Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-08
PITY PATTI.
The Low Estate 20 which the Can.
tAtrIce Has Fallen.


tatrIce Has Fallen.
Patti, says a sympathetic French
chronicler, is now a drowning wo-
man, whose face only is seen float
ing on the water. How changed
from May, 1869, when the Marquiso
de Caux, just returned from st.
Petersburg and Vienna, began her
famous Sunday soirees at her man
sion, No 154 Champs Elysees,
where she was the hostess of all
that was high-born and all that was
celebrated in Paris. Her husbands
sisters, says the writer, did the
hOnors with her-the Countess de
Reculot and the Princess de Ginetti.
The Princess of Wales was there in
delicious toilet of pink faille and
natural roses so was the Prince
Poniatowski, who has since died |
without the happiness Of seeing the
diva appear in one of his operas so
was the fantastical Princess Meter
nich, with her unique pearls and !
her Simian but fascinating ways,
coouetling with the tall, we'll
Iimbed, dull Russian Grand Duke
Vladimir; SO was Auber. now at
rest; go was the Comte dOsmond,
who now gives the most disreputa-
bic balls in Paris; so was AlbOni.
In short, it was all exceptionable fes-
tiyal, which attracted all the gilt
teriug people Of the last days Of the
empire.
Now all is changed. Even her
faithful satellite, Loulou," has
left her; Louise Lamo, merchants
daughter, who, becoming infatuated
with Patti, renounced home and
the hope of marriage, and devoted
herself, body and soul, to her SER
vice, experimenting everything
her house, her dressing-KOom, her
travels and her toilet PATHS most
devoted worshiper of the other sex
was Cottrau, a Neapolitan, the most
considerable music publisher Of
Italy next to Ricordi, of Milan,
whose constant struggle with his
eye-glass is legendary in Paris, the
contest ending invariably in his
dropping the glass out Of reach
and making the widest situations
at random, some of which involved
him in queer niisadventures. Cot
trau was a fanatical believer in the
diva, "into the splendor of whose
glory he dashed himself headlong,"
says the wonderful author Of this
wonderful tale, "even as a sea-bird
does against the lantern of light
house"
Having advertised his hopeless
passion to the amusement of all
Paris, the poor man returned to
Naples, disgnsted and diSenchanted.
Another Of her adorers was the old
Marquis de Chayanat, nobleman
old enough to be her grandfather,
and a magnificent parsonage, with
wonderful head Of white hair. lie
was as madly in love as if he had
been collegian. Not being rich,
and finding it expensive work to
travel about and pay for seats at
the opera all ever Europe, the Mar
quis invented a Patti champagne,
which he advertised in all parts OF
the continent, billing in advance
with the cities where she was to
sing. The champagne sold, of
course, and so the old marquis lived
everywhere in style and kept always
near the ebject Of his great and in
nocent passion.
The marquis was the first man To
une&rth Nicolini. 1t was at St
Petersburg in 1876. The marquis
who was established at the same
hotel with his goddess, was out
that evening, when a servant, pass
ing by the apartments Of Mime
Patti, heard some one NOV ing
about. The servant, thinking there
was a theft therein, gave the alarm
and raised the household. The ole
Marquis de Chavant coming in u
the moment, was the first person OF
the scene, rushed in and dragged
out from the closet, where he hac
taken refuge, the trembling tenor
whom he did then and there trouncr
as soundly as ever M. de eau,
could have desired. This was tn,
first whipping Nicolini received
the last, says the chronicler, wa
from StrGkosch, of whom we ar
told that he is "a Nienncsc, which
is as much as to say amiable to tn
tips of his fngers, and the mos
complete master of the hat in u
Europe next to Lapommeraye," la
pommeraye being the celebrate
physician who poisoned so many q
nis fashionable patientsl
Patti, it seems, wished to bu
the villa Of Trento; Mieolini col
sented, but wanted the title deed
TO be made out in his same. Sll