The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-05-02
Farewell, ycstvali.

suppose you have noticed the singularly
unimpressve end of Felicia Vestyali, who died in
little Polish town on the Sd of April. But was It UNI
mpressve9 To my mind 1t was anything else. Here
was woman who for twenty years absolutely shone in
the dramatic and lyric armament like a star, who
turned the heads and charmed the hearts OF the people
and coined fortune every year, dying alone, UNI
noticed and unmissed to such extent that the
nvorous gaherers of the public press knew nothing Of
1t until she had been buried nearly three weeks.
never shall forget interview / had with her
in the rerrep1n House in pr0Gkyn She WAS play
the role of Lagardere and Esop, role, by the way,
which taxed the versatility of Fechter and required
OF William Wheatley vestvai played 1t superbly.
Dressed In male attire, She stood at the prOmpter's
desk at the side of the stage, waiting for her cue
when vulgar an-milliner by the name of Arm
strong, who in some mysterious way had obtained
access to the stage, slapped her Familiarity on the
remark to her. Quick flash she turned upon him
and Indignantly demanded what he meant. True TO
his loaers instinct he attempted repeat his famil
iarity, when, with sudden ouburst of characteristic
temper the superb creature drew her sword from Its
sheath and sprang at him like tiger. The aston
ished mliner turned upon his heel and ran like a
lamp-lighter to the street, leaving behind him Ills hat
and coat
Naturally the papers were full of 1t the next day.
and at the request of cr agent called upon her In the
hotel where she prepared n card for publication.
found her in bed, unnerved and prosrated from emo
ton She was excited she could hardly speak, Her
English like that of Miss Rigl, pointed by
mstakable foreign accent and the way She sputered
and mouthcd and stammered in her indignant recital
would have been amusing had the situation been less
serious. In Fra Diavola, in Maffeo, Orsini. and
kindred parts requiring any masculine attire In ad-
don to the exquisite uterances of her voice and her
superb physique, Vestvai was unapproachablc. The
two women who alone have rvaled her In stage pres
ence In these parts were Kate Morens n Brooklyn
girl, Whose home name was Duffeld. and who after
brilliant thought brief career, died suddenly In
Paris, and Annie Louise Cary. But Vestvall had
certain elements of success which these artists
great they unguestionaby are do not share. She
full of fun and at all times the life Of the
pany. She was very goodnaured and charitable ever
ready TO sing for public private benefit and pro-
diga of her income, which, had she saved, quite
sufficient to make her very rich woman. She was
well-born and well-bred. Her father was Governor
of Cracow and she really marvellous nguist,
and instrumental performer prior to her appear
ance on the lyric stage In La Scala, Milan She was
pensioner Of the French Conservatory, and ranked
during her professional lie with the greatest artists.
That she should have thus unnOtced and unattended,
died long ago. and that should to-day be giving
publicity to that fact, is an admirable illustration Of
the forgetuness of the public and the transformers
of artistic pOpullrity,