National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-11-12
PuFFERY OF PATTI.
How the Art of Advertising Has Been
Overdone.

Overdone.
The reclame in favor of Nine. Adelina
Patti has at length begun in earnest It looked as
IL the lady had instructed her agents TO let her go
on her merits. But far from It. They have begun
TO tell more lies than were ever necessary to boost
the fortunes of Nilsson, Lucca, aud Bernhard
rolled into one. The first precious pronunoiamenlo
about Patti appeared in Saturdays Herald and is
too rich to let pass II came hot from the lips Of
gentlemen named Mortier. who economically
combines the functions OF the representative of
the Paris Figaro aud advance agent Of the prima
donna. These French papers have way Of COM
binng economy with representation. Last year
Mr.. J. II. Haynie came over with the Bernhard, as
representative Of the Gdglois. He wrote letters
and also aided Mr.. Abbey in managing but when
he went back he could not get the money he had
earned from the second
RICHEST PAPER IN PARIS,
Our present business is with NJ Mortier, howe yer.
His first assertion is to contradict statement we
made that Patti hated this country so much that
on one occasion she said she would sooner be cx-
lied to Siberia than come to America. Begging NJ.
Mortier's pardon, this statement is true II was
made to NJ. Maurice Strakosch on one Of the occa-
sions when Madame Patti paid that gentleman
$1,000 forfeit for not keeping her contract. She
paid that sum FIVE different times sooner than
come here. That was years ago. Now forty years
OF age she arrives to give us the questionable re-
mains Of her voice at $40 ticket. The innocent
gentleman of the Herald then asks the mendacious
NJ Mortier whether she likes TO come TO America.
Certainly" exclams that enthusiastic person.
She has refused splendid offers in order TO make
this tour in America" And let our readers pause
to take breath before they read Morters next
statement ain Madrid" he says, "she was Of
fered palace in the Prado and three hundred
thousand francs for thirty performances. In
France she declined n proposition to give her
twenty-five thousand 49, OOO) hight for twenty
five concerts" But this is not all. Morter has not
done. He tells us that in Madrid lately she dined
with
THE KING AND QUEEN,
and after dinner the Queen put the royal babe in
PATHS arms and said: AT any rate when she
grows up she will be able TO say she had the honor
of being held in the arms of Patti" There are
men who lie we'll. NJ. Mortier is not Of the num-
ber If he cannot write better stories for the Figaro
than that II Is little wonder that his name has
never yet graced its pages as a contributor. But
he resembles many another Frenchman in this,
that he has general notion most Americans do
not know how to read. We do not care TO review
any scandal, but II is pretty generally known that
for some years Madame Patti has not been much
Of visitor at royal courts and that under no cir
cumstances, If the King of Spain dned with her,
would ho permit his Queen to do so. In our re-
publican simplicity we do not think II would be
uu 10 nave our CnlluTcn 0eluln raul uTInS,
any we may take It for granted the Queen ofSpain
thinks very much as we do. As to the terms
quoted above, they are absolutely false. The most
Patti ever had or ever was offered in Paris was
$1,000 night. But when VIC go a little
FURTHER IN MoRTIER's
amazing story, we find that Mr.. Vanderbilt of
New York. offered her 100000 to come to New
York under his management" NJ. MorHer evil
IDENTIFY takes Mr.. Vanderbilt to be a theatrical
ms bn i,l,s hat
intended to have her sing in the Grand Central
Depot The facts of this matter are rather curious
and will bear telling. When Mr.. Fred. Pullman,
our respectable and onterprising ticket speculator
went 10 Paris last summer he spent money con-
trary to his usual custom, with n lavish hand
Somebody in Paris started the report that Fred.
Rullman was II. Vanderbilt. The report fat
tered Mr.. Rullman's vanity, and the first use he
made of his prestige was to make an offer to Patti
Of 800 900 for one hundred concerts in America
Patti took the bait, and signifed her immediate
intention of accepting. Negotiations proceeded
iamously until Patti asked for security in the shape
ofhalfthe money in advance. Mr.. Pullman
SUDDENLY HAD business
in some other quarter Of Europe. aud Patti heard
no more of Mr.. Vanderbilt. On such slender
threads as this Mr.. Morlier built up his monstrous
edihce OF falsehoods and the Herald printed It, In
this interview he also mentions something about
u 10000 present made her in ST. Petersburg lately
He has evidently forgotten the intimation the
present Car gave the little lady when she threat
ened lately to go to his capital. Alexander Ill is
n terror on the subject of morals. In conclusion
let us say this-that no such advance twadde us
NJ Morter speaks and the Herald prints will in
duco Americans to pay $40 q ticket to hear Patti in
her decline. The few who do will be actuated
more by curiosity to see the fat little Italian tenor
who, for several years past has been her constant
compagnon dc voyage, and whose reputation grew
suddenly TO formidable dimensions, not through
his singing, but through circumstances about
which we shall be silent 1t would on the whole
perhaps be better for Nine. Patti to select agents
who told the truth.-Drdmdtic Times