Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-12-24

A Few Remarks Concerning the
Sweet Song Birds.

company. To draw that much money
from people here in six days, a lyric
must possess merit, and be
to give a worthy entertainment.
The company, when it came last year,
had been heralded but little, but it won
popularity and liberal patronage from
the start. This year it brought tie
prestige Of former success, and a
number of new voices, in place ofsome
here last year. Among the leading
members of the company who came on
both visits, was Mrs. Zelda Seguin, a
fine contralto, who has been before
the public as a singer since 1864, first
as Zelda Harrison, later as Zelda
Last year she was a widow
with a son fifteen years of age as her
only companion, and the lad followed
the troupe selling operatic librettos
to the audiences at the performances,
This year Mrs. Seguin came with a
young husband added to her family
circle, an intelligent gentleman Of
polished and agreeable manners, who
seemed to have nc occupation, unless
it was to draw his wife's salary
and to serve as her escort
to and from the theater. 1t
leaked out here that all was not
merry and pleasant within the lyric
circle. Jealousies prevailed, and a
row occurred between Mrs. Seguin
and Julia Rosewald, one afternoon,
which has been referred to on a pre-
Vious occasion. Happily, it was quelled
by Miss Abbott before the couple
scratched or disfgured each others
faces. After the troupe left here, the
breach between Mrs. Seguin and her
professional consorts widened, until
it took in Miss Abbott and her hus-
bsnd. AT Louisville the quarrel got
into the newspapers, and it has been
getting into them ever since. At st..
Louis Mrs. Seguin and her hus-
band left the company and went home
to Indianapolis, retiring for the win
ter. 1t was limited that the
songstress had been offered a place in
Carl Rosa's troupe,and perhaps would
go to England; also that she could
go with the Hess-Strakosch company,
at a liberal salary. The latter was
denied, later on, by one of the man
ayers, who said a clause in Mrs.
Seguin's contract, not to sing with
any but the Abbott troupe, for eigh-
teen months, would prevent such an
arrangement, oven if it was desirable.
In a statement recently published by
the Pioneer Press, at st. Paul, the
following appears as the cause Of the
rupture. 1t is given as the result Of
an interview with the advance agent,
Mr.. Morrissey
Mrs. Seguin's infatuation for her
second husband. Nj. David Wallace
and submission to his plans would
Mr.. Morrissey thonslait ruin her
operate career. Prompted by her
own ambition and jealousy, and follow
ing the guidance Of her young hus-
band, who had no experience in the
operate business, Mrs. Seguin brought
matters to a crisis in st. Louis two
weeks ago. Through her husband
she demanded OF Mr.. Wetherell, the
husband Of Miss Abbott, aud senior
proprietor of the company: First, that
Mr.. Wallace be given a half in the
company. Second, that the name Of
the company be changed to the Abbott
Seguin English opera company.
Third, hat Mr.. James W. Morrissey,
the treasurer and one of the managers
of the company, must go. In case
these demands were not complied with.
Mrs. Seguin declared that she would
withdraw from the company. The
reply to each Of these demands wss a
most positive refusal.
Miss Abbott expressed great regret
at the prospect Of the loss Of Mrs.
seguin from the company, bus if her
demands were not withdrawn she must
go, This being the result, Mrs. Seguin
and her husband left the company.
While praising Mrs. Seguin as an
artistic, Mr.. Morrissey said that it was
a fact that nc contralto had ever been
a success as the principal attraction
or prima donna of an opera company
in this country, and cited Miss Annie
Louise Cary's career as an example.
The roles formerly sung by Mrs
are now taken by Pauline
Maurel, who possesses a rich and very
sweet eontralto, and is considered one
Of the rising a%rtistes Oftbe day. She
is young and attractive, and is said to.
have achieved a remarkable success.
In short while all the company re
GREETED to part with Mrs. Sesuin, yet
no one believed hat its success would
be imperiled by her withdrawal. The
idea Of the indispensability of the
services Of any one person ia any com.
pany had long since been thoroughly
exploded. This experience was .,
confined to the operate Ap,' .