The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-02

rrrou, m interview ia Chicago Tribune.l
"But, not content with bav.
sn0 INV oueras shoru, with having an adj
vance agert to talk me down, there appeared
plsiner aud palmer what bad cropped out "A
lttle durlpv the preceding year. aud that
was sp,r.f 10 begrudge me the attention
and praise Of the kind friends whom have
IN 90 many cities. To illustrate: In De-
tro,t. where with our coming mention was
made OF the fact that II was there i bad
made my d<om, Miss Abbott complained
Of ms being made tue pima donna OF the
troupe, a. she called II. On another occa-
sion, when We were both called beiore tue
curtstp, she, going trst, took oo'd OF my
hand. but her dress.train was 10 my way.
"a thai had 10 let 20 and follow alter;
hence when came before the curtain Ine.e
was fresh applause, for i was not IN sight
when the arst applause was given. Alter
We vent back Miss Abbott burst into tears,
and said 1 was irving TO divide the public
and crush her. ON nigb's when she sang
and did not have bee3 invited 10 dine
by parties OF friends, and Miss Aooott
would say I was keeping them away from
the opera and ought TO refuse The lnvita-
lions: aud since my marriage, wnen nave
been generously applauded, she has SAID
Mr.. Wallace had II arranged, ana
WANTED TO CRUSH HER,"
EYES, said Mr.. Wallace. "and IwaDt to
say word. ] thiak Miss Abbott has be-
come morbid on that subject. When she
began her career, aud for many years after,
she had = hard time for various reasons /;
but she wrongfully attributed IL to The pre-
iudice OF the people again,t her. She has
got n INFO ber head now So firmly that she
thinks people are leagued together 10 crush
her. sue bas become perfectly morbid
about H.. The most insignificant things are
I'm her eyes attempts 10 ''crush her. The
word is IN constant use"
aWeII.v continued Mrs. Seeuin, 'Snot
only was refused an increase in salary, but
wsth the death OF Mr.. Seguin one OF the
two benefits, both Of which we're really
mipe under he old arrangements, was re-
fused me. Knowing how had been forced
into that contract; Knowing how the 1gures
$3.50 represented a sacrifice OF mine to save
Mr.. Seguin's feelings, and that he had COM
pelled me 10 sign at these figures In igno-
rance OF ms being rated higher: knowing
that the two benefits had been given me an
pualIy ZONE of them ostensibly TO Mr.. Sc
eusn); Knowing all ibis, Mr.. Wetherell con-
tinuousiy refused nae. He acknowledged ]
was worth more; be knew that i had been
offered twice that amount; but he pleaded
poverty.
GAS / told you, nv operas were so mise
rably east rs 10 become farclcal. i was
BELIrTLED IN EVERY WAY.
.Miss Abbott urged me TO play The Page
in Romeo and Juliet subordinate and
Insignificant part-as that would Use up one
OF my i've weekly appearances, ard give
her an opportunity TO appear OiteDer. She
offered me The opera OF fMigD0n' after 1t
bad made a failure; aud TO those who
praised ue Ms Carmen she said it was too
immora for her; that she would not per-
form in H."
.sYou will readily see," continued Mrs.
Seguin, " not merely the financial injustice
/ suffered, but how intolerable 1t grew
when l was made to suffer IN my profes- |
sional reputation by studied detraction, and
BY being used as the means 10 draw people |
TO performances that were not worth see- |
ing. have ever been conscientious as an |
artist, aud u there is one thing prize more |
than another it is the reputation which L |
have ALWAYS sought, and which kind friends |
tell me have attained, OF keeping faith |
with The public. My husband, MIR. Wallace, |
demanded nothing more than that all the
fair things Mr. WethereII had promised |
should be performed. and that l should be |
paid what was worth. When was alone |
they could put me eff; but him they could |
not.
EYES," said Mr.. Wallace, 81 asked that,
and nothing more. Mr. Pratt, Mr. Wetber-
clips partner, said to me that my wife was |
worth more, and that they knew she could |
get more; but he said they were not making |
any money. said, Mr.. Pratt, IL you are |
not making any money, you and Mr.. Weth-
hot 10 fuiF .rtc fnr a rHt
interest in the business, and l will buy II.
] will stapd third Of the less. What want
Is to be in . position to protect nv wIfe,s
interests and have her ....e;ated as she has
js.eri PROMISED TDis was refused. and that
is all the foundation there Is for the as,er |
ton that demanded an interest in The bust
ness. demanded nothing. / made busi- |
ness offer 10 buy into losing concern, ac- |
cording 10 their statement OF it, and solely |
for the purpose that my wife should be paid
what she was worth, aud should be treated
Us MIR. Wetherei promised her she would
be-"
"And please say" said Mrs. Sesuin,
{" that have
NOT SPARK OF JEALOUSY TOWARD MISS
ABBOTT,
though 1t ought to be needless TO say that.
I have sung with Parepa, Kellogg, Rose
Hersee, aud many other great singer; anc
the idea OF being Jealous OF a soprano never
occurred TO me. A soprano and contralto
cannot be compared. They are, as you
might say, like velvet aud tine linen. Each
NAV be perfect in its way, but there Is no
comparison; they are unlike. Aud please
say that personally have the kindest feeling
for Mss Abbott. II she were lett TO herself
i think she would be different in many
things"
.sit might be proper TO say" said Mr..
Wallace, (. that before leaving at ST. LOUIS
Mr. Pratt offered TO raise my wife's salary |
% tue original figure OF $500 per week; but |
after oil the annoyances TO which she had |
been subjected. the bad faith with which |
she had been treated. and any dislike to hav-
lag her connected with thlrd.rate troupe, |
we thought Ii better 10 leave"
And, Yet me add" he continued. "a
good word for Jimmy Morrissey-' Tafy
Jimmy as his friends call him. He Is The
snan that made Miss Abbott. She struggled
for years on her merits, and was failure.
But when 1'aDy Jimmy got hold OF the
bellows be began 10 puff her into notice,
and there she is as Morr,ssey has made Der.
The public must thank him."
Your correspondent, after writing out
this interview, read 1t to Mrs. Seguin. sad
q Is printed with her approval as correct.
Editors Dispatch: An old gentleman
who has euj, yed life In days past was