San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-24
PATTI OF ENGLISH OPERA.
ABBOTT CAFES ON THE
WATERS AT TOLEDO, OHIO,
And Wants to Die-A Little Incident
Preserves the Great Songstress
and Leads Her to the Pin
nacle of Success.

Preserves the Great Songstress
and Leads Her to the Pin
nacle of Success.
friendless girl stood upon q bridge in Toledo.
Ohio, and gaycd upon the waters below Look.
ing back into the past from her earliest Oh Id
ish recollection unto the present hour, she saw
but one hard fight with the world VIII ch well
nigh Uverweghed her and looking into the
future all seemed dark and desolate. AS she
gazed into the placid waters below her. she
asked, AS many have done before and since.
rs LIFE WORTH LIyING?"
and was inclined to plunge into the deep sby IS
of the unknOwnabe rather than struggle on
for mere miserable existence. Her mind
was made up and she had almost decided to
take the fatal plunge, when she caught
sight of bill announcing Clara Louise
Kellng's concert. She loved music and
decided that at the worst, her en-
trance to paradise should be through "A
feast of heavenly music. At this time her
means were almost exhausted and she hardly
knew whence the next meal could he got BY
favor she got into the theatre. While listen.
ing to Kellogg something said why cannOt I
do as she has done" When she retired she
was fired with ambition, hope was dominant
her breast and she no longer wanted to MI
SUICIDES GRAVE.
Life bore another aspect and she deter
mined 10 work and wait. Her good TesOlu-
ton was pCTscveTed in. Slow and surely. Step
by step she advanced until today she Is UNI
versally recognized as the principal primH
donna of the English opera.
ia you know to whom refer No, well
will tell you That poor girl WAS l." Thus
spake Emma Abbott To the LIGHr dramatic
critic,
WHEN ME- INTERVIEWED HER
Continuing Miss Abbott said, You want 10
know somethingor my life. Wen. | am an
American girl. and as to birth place | am
g gSrs es%es than him. HOPSf SE
different cities are given as my birth place. ]
was, however, only born in one, Chicago. |
know my feet don't confirm this statement,
for | wear No rs, but IL Is nevertheless
fact was born of poor parents, but from
ny childhood | was passiOnately fond of
music, and when child, went round and
sang and played a guitar. Many penny
have made this way and needed IL badly. |
sang,
IAYED AND WORKED
hard later on, but | became Respondent
II was then thought to DIE and end II, but
after had seen Kellogg new hope came to me,
for | believed in my heart | could do what
she had done. worked all the harder for my
bread and butter, and practised my music. In
those days was glad to make petticOat out
OF flour sacks, and go around labeled Best
Family Flour" and when think now of the
satins wear, costing so and S3Oa yard, am
often tempted to ask Can this be p But |
worked and perseyered. In time | became n
Choir singer in Dr. Cuapins church in New
York. There | attracted the attention of
Christine Nilsson who commended me and
said that my voice contained golden mug
GETS" This commentator led to the church
people subscribing S6,0O and sending me to
Paris where studied under Wartel, Wilson's
old master. Whist there
PATTI VISITED HIM
And was delighted with me. Taking from her
own ears aud dress fine suite of antique
ruby and turquOis jewery she gave them to
me and told me to go on, Dersever-, and
would one ay follow in her footsteps. Her
and gave me new hope. When leaving Paris
went to London to your Uncle, John Ryder,
the celebrated actOr-elocutionst, who
dons and others, and was admirably trained
by him in the historic way
made my actual debut at the Italian opera,
London, and sang In Dublin. After singing
ager abruptly ended the engagement and
closed my career on that side of the water.
returned to America, and in septic nber, 1876,
APPEARED AS MARGUERITE
in the Park theatre, Brooklyn. For that i'm.
PRESERVATION the New York Herald then com
mended IN highly, and since then GuOnOd the
composer of Fat st, has endorsed nv define
alton of his great masterpiece. l have sang
and worked hard until now ! am the recOg-
nIzed head of the American ENGLISH opera
But am not satsfei. | am ambitious, and
why should not be? | am young and vigor-
Gus, my voice is fresh, and / can do more
than | have done. | have sta ding offers
from England and France. and propose to do
there what have done here.
One thing in my career surprised me, that
Is, the effect OF determination and hard
WORK. When ] was first trained I'M
der ErraDi, of New York, he told me that
/ could never make a trill or sing u plain scale
but might do much by work, care and prac
tice. Some time afterwards went to Marchesi,
the celebrated Partisan teacher, she eXamin-
ed me and said that there was no music writ
ten for the human voice that | could not en-
ecute brilla ntly and correctly. | think Mar
chest is right for have never met the music
that cannot sing with ease and
WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION.
What operas do / like best2 Well am Il
Jolly girl naturally, and of course | take best
TO the emotional and the serious Vic cite in
''Traviata," Amina in "Sonnambula," Mar
guerette in Faust" LeOrnre in "rrovatore,'
and others of a like character, suit Inc best
and in those operas j have made my great
success but do not mind much. All Is fish
that comes to my net and when undertake u
character am lost IN IL for feel IL Is a reality.
Had hard time getting hereI Well
should think had. | promised TO open your
opera house and meant to do so. / took
special from Omaha to Kansas City, to catch
the regular ST. Louis tram to Texas. When
found that it was ten hours late ] could hav
cried with vexatiOn and
DROwNEDTH WHOLE SYSTEM
with my tears for l am but woman. We
kept telegraphing for special and at last got
one in Taylor bringing us here in ample
time. II was change | can tell YOU. In
Omaha we wanted all the clothes we could get
here we wanted to throw of all we could for
Texas barring its few nOrthers, Is the land of
eternal summers.
Do | like your opera house2 Well. should
think do, and who would not 1t is the
most elegant, compact and convenient
that know of, and thoroughly adapted for
the business. | am tired of opening dark
chocolate cOlOred houses, and this is a de-
lighIfnl surprise. San Antonio has been late
in getting her opera house, but she has done
IL well. But there | fear have bored you too
much already, and as have to try on my COS
INN fnF FRAT m / uutl
"AU REvOIR."
With this the gay little actress tripped gaily
into her boudoir and the critic wendell his way
homeward.
Miss Emma Abbott is in private life Mrs
Eugene Wetherill, and her husbands a genial
and Intelligent gentleman, accompanies her
In the capacity of manager. As regards the
lady, it may be said that his managerial duties
could ever manage woman. Emma
is of medium height, and like most great
singers is very plump. Her hair is light
more than her tongue, her nose shspely and
her mouth indicative of capacity and determl-
nation. Her features are remarkably mobile,
and when animated by
INTEREST OR PLEASURE
She presents a delightful countenance. We
have not seen II moved in the reverse way and
we don't want TO.
Mr.. and Mrs. wetherill are devotedly at
moving in good society. Her company is a Sc
lect one, and all work in perfect harmony to-
gether.