Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-14
A PLUCKY N
How Emma Abbott Suffers all
Day and Sings all Night.
The Result OF "A Chicago Vacci-
natiOn-The Philosophy Of
Doing a Duty.
COurier-Journal llth.l

Courier-Journal, 11th.l
Things are not always what they
seem, and although the popular little
prima donna Emma Abbott appeared
as happy as a kitten and as light as a
lark while tripping nimbly about the
stage Monday night in the Chimes
of Normandy" she did not feel as she
looked. In fact. she was suffering
torture, and if the hundreds of per-
sons in front could have seen the
transformation from the smiling coun-
tenance to the face distorted with
pain, from the light steps to the weary
and painful limp as she passed behind
the scenes, they would not only have
been more merciful in the matter of
%encores, but would had a new idea of
the realities of behind the scenes"
She was carried up and down stairs at
the hotel and the thester against the
orders of her physician. and it was
only by sheer force Of will that she
could undertake the roles Mon
day and last night. A Courier
Journalist who paid her a
call yesterday at the Gait House dis.
covered a dreary state of affairs. Miss
Abbott las many personal friends and
acquaintance in Louisville, and her
visits here are usually pleasant to her.
She always has time to see them all
and to have a gay time, and to study
and to work and do the thousand and
one things which her industry sug-
gestsy In fact she is one Of those happy
persons who are never in a hurry, but
who do more than any ten ordinary
people. Instead of the usually bright
room into which her friends are
ushered, all decked out with pictures,
books and scores of little articles that
make even a hotel apartment look
homelike aud cheerful, her visitor
yesterday discovered her in a big,
b~are-looking apartment, in n corner
of which she lay all bundled up in a
drap wrapper, fast in bed, while her
disconsolate husband, Mr.. E. j.
Wetherell, was sitting beside her, both
looking as miserable as possible.
1T is too bad" she said, after the
greetings had been exchanged and
sympathy expressed. 1T is too bad
to have to be laid up this way here in
Louisville. But l am getting along
splendidly, thanks to my Louisville
physician, and [ may be well before
the week is over"
While Miss Abbott was singing in
Chicago the smallpox scare was SO
great that she was persuaded into
trying vaccination as a preventive. AS
she was compelled to sing nearly every
night in short-sleeved dresses, she
could not spoil her pretty arm with
the scar, so, after consultation, she
was inoculated just above the left
knee and over the heavy muscles Of
the limb. Hell constan. activity caused
Inflammation, aud instead Of a mere
flesh wound, she has been suffering
from a severe and dangerous iufam.
nation of the muscles,
Why, my physician told me a week
ago that | would probably be a cripple
for life. Oh, what a gloomy day il
was and how gloomy all tie days have
been since. | was badly frightened
aud I've had seven doctors since. Oh
course | do not now feel that | shall
be a cripple, but it gives me great
pain AID uneasiness | did not gel
any relief until l got to Louisville
and you've no idea how much | have
improved here"
The visitor mentioned that nobody
knew Of her suffering until after the
performance Monday night.
Il did, | tell you" she said with
serious smile. Il determined to e
on aud not disappoint the public 81
long as | was not threatened with
permanent injury. So Monday | wa
carried to the theater. | dressed fol
the part and determined just to ski
on and not think of the pain. You
know "MignOnette' carries a pitcher
in her hand when she enters. Ii
singing, / forgot all about the pitcher
and let it swing against my bad knee
Whew | thought | would 90 into
dead faint and tumble over into tn,
orchestra. But | made a desperate
effort, aud went on with the scene"
You did not sing like you we're suf
f%ering, because it was generally noticed
} thatyou never sang better"
Il never felt more like singing
That big house and those friends on
there inspired me, and it seemed t
me that | must sing in all the choruse
} and give my lungs relief. Perhap
l the scream | suppressed was seekinI
vent"
t 81 am not going to get worse" sh
said in conclusion, Though / ahaI
t have 10 keep in bed all the week, if
e sing every night 1 isn't very pleas
ant to be Gagged here all day, and the
: feel in the humOr to sing at night, bu
}, I've made up my mind to do it, and
s shall be DONE"
Daa,uoE e.ow~. na.dh.