Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-14
THE WOMAN WHO AGITAIES
LONDON.
A Scene at the Grand Theatre, IslinEsO
on the Appearance OF Mrs. Weldon.

LONDON, Nov. 2j.-The villain, looking
like a raving Bedlamite, was going 4
strike her. "'Old ard, ye coward!
bawied out a high-mettled sweep from
among the spectators.
Coward" echoed the majority.
"ROt!" interpOsed a COuuadlcIor.
The drama was shifting. Luckily, OF
otherwise. the curtain fell-a roughly
brushed curtain, with peacl-coloreu, uu'
adorned nereiQs ana other allegoIleal I'LL
bits. There is an elerNcscence M tle
house The villain CONSTITUTES II IN Dis
favor. SmiNa- ike toasted orlde@To lD'
he HES TO the t0otAShts. A salYo OF misses
sends the lights pita pattng; be perks up;
there is another savage salNo; the mouse
Quakes: the villain Is eNultant. lie Is
right
AT the Grand Theatre. Islington. spec
tators are nsOphistlcated. and tue more
they Mss an actor who persOnihes bad
character. the more can the actor believe
that he has succeeded in his part. lsllng-
tOn. though it boasts Of the Agricultural
hall. and is one Of the most thlckly ten
anted districts OF London, rejoices in most
Of the hOmely characteristics Of an out
of-the-way provincial town. At the the
atre, on that night. something shar d
with the drama. Not Alone" the in
tense interest Of the house. 1t was a gen.
tleman in evening suit in the stalls. Cltl-
zens 20 there in their business, counter
jumping canOnicals, and ladies keep their
bOnnets on, wear green gloves, and walk
home. ImprOmptH "mills" are not iniTe-
quent. The actors neglect their hands,
tue actresses their feet, and both their
grammar, but otherwise symphOnlouslY
exult in forlorn guises and untried Golf
fures.
/ had never been to the "Grand'' before.
went there to assist at the benefit of a
lady whose beauty and WIT | had seen,
MANY wears ago, turn the strongest and
modest heads Of the Belgian capitol. She
was then Miss GeOrgiana Treherne; she
is now the world-famed Mrs. Weldon.
That her beauty is of the adamantine sort
flashes from the fact, that in spite OF
years, adversities, and the most horrible
way of dressing. Imagination can con
ceive, she continues TO look remarkably
handsome. She is uncomOnly well gifted
she speaks French like French acade-
mist. she is familiar with the Italian lam
guage. she is an admirable singer, good
composer, a deXterOus journalist, CO.
gent lawyer, a sprightly speaker, a
staunch friend, an indomitable enemy,
and an idolatress Of children.
The second time l met her she had
married Mr.. Weldon, an officer in the
low, a prOfuse chum, and an average
man. She was imposed upon by half a
dozen pretty puppies, of which both were
very fond. Mrs. Weldon has never had
any children. She was then living in
Bentinck street, Manchester square, in a
small. comfortable house, one of the
ordinary cOmmensals of which was sir
Julius Benedict, then Mr.. Benedict tout
court" a great friend and admirer OF the
hostess, and a most affable, refined and
well-informed man. Though in great de-
mand everywhere, and always busy at
some work, Mr.. Benedict would long sit
at her piano and accompany her singing
to the unutterable delight of the few
tntjDleS de la mdtSOn.
A few years hence, in 1870, | received
an invitation from her to go and see her
at her new residence, FaYistOck house,
FaVistOck square. l went there on a
Sunday afternoon. She was sitting in Il
large. peculiarly furnished room on the
ground floor, looking on to few denuded
trees quIVering under an autumual gale
This, she informed me, was Charles Dick.
ems last library and favOrlte apartment,
the very spot where the fatal illness had
seized MIN. In the room was a man
whose gray hair pointed to mature years,
while his sparkling eyes, his dash, and his
enthusiasm ranged him in the juvenile bri-
gade. 1t was Gounod. He had fed from
Paris before the influx of the German
hosts. He admired her; she WOrshipped
him. She used to call him mon Uieur
He had for her all the refined and pretty
attentions of a well-educated Frenchman
she had for him undistracted cares. The
society was somewhat mixed. but har-
mOniOus. The Communist, Jules Wales,
was cOnverslng with Conservative peer
Mrs. Weldon was then in the full posses
sion of her talent. GounOd was writing
much OF his music for her. More than
once did he tell me that he would let none
but her sing the part OF "Pauhne" in his
opera Of ''POlyeucte." which he was then
finishing.
Suddenly the illustrious composer
slipped back to France and his family
and a quarrel as intense as can only
spring up between former friends swepI
away the partnership. A great deal O
nonsense has been written about it. Al
friend Of both parties, l am convinced
that purer amity never existed. Mrs
Weldon, in her heart, whatever she NAV
publicly say or write, still worships 'slt
VieuX," and is not Internationally prompt
ed in the noisy, fierce, and sometimes
vexatious war she is waging, by a des
perate hope that she is keeping hersel
ever before him, and that she will vet re
gam his friendship either through admira
ton or pity.
Having lost her friend she gave hersel
up to the musical and general training O
destitute children. Seldom have | seen
more benevolent idea carried out wit
greater devotion and intelligence. Blu
this good work had only ephemeral days
The reveille had sounded. and in an in
slant she was in arms, fighting husband
mad doctors, great and small stars, law
yers, judges and jury-all, according L
her, laagued against her. Some Judges
she asserts, have been fair and lust; bu
others, she holds, have shown her fOu
play and vindietiveness. She firmly be
lieves that juries are constantly packed
She reports strange talks of officials "A
Old Bailey, who have said: "Poor Mrs
Weldon, she ought never 10 come here
TOR she will never get justice in thi
place"
Years ago / visited her in Newgat
prison, where she was doing thirty dav
for libel, and this year paid her my re
spects at Holloway jail, where she ma
been confined for the same reason for 81,
months. H. knowing her less. | had com
on these various occasions tor the purpos
OF cheering her up, / would have felt lil
Yankee speculat0r landing at Newcastl
with a cargo of coal. / have never cauph
her in low spirits yet. have neyet behpl
her In better ones than. while knitting Il
the small visiting parlor Of Newgate, sh
ironically delineated the ways or tn
court at Old Bailey, or, when sitting If
the large committee room OF Hollowa,
she good-numoredly related the abomina