The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1879-09-11
"REMINISCENCES OF SONTAG.

suggested by the Death OF Harry Palmer
Was the Prima Donna Prematurely In.
terred.
New York Mercury.
The sudden and unexpected demise of
Mr. Harry Palmer, the famous theatrical
manager, formed the topic of conversa-
ton in many professional rs we'll as non
professional cotcrles during the past
week. His enterprise, his many endcar-
ing qualities of heart and head, and his
remarkable calccr were all duly recalled
and tenderly told. Naturally enough.
en- affectiouate "reminiscences were the
d,mlnant theme, the name of Henrietta
SontaC. the Countess Rossi. was fOndly
remembered by those who had the for
tune to listen to ner siren strains nearly
half a century since. One silycr-hailed
Monday evening remarked to his younger
companions:
"Ah. nobody sings like Sontag, and no
one ever will" The Old gentleman
cmptied his glass of Rhein vein and said ::
II was Il young man---puite Il young man
in Berlin when | first saw Sontag. All,
what fun we had in those days over poor
Sontag You young people recall with
ripping laughter the love affairs of the
charming little Lucca and the fascinating
Patti-for all the world is interested III
the tender experiences prime donne; but
it is only old folks like myself whose
memories can go back to the hilarious
days of Mile. Sontag and the Baron
Rossi. Theirs was lovematch which
provoked acres of broad German grins and
LOTS OF SCANDAL.
1t was feast which the Gossi ps of $3.50
fully enjoyed, and have never forgotten.
Henrietta Sontag was then in the flower
of her youth, of her beauty, and Of her
charm of song. She bad long declared
herself invulnerable to the arrows of the
cunning little archer, but she was human,
after all. Wherever she went it was no.
ted that Barren Rossi was at her heels. If
she arrived in Berlin by one diligence, the
devoted Baron was sure to arrive by the
next. 1t was precisely the same thing at
Hamburg, the same at Paris, the same at
ST. Petersburg-until in Berlin we We're
accustomed to make fun of poor Sontag
and to dub her persistent follower Baron
'Montag.' When, in spite of all precau-
tons, loves secret began to leak out, and
when scandal took place Of heartless Jest,
they linked
LADY SUNDAY AND BARON MONDAY
together; but it turned out that the par
son had joined them in advance, so that
ali the calumniators and iokers On Sontag
were tiguratively knocked into the mid
die Of next week. All! she was charm
ing" said the old man, t pping his snuff
box. "Ip those days she possessed that
kind of beauty tina. makes stoics suscep-
tlble, heroes melancholy, intidcls devo-
tional, and enthusiasts hang themselves.
She gave to Song her smile, and to Fash
ION all her TASTE Her voice was hides
crihsh!y charming. ! took captive the
soul as her form delighted the
eye. A more angelic em' ',odiment
Of graces and accomplishments never
presented itself before an audience.
She was, in fact, one of those per-
sonaFy gifted few about whose beauty
: there were no .dissentents. 1t was OF
that severe unexacting quality which en-
cages femaie hearts. Her youthful Vi
vacity was SO fem nent!y gentle and sc
tempered by delicate discretion that she
vas, withal, so Uutwardly unconscious OF
her surprising loveiiness. that even envy
itself was pleased to acknowledged. All
yesi Henr1etts Sontagg had every persona
advantage that genius could covet fol
awakening emotion. The incidents
Z attending her triumphal progress through
the United States we're then tnuched up
= hes dresses, the torcn-iiyht pro
icessions, the diamonds she wore, tht