from the opera, and was in her rsom,
when ladder was planted against hel
balcony, which looked on to garden
and n gentleman with n cloak and mask
clambcred through the open window
followed by second, and so on til
there wero six OF them. Christine
Nilsson, no doubt, thought they had
come for some money, but did not pull
the bell.rope, because there WIS none
She asked them without screaming
what they wanted, and they explained
in very choice Cnstilian that, being tot
destitute to pay for admittance to the
opera at the increased rate of prices
they had cone 10 hear the songs il
which they were informed she excclled
Farley proving bootleSS, there wal
nothing for it but to sing, nnd she dit
sing right well. The CaStilinns bowet
to the ground, and assured her, ms the,
retreated through the way they had ar
rived, that they had spent half IN hou
in Paradise. But when they had vLsish
ed, they and their ladder, she ionnl
they had left q diamond bracelet, wort
a thousand guineas, which ptve her I,
wonder in all probability why they la,
not introduced themselves through til
door, as no six men with o bracele
need be ashamed to do.