The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-09-16
MOrlacchi, the Famous Dancer.

Recently there died in n little Eewl
England town a ballct-dancer whose
life in a great measure answers the Oft
repeated question about Il class of wo-l
men whose profession is popularity held
to be one of exposure.
Guiseppina MOrlacchi was celebrated1
i'm her time. and, as she was born inl
1843. that time was not so long ago.
WhY, it was only so far back as in 1869
that she appeared at the Grand Opera
House here in that famous production
of The Tempest which turned Clifton
Tayleure's hair gray and made the Eng
lish ckholders of Erie shares squeaL
Then she was Il stage queen. In the
height of her beauty and flush of her
power she had every path OF a success
full stage queen open to her.
| find that the record and the ira
ditions agree as to her exemplary char
acter. her exceptional probity, her
marked individuality, and her rarei
sense of honor and justice. Isn't this
delicious in a ballet-dancer?
Among the herd of admirers while
she was playing at the Grand Opera
House was the generous, reckless, and
somewhat flabby Jim Fisk, the after
Mlkado of West Side Saturnalia. He
had everything but his own money to,
be Crusus. He only lacked discre-i
ton to be a MacHnas. One night he
went to Morlacchi as she was waiting
to 90 on and slipped diamond ring on
her finger. After the performance she
sent for him and handed the ring back
to him.
20. it's real," said Fisk. 80, bother,i
you know it's the first water and worthi
s., 200.
'.Bahr' said Morlacchi. with a shrug,'
81 can earn that with one of my,
toes"
The confused Mikado went to the
front of the house, and running against
Cliff Tayleure he remarked when hei
had got his breath: There's a good
woman that a bad man can fight for -
OF course, he meant Il bad man that
had the courage to fight This was be-
fore he was Colonel.
When the DEVILS Auction was pro-
duced here she was the chief attraction
In 1869 she made 1.-The Midsummer
Nights Dream" at Selwyn's IN Boston.
Then. against her own wishes, she play
ed the French Spy" and in 1871 was
with the Majiltons.
1t was in Chicago that she first met
Texas Jack and fell in love with him
This strange alliance appears to have
been the result of genuine affection, and
| the premiere who had enthralled Turin,
Genoa, Lisbon. and held the gilded.
youth of London at bay fell into the
arms of the American scout. They were
married, and on her part at least the
| relationship is said to have been one of
unwavering devotion and fidelity. y The
eccentricity and irregularity of her hus-
band cost her many pang. but she
clung to him. When he died in 1881
in Leadville she was there. She put up
with every discomfort; left comfort
able home, roughed it. and stood by him
all through the troubles which ended in
his sickness and death, and hers were
the hands that closed his eyes.
After that she retired TO a little New
England town and lived out her wild
owhood in a quiet and unobserved
way.
Some of the stories of her indepen-
dent character are both refreshing and
curious. On one occasion, when play
ing in a spectacular piece. she saw the
| prOperty-man careiessly break one of
the ballet-girrs helmets, for which she
was charged 3, and the management
W.
spite of her protests. Indignant Mile
Morlacchi sent for the manager and
told him she had seen the property
man break the helmet. She insisted
| that the girls money should be refund
ed. When the manager refused she
| threw up her engagement, and, leav-
| ing the theatre, took the girI with
her.
During the Fisk regime at the Grand
| Opera-House all the efforts to entrap
her INTO the Bohemian orgies utterly
failed. To all the polite invitations to
supper she invariably sent polite de-
clination. She saved her money, in
vested it carefully, and when fer hus-
band died she retired on a competence
| of her own with clean record. Mr.,
| John NJ. Burke, who was for a long
time her manager, went to Billerica to
attend the funeral
He tells us that the entire town turn
ed ont In the church where the ser
vices were held were the Methodist.
Baptist, and Catholic clergymen. Some
of the stores were closed. All the de-
nominations mourned her The COM
munity honored her memory.
This is pretty good for ballet-dancer
in a New England town. ell?
Ii seems that she managed somehow
to live the prejudice to pieces. Sne must
have done it, L suppose, with her char
| acter instead of her ability. It's re-
markable. I've tried in a clumsy way to
make it monumental Crinkle,
in NeV York World