The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-11-27
A HUNGRY PRlMA DONNA
An Opera Company in a Snow blockade
Missions Cheese and Sausage


Missions Cheese and Sausage.
Many years ago, while Nilsson was IN
der the management Of Strakosch, the
company was playing in Columbus AS
Nilsson was In the cast on the last night
or the engagement, she, accompanied by
Max Maretzek, madame his wife, and
several other mem hers Of the opera com
pany, took the early morning train for
Buffalo, their next stop, expecting TO ar
rive there that night. A heavy snow
storm set in and the train moved but
slowly, owing to the numerous block
AIDES. When they were within four miles
of Buffalo freight train ahead of them
was wrecked, owing to a broken bridge.
This, of course, caused a delay OF several
hours. The snow was still falling heav-
lily, it was night. and although they were
within sight of Buffalo it was impossible
for vehicle of any kind to reach them.
There was not a house of any description
within a half mile of them, and, having
had no supper, they were naturally very
hungry. To make matters worse, it was
very cold in the car. Nine. Nilsson, as
may well be supposed, was not in the best
of temper5.
Max MaTetzek, after asCertaining the
full particulars of the wreck, and realiz-
ing there was no immediate help for
them, resolved to make the best of it, He
always carried a little refreshments in
the way Of wine, cheese and bread in his
sachel, in case he should grow
hungry between meals He there
fore improvised a little table in
the rear of the car, with the assistance
of his agent, and placed thereon a long
roll of bologna sausage, a hugh slice of
cheese, a loaf of bread and a large bottle
of wine. He invited the entire party
Nine. Nilsson included-about eight in
all, to share his repast with him. They
were all, with the exception of the great
singer, only too glad to accept, and a
lively though hungry party drew around
the board. Nine. Nilsson gave one look
at the cheese and sausage, and with a dis
dainful curl of her lip, she murmured,
disgusting" and sailed down to her seat
in the other end of the car, where, wrap
ping her furs around her, she made q vain
effort to sleep. The rest of the party
cared little whether she ate or not, and
while resenting her unladylike remark,
they resolved that they would Elk her
yet" Kind hearted Max Maretzek cut a
slice of bread and cheese, and laid them
aside, together with a piece of the de-
spised sausage and a glass of wine,
and after the rest of the company had
eaten they made preparations for their
nights rest, but not to sleep. They meant
to watch Nilsson. About an hour after
ward she became extremely fdgety and
restless. Frequent CALCULATIONS of dis
content fell from her lips, and more than
once she was heard to remark to her
companion that she was nearly starved.
us there no place, no farm house where
1 can get something to eat?" she asked of
the agent
off there was, we surely would have
found it long ago. 1t is an absolute i'm
possibility for a man to even walk 100
rods in this snow storm and the nearest
house is a mile away" he answered.
Presently, unable to. bear her hunger
any longer, and becoi@ng desperate, she
arose, and walking rather sheepishly
down to the rear end of the car, she
asked Max Maretzek if there was any
thing, a crust of bread even, left of their
frugal repast. The qualification and sat
isfaction'of the other artists may we'll
be imagined when Max placed the saus-
age, cheese and wine before the prima
donna, and the alacrity and astonishing
rapidity with which she dispatched every
mOrsel was triumph they had not eX-
perienced for some time. The next day
when Nilsson was costly domiciled in her
luxurious apartments at the Tiff house,
daintily picking at a mOrsel of tender
chicken, she was heard to remark that
during her varied experience as public
singer she had never eaten a meal that
tasted as good and whole some as that lit
tie midnight lunch of cheese and sausage
in a lonesome car on a winters night
Bloomington Eye.