The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-02
ZELDA sreUIN-wALLAcE.
An Appreciatiye Tribute to a Deserving and
Popular Artistic.


Chicago News.
Time has dealt kindly with Mrs. Seguin. Her
voice and her face are still fresh and fair, and
her spirits as buoyant as they werewolf some
time ago. One of the greatest charms about
this popular singers public appearances Is that
she always seems natural and familiar to you.
Even before she has sung note you feel per-
fectly confident that you are to hear something
that will perfectly satisfy you. You seem to
know her, too. She appears to you like an old
friend, ard you feel sort of partnership inter
est In her success, as If portion OF the applause
she receives was due to you on the score OF
friendship She is as great favorite with her
brother and sister professionals as she is with
the public, and her managers always adore her,
for she is possessed of sunny. sanguine temper
ament, and has been signally successful In avoid
Ing the rocks of petty Jealousy upon which so
many public singers are apt to split. In these
days, when the supply of good contralto singers
does not begin to equal the demand, manager
will naturally value highly 80 eminent singer
as Mrs Seguin, who is also a lady in the full
meaning of the term Mrs. Seguin was married
a second time to Mr. Wallace, brother of the
novelist and ex- United States minister. He is
plain natter-of-fact gentleman, engaged in the
commonplace but lucrative business of raising
stock In Indiana, and has the reputation of be-
ing shrewd and successful business man. Mr..
and Mrs. Wallace are greatly devoted to each
other, and whenever it is possible he accompanies
her about the country. | know of no one who
can sing better the simpler ballads of the people
than Mrc. Seguin Wallace. / remember years
ago being upon moonlight excursion on the
lake. 1t was midsummer, but had left the
heat of the day behind u.s. and there was nothing
to remind one of the care-ridden world but
thin streak of illumination on the horizon which
indicated the location of our home. Two fends
with concertiuas had made life not worth the
living for over an hour, and young lady with
a german silvecy voice had gone through round
of sung o-deatn dtties of the day. and that
silence which so often precedes something unex
pected held sway for 8 few minutes. The boats
engines had stopped, and the huge craft hoated
slowly and noiselessly in the water. Suddenly,
without the slightest prelude of any sort and
totally without accompaniment, awomans voice
of almost heavenly sweetness was heard. Clear
and full, it sang the words OF that ballad which
0as brought such pleasure to two worlds. the
tender. touching, lyric of Annie Laurie" There
is class of songs generally despised by public
singers but which always strike responsive
chords in ones heart 1t may be that they open
up the gates of memory for a flood of tender
recolections or 1t may be that it is simply their
human interest which touches. but at anyrate,
never hear Annie Laurie" without feeling
lump in my throat and singing sensation in
the eyes and nostrils that generally presage
mild flood of unaccounted for tears and general
feeling that you would like to kick or hug the
composer, and it don't much matter which.
This is lorg side-track, but it joins the main
line right here WELL that song never suited
me till that time, and have never heard it to
my satisfaction since. | will never forget the
exquisite pathos and feeling with which she in
terpreted the simple song and when
I'd lay me doun an dee
had been rendered for the last time. and the
cadsace of the lovely voice had floated off on the
night air, there ensued silence that was trib.
ute infinitely more eloquent than ten thousand
thunders of applause would have been. don't
believe a hundred words were spoken until the
boat was moored alongside of Rush-street bridge.
| inquired who the singer and was told it
vaC Zalda SaOuin