The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-20
The Bewltching panseuse.

The second volume of Chevalier
Wikoff's memoirs contains a chapter
devoted to Fanny EIlsler, which is re-
produced in the New York. Telegram
from an advance copy. Following is
the account of Fanny's debut in New
York:
The eYentful day of the ordeal came,
and large concourse collected before
the theater hours before the doors
opened. | felt a little nervous, but
concealed it from Fanny. ! had no
apprehension of failure, but the result
might not realize my hopes. escort
ed her to the carriage when she was
starting for the theater, and remark
ed she was ghastly pale and her voice
very tremulous. The first farce was
half over when strolled into Fanny's
room, assuming listless air. She
was dressed for the ''Cracovienne,
and looked very bewitching. She had
rouged her cheeks, so the paleness had
disappeared. She was standing in the
wings when the curtain rose. The
house was breathless with curiosity.
"Now," and spoke encouragingly,
sen aVant. Do the best you can-du
courage"
She appeared. Such shout l never
heard. The men waved their hats, the
women their handkerchiefs, and cheers
of welcome resounded on all sides.
Fanny seemed to recoil before ii. The
music struck up and she began. | saw
she was making desperate efforts, but
none of her buoyancy, her usual elan,
was there. She finished, and as the
curtain fell the cries of an encore were
deafening. l went up to her and said:
Very well; but you can do better
than that"
"Yes," she answered firmly, Il can
and will. If they applaud such dane
ing as that | will astonish them before
the night is over"
| saw she was coming to herself, and
felt relieved, and she repeated the
'eCracovienne" with far more grace and
effect.
The ballet began with an exhibition
of SylYain's disciples, and they aequit-
ted themselves so well as to be much |
applauded. Of sudden Fanny bound
ed on the stage. A murmur of sur
prise and admiration ran through the
house. They now beheld the fair
creature their fancies had painted. Her
perfectly shaped head, her lovely bust,
her exquisite limbs and tiny feet, her
fieecy white skirts floating in the air,
seemed more a vision of grace and |
beauty than q reality. She DANCED
and the rapidity, variety, and briIlian-
cy of her pas and twinkling evolutions |
far eclipsed all their imagining. Her
wondrous grace revealed in the SIM
plest movement heightened the effect. |
Gradually the audience yielded to the
sorceress, and abandoned themselves |
to the widest delight, amounting at |
times almost to frenzy. The enthusi-
asm was universal and knew no bounds. |
Fanny really did wonders. Never be-
fore in Paris or London had she execut-
ed such feats. Her acting was on a
par with her dancing, Her pantomime
was so expressive and intelligent that
people were almost unconscious she |
was not talking. When the curtain
finally descended hurricane of ap-
plause brought her repeatedly before
it. see no reason why should not |
mention, in connection with her first
appearance, that there were three
young men, then unknown to fame,
who, having failed to secure seats in
the boxes resolutely fought their way
into the pit, to the serious detriment
Of their coats and hats. The pluck
and determination then displayed |
have often since been displayed on
much grander occasions.