Omaha daily bee., 1889-01-27
PATHS Dislike for Gcrster.

Mapleson's Memoirs: In Chicago the
opera was Les uguenots," with Patti
as Valentine and Gerster as the Queen.
Before the performance was begun sew
eral costly boquets and large floral set
pieces had been sent into the vestibule,
according to custom, for Patti, whilst
only "a small basket of flowers had been
received for presentation to Gerster.
Under ordinary circumstances it is the
duty of the prima donna's agent to
notify the ushers when the time arrive o.
for handing uD the flowers. That even
ing PATHS agent was absent, and at tho
close of the first act during which Val
entine as hardly a note to sing, whilst
the Queen has much brilliant music to
execute he was owner to be found.
There was a general call at the close Of
the act for the seven principal artists.
At that moment the ushers, having no
one to direct their movements, rushed
frantlcaliy down the aisleS with their
enormous loads of boquet5 and set
pieces and passed them over the or
chestra rail to Arditi, who could hardly
lift them.
When these elaborate presentations
to Patti came to II end. an humble little
basket addressed to Gerster was passed
up. whcreupon the whole house broke
out in ringing cheers which continued
several minutes. This contretemps had
the effect of seriously annoying Patti
who, at the termination of the perform
anCe, made Il VOW that she would never
again appear in The same opera with
Gerstcr. Patti braced herself sufficient
~ to get through in dramatic style, but
after the final tall of the curtain, when
she had time to think Of her ludicrOus
situation, she went into Mysteries. In
her room in the hotel she threw herself
on the floor and kicked and struggled IN
such IA manner that it was only with tho
greatest difficulty she could be got to
bed. AT one moment she would eX-
claim: 1T is all that MaDlesou" and
actually did that sly old %camDaigner the
honor to charge him with having ar
ranged the scene in order TO lessen her
value in the eyes of the public, and thus
secure her for future performances at
reduced rates. lie was then paying
her - 200 a night.
Then she would take a tragic view eff
it and attribute the misad venture TO the
malevolent inluence Of Gerster. The
amiable Etelka possessed, according To
her brilliant but suDerstitiOus rival, tho
evil eye; and after the affair OF the
flowers no misfortune, great or small,
happened that Patti did not lay to the
malignant spirit animating Gerster. If
anything went wrong, from a false note
in the orchestra to an earthquake, it
was always, in The belief OF the divine
Adelina, caused by Gerster and her evil
eye. ''Gerster!" was her involuntary
exclamation when she felt the earth
shaking beneath her ieet in San Fran
cisco.
Whenever Gerster's name was mem
toned, or her presence in any way sug-
gested. Patti made with her fingers the
horn which is supposed TO counterfeit or
avert the effect Of the evil eye. Once,
when the two rivals we're staying at the
same hotel, Patti, passing in the dark
the room occupied by Gerster, extended
her first and fourth fingers in the di-
rection Of the sorceress, when she found
herself suddenly face TO face with DR..
Garleni (her hated rivals husband),
who was just putting his boots out be-
fore going To bed.