Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-12


Bhe is more Parisian than Schneider.
She draws like graHtstion yet | question
if sheWocld command audiences outside
Of France. She would hardly be appre
ciated or understood BY foreigners Her
real name is Emma Valadon, and she
came here from the department Of Eure
ct Loire. which sis called the granary oI
the capital. She is not pretty, nor does
she imagine herself to be; therefore, she
frankly tells her age She was born
April IS, 1889, which makes her nearly
thirty-six, or FIVE years the junior OF the
Queen Of the Boufes She has been in
the capital since 1864 and she ia moro
srtistically captivating (mysterious as
this isl than she was when she 6rst
flashed into reputation.
On her arrival she had no idea Of being
a professional singer, though she had
sang all her life She went into shop,
and was glad to earn sixty francs a
month. Good natured, except wher
crossed, and disposed to accommodate,
she soon became popular While she wal
at work she caroled in her peculiar way
aud was surprised to see that the other
girls, and even the men OF the establish.
ment. stopped to listen to her; that some-
times she brought tears to their eyes.
" Who taught you to singY' inquired
her employer, after a while.
Nobody; / have always sung. II
does no harm, does it2
" | like it exceedingly, but when you
sing nobody works. Your voice will
bring you far more money than you can
earn here.5
She then asked several critics to listen
to her, and they declared that they had
heard nothing like the strange melody
she uttered. She was finally engaged Of
the III Dorado, cafe chsntant, and in a
few weeks the place would not contain
the throng. Persons who had mover
gone before the wealthy the dstin.
guished, the learned, the titled. They
we're chsrmed-why, they could not tell.
They must have her in the salons, and
they did; for two three winters she gave
entertainments iH the most fashonabl
circles, amid rspturous applause. She
became the fashion. Xeuillot added TO
her fame By attempting to snalyge her
power and influence in q series OF papers
entitled "0deurs de Paris" Everybody
was resolved to hear the wonderful
TheFess,
She was engaged 10 the thesters. Paris
raved over her When she sang the ex-
chequer spoke for her in manyrouleaux
of Nspoleons. She caused the major
part Of the immense success Of "Ls
Chatte, in 1869; and that had longer
run than any performance given in the
city. For any manager to engage her
now Is to be sure Of success. She rises
in value every season, She in worth at
this moment 5000 francs week, and
her fortune is estimated at 100000
francs ($200,000) She is reported 10 be
remarkably virtuous. for 3 Parisian
actress. She has but one loyss at time,
and she has had only one fol- four years
What msrYell Not strange she draws.
She can dance the can.c can in man
ner that would make priests cross them
selves aud say a dozen aves. When she
is on the point Of disgusting, she can
excite a wonderful psthoS ! remember
when | irst heard her | exclaimed, "Ths
sbominsble huzzyl and the next mo-
ment there was mist in my eye,
She is force, brutality, bounding blood,
the temptation 10 anarchy, with the ten
derness, behind It all, Of universal sor-
row. Hers is the leap Of the tigress and
thefoudiing Of the cubs She symbolses
the rseking guillotins Of 'sS, and lachry-
nose emotion at sight Of the broken
wing Of wounded spsrroW.