Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-22
THE O1D-rIME "oUEzN OF SONG. ,,
A Visit to Jenny Lind.

lucy b. Hooper in Philadelphia Telegraph
The other day had the pleasure of revlvtng
the memories OF the supremest art-deiight that
have ever enjoyed. went to call On Jenny
Lind The unforgotten Swedish prtma DONNA
y, Mho' Ior SO many years mas sung no more, lives
tired nook In South KensingtOn, very grove
for the nests OF song birds, by-the-way, for
Aloani lives but few doors OF, and more than
one of the passenger warblers take up their resi-
eence habitually IN this pleasant quarter. En-
powered by trees and flowers, the home of
Jenny Lind looks just fitted to be the peaceful
retreat for one VINO has drained to the very
dregS the world S1ntoXicating cup OF hOnOrS and
applause. In the elegant drawing room hung
with pictures and tastefully decorated with old
china, artistic draperies, ETC., l found lady
whose blue eyes and kindly smile bore me back
at once over the waste OF some thirty years.
Again. sat, an eager, excited schoolgirl,
nrst great art-delight. l saw once more be ore
me the tall, slender figure in its white satin
draperteS, With green leaves aud diamonds
adjoining the abundant fair hair, and the oldan
thrill creepS over me that heralded the first
notes OF that marvellous, that Incompatible
voice, whose tones were To those OF the velvet
throated Patti or the silver voiced Nilsson as
the Regent compared TO the diamonds OF
duchess. Shall l forget how Old men, who
knew just as much ABOUT music as they knew
OF sanscrit, used to sit with the tears streaming
Gown theiI cheeks While Jenny Lind was Stag
ing Il know that my Redeemer iiveth?n
There she stood before me- the unforgotten
1901 OF my girlish idolatry, changed, indeed, by
Jenny Lind OF old. The abundant brown hair
with few lines of silver amid its locks, was
turned under in the peculiar fashion In which
she always wore it, and the eyes are lovely as
ever in their expression and in their soft depths
OF luStrOuS blue. AS she talked, her glOved
hands lay clasped upon her knee in the easy,
graceful pose that was familiar to us In the
swedish songstreSs long years ago. called her
attention to the fact, and she smiled at my re-
membering the attitude, and the pretty German
monosyllable ''so!' which used to be another
OF the little peculiarities that we noticed ana
loved because they were hers, escaped from her
lips.
A grand piano in one corner of the room, and
large three-quarter length portrait of herself,
painted at the height of her renown, recalled her
past queenshfp in the realms OF song. She was
handsomely yet plainly dressed In rich black
shawl Oh old Cluny lace was draped around her
shoulders, and she wore very simple cap OF fine
old venetian guipure. She spoke in warm terms
OF affection OF the United States, not In refer
ence TO the welcome and the worship 1t had
accorded to her In bygone years, but because as
She said In her quaint English that had such a
charm about it, Your count y takes the rabbfe
OF all other countries and gives them all a
chance." spoke OF the fact that when she sang
In America there were no opera houses there
And OF that | was glad" she remarked,
t .ior l mad Quilted the stage, and it was for
that reason that l was anxious to go to the
United States, since there / would have no
temptation to return to it, l also spoke OF
the intense sympathetic quality OF her talent,
and the marvellous power that she possessed OF
sWay1ng her audiences at will, particularly Ia
devotional music. Something of the old beau
tiful rapt expression came into her eyes as she
God and ] sang to Cod" And so took nv
leave OF her and went away, with all tender
and exquisite memories OF the divine 10y that
the voice OF that greatest of all great singers
had ever given me nesting warm about my
heart. felt like one who would seek out
cage wherein nightingale had once sung to
enchant the world, and, finding the bird gone
would hnd In its stead single snow-whte lily
The Wondrous voice has departed, but the wo-
man, by purity and sweetness and lofty 1ntelli-
gence that lent 1t half its charms remains un-
changed.
And her soul it is that singeth, while her voice
remalneth silent.
And the music of its singing is immortal as the
AS turned from the guarded portal that
opens to so few, could not but realize how
wisely the great prima donna had acted In pass
ing from the world before the knell Of her pop
ulal1ty had sounded; before thinning audiences
and carping critics had borne witness to her
falling powers She went while there was yet
gold to be won and laurels to be gathered, not
dence, at the last coin and the latest lingering
leaf The wife and mother gided into place as
the great art1ste retired. She keeps her hold
love and esteem of the good and great. only
on the very day had called, the Princess He
lena princess Christian) had come to visit her,
bringing Win her her TWO young daughters
The name of Jenny Lind is still a household
word wherever song is loved or goodness is re-
vered. The delicate, placid, elderly lady, with
silver-threaded hair and blue, expressive eyes,
happy in her children and her home, is just
the image whereWtth one would fain replace
that bewilderlng vision that we once called
Jenny Lind. 1t is as though having once seen
beautiful rose, intoxicating in its summer
freshness and sweetness. we should lift the
covers OF Bible long years after and 10 the
rose! Its freshness gone. but. all its sweetness
lingering still in undlninished fragrance