The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-07-13
A Prima DOnna's Revenge,

reer she was subjected to the same an
noyances and struggles that rising
talent generally finds obstructing its
pathway as 1t would race over the
burning sands of life to the haven of
fame and fortune. Nevertheless her
debut in Vienna was most brilliant in
spite of the enormous sea of oppoSi-
ton that greeted her, yet the encour-
aging roar of the lions could not en-
tirely drown the kissing of the snakes
One of the most yenomous of these
was the failing favorite of the public,
but still powerful rival, Amelia Stein
niger, whose vocal octave had been
considerably broken and reduced by
dissipation, but she counted scores of
admirers who were ready to defend
her position by every means, fair or
foul, in their power, and eventually
succeeded in driving the dangerous
rival of their Steininger' from the
field.
Chagrined, if not Inundated, Son
tag left Vienna harboring anything
but friendly feelings toward Amelia
Steininger. Some years later, while
she was in the glory of her triumph
singing with the great tenor, jaeger,
and the neyer-to-be-forgotten Buffo
Spitzeder, at the Royal Theater, Ber-
lin, where her sweet warbling made
her the Cataloni of her day, where
tongues and pens all moved in her
praise, the gardens We're robbed
of all their blossoms and the flor
lists of all their buds and eXotics
to testify to the enthusiastic adj
miration and alteration of the charm
ing songstress, when old men lifted
her into her carriage that her dainty
feet might not be soiled by the
dust of earth, and young men dragged
the conveyance through the streets to
her hotel. Truly she was the Cata-
lOni of her time, only she possessed
what that gypsy warbler did not
beauty and virtue.
One morning during this time, ac-
companied by a number of gallants,
she was riding along one of the main
streets of Berlin; she was attracted by
hearing an Austrian song, familiar from
childhood and home, sung on the street
corner by a little girl about six years
old, who led by the hand forlOrn-
| looking blind woman. 1t was a sad
and touching air, and the happy canta-
| trice Immediately ordered her coupe tC
be halted, called the little singer to her,
and said:
"What is your name, my wee Aus,
trian echo?'
"Nannie," the child replied, with q
strong Vienna accent.
"And who is the woman with you?''
MY poor blind mother, lady"
"And what is her name?'
"Amelia Steininger, Lady,
amelia Steiningern exclaimed
| 'r'lltttS III SSi'tttN1pt Jul III lhoNs
"Ies, lady, my mother was grea
singer in Vienna long ago, but she los
her voice, and then she wept so mucl
that the light went out of her eyes
then our friends turned away from us
and when that was also gone. we wer,
obliged to beg our way or die o
hunger
Tears welled from the kind ant
generous heart of the fortunate woman
as she listened to the pathetic story o
the little one-tears of genuine sym
pathy. She turned to the gallant gen
tlemen who gathered about her lik
satellites around their star.
Gentlemen, said she, the pearlin!
drops of heart dew glistening in he
beautiful eyes, permit me here OF
this public place to take up Il collection
for an unhappy sister from whom Co
has seen fit to take his greatest gift
the gift of sight. Here is my purse
do not allow it to remain companion
less in the hands Of this poor child"
In an instant the gold and silver col
rained upon the overjoyed little girl
who imagined an angel had come t
relieve her mother from poverty an
care.
"Now tell me, Mamie, where do yo
live"
The child gave the address.
"Give your mother my love, and tel
her her old friend Henrictte Sonta
will do herself. the pleasure of huntin
her up this afternoon and having a lit
tie chat with her.
Crying for joy the child ran to he
mother with her good luck, and rt
peated SOntag's words, but she cOul
not understand the violence of the in
petuOuS burst of tears that fell frOI
the blind eyes, to be followed by til
remorseful sobbing Of her who ono
drove this benefactress from her nativ
city with Kisses.
Sontag came according to promise
bringing a skillful oculist, who after a
examination shook his gray head. II
had no relief for the black cataract tina
had up to that time obstinately resiste
skill.
With delicate consideration the cor
versation was led from subjects tina
would recall those days in Vienna
With heartfelt expressions of goOd-wi
Sontag left her former enemy and rival
The following week a rousing beneti
"fOr distressed artist was given
Sontag's Iphigenie filling the house
and also the purse of the blind woman
Until her death Henrietts SOntag care
for her, then her daughter became he
grateful protege and received liberia
education that fitted her for an indie
pendent future. The slumberin
nightingale left many mourning hearts
but none who loved her better OF NOR
gratefully than this girl.-Gartenz0ube
New Caledonia and Its Minera
Treasures.
THE beauty and wealth of New Cal
edonia are as yet little appreciated, ant
probably when they are more general
known the world will have a repetitiol
of Australia's history. l have latel
seen some very interesting letters iron