The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-03-26
THRARKANSAW TRAVELLER
FHE PIKST or AMERICAN VIC.
LIONISTS DYING.
The Career Of the Man Who Wrote
the Melody Which Set ALI
the West Dancing.

beyond the allotted three.score years
and ten, and his life story is roman
tic one. Although deaths foot is on
the threshold, the cottage is not
solemn or sad house. 1t il home Of
melody, and delicious bits Of song and
music bubble out from it whenever the
door is opened or 9 window raised.
The cd man is Joseph Tosso, the pio-
neer Of music in the Ohio valley, the
hrst music teacher OF Cincinnati, the
man who wrote "Ihe Arkansas Travel
or" and who, fifty years ago, delighted
audiences with its comical story and
infectious music. For six weeks he
has been confined to his house, and
to his chair-for he dRres not lie down.
His disease is Of the heart, and
the doctor says it is more; that
his organism is nearly worn
out. He is sinking into the grave as
softly as child sinks to sleep. All
his life he has been q source OF Joy and
sunshine to his friends and neighbors,
and now he is leaping his reward in
tender care and kind wishes. Since
his illness became known, he has re-
eeived hundreds Of letters asking for
his autograph, from all over the coun-
try.
Marie de Les Angeles Jose Tosso
was born in the City of Mexico on
August 8, 1902. His father was an
italian Of goOd family OF Turin, who
had Ia great passion for travel, great
curiosity about the places and people
of America, and an ample fortune
with which DO crafty bis tastes. He
was an uxoiious old fellow too, and
believed in marriage as divine intti-
tuition OF which one could not get too
much, for he married, one after the
ether,
sKVHN WIVES,
Joseph's mother being the fourth.
Her iather had been Governor of an
italian 81 ate, so the young Tosso had
no reason to feel ashamed of his pro-
genitors. She was the mother Of four
sons, all Of whom grew to seven feet
in stature rave Jose. That son inner
tied from his father a passionate fond
ness for nusis and a peculiar aptness
with the violin. At six he could play
exceedingly well, and in two more
years had made such marvellous pro-
gress for o child that he was sent to
Europe to receive all the advantages
the famous sch Sols Of Paris could con-
fer on hin. From 1910 to 1916 he
vas most of the time in the Paris
Conservative de Musique, under the
celebrated Cberubini, who was much
impressed with his little pupil from
far-off Mckee, and gave him every
possible advantage. Later he was un-
der the instruction of Prof. Maille.
Accidentally Tosso attracted the at.
tention Of ]. B. Ballot, the first solo
violinist OF Parie, and his musical edu-
cation from that time was assured.
These were stirring times in Paris,
and the young Tosso saw much OF
them for boy, for he spent most Of
his time when not studying in seeing
the sights, and the recollections Of
these days are now the most cherished
OF bis "reminiscences. He was in Paris
when Bonsparte was in the hight of
his power, and delights to tell of all
he saw and heard then; of the sixteen
beautiful horses sent to Napoleon by
the Emperor Of Morocco; the internal
machine placed in the street to de-
stroy the First Consul and the beggar
boy who touched it and was blown
into thousand pieces, and OF the
brave coachman who whipped up h;s
horses, saved his masters life and was
decorated with the bright badge of the
Legion Of Honor by Napoleon for it.
But the hey got homesick now aud
then. He had few letters from his
parents, of course, in those days of
packet ships, but when one did come
it made the lGd leng to see America
and bis handsome mother again.
Meantime his father had located, for
while, at Richmond, Va, and dealt
in precious stones. One day he met a
party of strangers in the street. He
knew them for Americans, he laugh
ingly tells how, because they were
gaping about" at the magnificent
sights OF Paris.
Are you from American" the little
boy asked in French.
Yes" answered one Of the party.
"Oh, then, surely you must know
my father2"
The strangers laughed heartily, but
one Of them asked, pleasantly: who
is your father2'
'Csrl Tosso, and he lives in Vir-
ginis."
Sin Richmond 2"
Eyes, in Richmond"
''Well, we do know him; we are
nom Richmond" The homesick Jose
was delighted. He refused to part
company with them, and at last &C.
oompanied them home when they re-
turned, and rejoined his parents at
Richmond. Young ToEso was now
lad OF fifteen, as handsome q youth as
one often sees, and CT wonderful ekill
with the violin. He soon found him
self at Baltimore, where he was Of
fered the FIRST violin in the Gay Street
Theater by Manager La Folle, he who
afterwsrd married the famous
Mime. PlGciae. Here Tosso learned
to speak English, as he sat
literally under the words of
such actors as Warren and Wood and
Jefferson, as they appeared in Shake
speare's tragedies and the dignified
dramas. He stayed at Baltimore some
years, and was paid what was regarded
as the muuifcent sums of at first SIS
and later SIS week for his work as
leader of the orchestra.
In 1920 TOsso made his first visit to
Cincinnati. misrepresentation by
this time his mother had died and his
father had made his fifth matrimonial
contract-had brother living here,
and the family decided TO visit the
West. Thew came to PittsbuTg, bought
a family hatboat, and started to float
down the river April Goth, reaching
Cincinnati July LIST. There was a warm
welcome for al the voyagers, especial
ly to the young violinist. For some
time he enjoyed himself alternately at
Cincinnati and Louisville. 1t was on
one of his trips to the latter pace that
he met
PRKTTY BLACK-EYED GIRL,
the daughter of Louis d. Arcambal,
then Consul-GeneIal from France to
the United States. 1t was on both
sides a case Of love at first sight. Tosso
was enc Of the handsomest OF young