Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-07

vanced in public favor, but popular frenzy
was first fairly kindled by "La Cachuca,"
a Spanish dance transformed by Therese.
Her greatest success from an artistic
point Of view was, however, ssThe Gyp-
sy.' the story Of which is the same as
Balfe's Bohemian Girl" while most Of
the music is taken from WeEer's "Pre-
ciOsa." Her tragic power in this piece
was not less notable than her broadly
comic force in ia Tarantula."
Fanny Eissler, Fanny Kemble and
Charles Dickens were foreign artists
fortunate in being among the earliest yisi-
tors TO our shores, and the iurOre which
they created in those days, when there
was but little intercontilental travel and
everything European was invested with
a glamour almost supernatural, still lives
in history and popular tradition. To the
Chevaliers Wykof belongs the credit
such as it was-oi importing the famous
danseuse, and he has told the story of the
preliminary negotiations in his ''Recol-
lectiOns Of an Idler," with that peculiar
Sinking satisfaction which makes the
reader Indignantly DESTROYS Of kicking
MIN. Of her two years tour through the
United States and Cuba, beginning in
May, 1910, the two incidents that have
survived most pert1naciOusly are the
alleged dialogue between Emerson and
Margaret Fuller. "Ralph, this is poe
try!' NAY, Margaret. it is more-it is
religioni" and the refusal of the Boston
women to accept a contribution from her.
Plus ~ was more philosophical a few
years later, when the gilded youth Of
Rome asked his permission to present her
with golden crown. ''Do as you please,
my sons" answered the POntiff, ''Only for
a person whose fame is won by her feet a
crown seems TO me inappropriate" The
danseuse heard OF il, and sent the gift to
the Pope, TO be melted down for the relief
of the poor. 'She has more brains in her
toes" said Pic Mono, ethan the donors
had in their heads.r
Fanny Kemble, in her "Recollections Of
a Later Life" gives some interesting
notes on Elssler, and especially on her
singular friendship with the wife of
George Grote, the historian, one of the
most notable women of her day. Mrs.
Butler wrote from Philadelphia in June,
lo40: 'She has great dramatic power;
her 'Tarentelle' and 'Wylie' are finely
tragical in parts. bUt then she had a first
rate head as well as fOOt-training. She is
wonderful artist, but there is something
unutterably sad in the contemplation of
such career. The blending in most IN
narural union Of the elements OF degrade
ton and moral misery with such exquisite
perceptions of beauty, grace and refine
ment produces the impression of sort of
mOnstrosity, defOrmitv of the whole
higher nature, which fills one with
poignant compassion and regret. Poor,
fair, admired, despised, 1attered, forlOrn
sOuls.' Mrs. GrOte made a well-meaning
and lOng-sustained attempt to get Elssler
into London society, and, as she said,
make an honest woman Of her, but her
success was not remarkable. When the
danseuse came to America the good and
great-heaTted woman undertook the
charge Of her girl, a lovely child of six.
'Nell, Fanny" she, said, ''send the brat to
me. l don't ask whose child it is, and don't
care, so long as isn't that fool D'Orsay's,
and III take the best care of it L cam
And so she did. One secret Of this
curious friendship may have been the fact
that Mrs. GrOte, who was as big and as
awkward as BrignOi, always believed
that she had missed her vocation in not
becoming a ballet-dancer, The last
allusiOn in Fanny Kemble's letters to the
danseuse is under date Of April, 1913:
''Elssler is in London now, and, am
assured by those that know, diviner than
ever. l think her gone of, both in looks
and dancing. That rascal W has
robbed her of the larger portion of her
earnings; what nice lover to hayew
Yet the end of this life Of storm and
shame was respectability and peace, and
who shall say that unto her much is not
to be fOrgiven-was not forgiven. All q
muttum Gmarit, because she had loved
much?