The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-25
The s.age-Sfruck Wife; or, The Proud
Husband, she Piano, and the Variety
Show.

The S.age-Sfruck Wifo; or, The Proud
Husband, she Piano, and the Variety
SHOW.
The NcMichael family lived in Virdcn,
Greene county, III. There il Mr.. ID. f..
McNlichael. the husband and father, who is
n contractor, and there is Mrs. McMichacl,
daughter Of a gentleman who has represent
cd the district in the state Senate. Last,
there is little girl, the daughter OF the
two characters Just introduced, al three
constituting happy family, or at least
family which would have been happy ii 1t
had not been for one thing-Nrs. Nc
Michael played the piano and sang.
Not that her husband, as husbands have
been known to do under the same circum-
stances, broke up the piano for kindling
wood, gave bis wife black eye, or any
thing Of that sort. BY no means. ON the
contrary, it appears that he rather liked il,
and was proud Of having wife who could
OUT-wARBLE ANY LADY IN GREENE COUNTY.
Mrs. McMichael read frequently in the
yirden weekly paper clippings about the
immense sums earned by singers, the
flowers thrown them, and the diamonds
given them, until at last she began to con-
slder her sphere too narrow. 1t no longer
afforded her complete satisfaction TO hear
her voice recchOing around the ceiling Of
the Virdcn church Us she sang in the choir,
and the eacOreS bestowed on her when she
sang "Comin' Through the Rye" 1T the
musical and literary entertainments given
by the Virden Social Club only made her
sigh for something higher, nobler, grandcr.
She longed 10 see the multitude bend en-
raptured by her voice in almost alteration
before her. She longed to have her face
in shOp-windows, and her name in red let
tiers against green ground stuck on all the
bi!lbOards.
AT last her mind was made up. She
must enlarge her sphere and no longer
waste the wonderful melody Of heI voice
on the uncultiyated people OF Virdcn.
Last Saturday night when Mr.. Nc
Michael came home his wife was not at the
door TO meet him, but his little daughter
was.
Papa" said she, " Mammals gone, and
she says you must be a mother and father
both To me now"
Mr. NcMichael was very much astonish-
ed-more astonished when he found let |
ter from his wife, informing him that she
left home TO 20 on the stage. II she failed, |
she might come back. Perhaps she would !
not come back at all, but at any rate she |
wouldn't be back in two weeks, for she |
meant TO try the stage that long anyhow.
After Dir. McMichae had torn out !
h lndful or two OF his hair he looked i'm the |
letter to see il his wife had mentioned |
where she was going. She hadn't
As 81. Louis was the nearest place where !
there was stage to go on he came to st. |
Louis and stopped at one OF the leading |
hotels. His whole time was devoted to the |
.sva.ch for his wife, and he called the de-
tectives to his aid.
At last he found her. This was yestcx> I
day. She was glad to see him; wing to |
70 home; content with aer stage ex-
,perience. Her spheic seemed q great deal |
larger to her lnan 1t did last week. 1t |
suited ner now.
She had come to st. Louis expecting a.
salary OF $4,000 an hour to be offered her !
by five different managers as soon as they |
heard her sing. But somehow the Olym- |
pic, Pope's, and nearly all the theatres in /
town had perfect glut OF talented singers. |
There was q vacancy at the Canterbury, or /
new Comique, on Sixth street. A lady |
who wanted to dress in tights, wear high |
heeled shoes, short skirts, and do the serio- |
comic for-wcll, not over $500 q night.
The name attached TO the situation was |
"Celia Beretto," and Mrs. McMichael, |
when she appeared before the cultivated |
audience at the Comique in the serio-comic |
part, would scarcely have been recognized |
by any OF her friends in Virden.
Somehow the cultivated audience mani |
Tested disposition to shy an occasional /
peanut at Donna Beretto, and after the per- |
Torrance she was called In TO see the l
manager. He told her that though her |
voice was Just the thing for Italian opera,
1t wouldn't do for serio-comic, and advised !
her to secure another situation.
She left much discouraged, and it is hard !
TO say what would have become of her il a
kind-hearted lady who lives in Gratiot
street had not taken her home with her
after hearing her story. Last night hus-
band and wife left st. Louis for Vlrden.
The piano will probably be for sale short
w Missouri Ren,,bf;con