Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-09-03
MISS ABBOTT.
Letter I'm Her Own Defense-The Diff
cuItIes that Beset a Debu.
tante.
The JeaIOusies and EnvIes OF the OPP
cratic World and the Deceits
of Manager.

Cincinnati Enquirer.I
LONDON, August III am deeply
panied to read the abusive articles which
have recently appeared concerning me.
Had they aimed at my professional rep
utAtiOn alone, should have allowed
them to pa-s unnOticed; but as they at
tack my honor and seek to destroy my
good name, l beg of you to favor me by
publishing the following: 1t is utterly
false that ''since my marriage l have
lived on the bouaty OF my friends," for
the donations toward my musical educa-
ton were made long before my mar
riage, and since that event my husband
has supported me. Instead of my church
friends being Indignant" at my mar
rage, they highly approve it; and the
opinion of the Baroness de Rothschild Is
stated in the following letter:
"PARIs, August 2, 1876.
"My donation to Emma Abbott was
made previous TO her marriage, and sub.
sequently MIR. Wetherell voluntarily
proposed to refuad 1t. 1 approved OF
Miss Abbott's marriage, and my conf.
dence in her integrity and ultimate tri-
umph is mistaken.
"a. DE ROTHSCHILD.
'To DR.; Chaplin and other friends of Emma
MY MARRIAGE.
Mr.. Wetherell, hearing that my ar
duous Studies were seriously injuring my
health, came abroad, urged me to aban-
don public career, to marry him at
once and to return TO America, at the
same time Offering to refund the full
amount which my kind friends had
given me. felt it my duty to continue
my career, but finally we were quietly
married. We advised our NEST init.
mate friends Of our union and intended
to announce it Lublicly as soon as my
debut was over.
MY OPERATE CONTRACT
was impulsively signed, while my hus-
band was in America, and without the
advice Of any one. Mr.. eye engaged
me at handsome salary, but the great
Inducements he offered me were an i'm.
mediate debut, and an opportunity Of
making q reputation at the Royal Ital-
ian opera, COvent Garden.
MY TROUBLES
have arisen from the fact that during
last year Mr.. Gye refused to let nae APP
pear either in opera or concert, refused
repeatedly to release me, and refused to
give me any reasonable cause for so do
log (though be paid me lny salary reeu.
larly). Mr.. Gye ordered me to London
for 1875, but declined to state when /
should appear; and Mr.. Wsthsrell,
fearing that the course pursu ed last year
would be repeated, notified Mr.. Gye that
he was perfectly willing the contract
should stand, provided l was permitted
to sing, otherwise las l was suffering
greatly from suspense and anxiety he
should be compelled to repudiate it.
Thus it will be seen that the question
whether was married or single had
nothing to do with Mr.. Gye's treatment
OF me during 1875; also, that before the
season of 1876, and several weeks previ-
Gus to my debut, Mr.. Gye was formally
notified Of my marriage, and had the
option Of releasing me, or of permitting
me to sing. He chose the latter, and my
debut was made under circumstances
which would have discouraged many an
experienced artistic.
DID FAIL IN OPERA?
The majority of the London pewspa-
pers spoke highly of my performance.
The Hlustrdted London NetOs pro-
nounced it ''the most promising first
appearance they had seen for many
years." and the representatives of the
New York Herald, World, Graphic,
Evening Post, Hartford Coalrdnt and
Chicago Times, all of whom We're pres
ent, reported it as very successful. New
ertheless Mr.. Gye refused me second
operatic appearance, and the public, ig-
norant of the difficulties between my
manager and myself, seeing my name
withdrawn, naturally supposed that it
arose from lack of success, and this &C.
counts for the reports that b ave been cir
culated to that effect. My affairs with
Mr.. Gye at last took such q serious shape
that was forced to seek relief in the
Law courts; but, finding that the litiga-
ton would be long, and as Mr.. Gye still
insisted on holding me, 1 concluded to
accept the only condition on which my
release could be obtained-to withdraw
my suit and relinquish the amount Of
salary then due me (sb0ut fifteen hum
dred dollars, which 1 accordingly did.
A few days after securing my liberty,
sang at the Crystal Palace, and the fol-
lowing letter shows with what result:
"CRYsTAL PALACE, s. E., August 9, 1876.
"DEAR Mics ABBoTT-Your enthusi-
astic reception at Crystal Palace on
Monday last proved that musical Eng
land fully appreciated both the quality
VI JouI iSuai haOiy nne NOiCei anu SOuI
style Of using it. I shall be glad to Sc
cure you during next October, Novem-
Der and December, in case you remain
in London. Please reply by return post.
Yours very truly,
AUGUST MAINS, Musical Director"
Beside the above received from my
noble friend and benefactress, Miss
Clara Louise Kellogg, letter of sympa-
thy and encouragement, offering to Sc
cure me an engagement in her comps-
ny; and to-day have signed an agree
ment with Mr.. Mapleson, OF
HER MAJEsTY's OPERA,
Drury Lsne, on terms more favorable
than those Of my contract for Covent
Garden. This proves Mr.. Naples on's
faith in me, ana causes the action of
Mr. Gye lin paying me eight hundred