Los Angeles herald., 1890-12-20
MARRIED IN FRANCE.
STORY OF THE GOWER-NORDiCA
ROMANCE AND ITS SAD END.

Mime. Nordica Was Maine Girl Known
as Miss Lillian Norton-Mr. Cover Was
Also from NIaine-Sketch of His Career.
His Phenomenal Success in Telephony.
Lillian Norton, the famous singer,
granddaughter of Campmeeting John
Allen, was born in Pennington, Me.
Her father, Edwin Norton, was pros
porous farmer in that town. Both her q.
fathers and mothers families were ex-
cellent singers. Lillian attended the
Conservatory of Music in Boston to re-
ceive musical education. The excel
lence of her voice introduced her into
the concerts of Gilmore, where she took
prominent part. Thus way was
opened for her to visit Europe and
more complete musical education.
Accompanied by her mother she went
to Italy, and was placed under the dis
cipline of the most accomplished musical
teachers of Europe Having finished
her course of study and become notable
for her power Of song, she received an
invitation with liberal salary to sing i'll
the Royal opera at st. Petersburg. She
went with her mother to Russia.
The manager of the Grand opera Of
Paris was so pleased with her singing
that he gave her an invitation to become
the prilna donna of the highest seat OF
song, and by liberal pecuniary rewards
sought to obtain her release from her
st. Petersburg engagement, but the
Russians preferred her voice to the
money offered. After she had completed
her engagement in the north, she ac-
,cepted the overtures made her in Paris
and made an engagement to sing in the
Grand opera.
THE MARRIAGE.
During her residence in Italy her name
was changed to Lila Nordica to suit the
italian style of pronunciation. 1t was
during her appearance as the great
American singer in the Grand opera
that she became acquainted with her
second cousin, Frederick Allen Cover,
granddaughter of Campmeeting John
Allen. He said: "It was not a case of
love at first sight, for it was full seven
minutes before became enchanted with
the lovely singer"
The history of this young man is fully
as romantic as is the success of Nine
Nordica. He was the son of the Rev.
n. B. Cover, Baptist clergyman, who
died in Pennington, Me-, leaving a
widow and three sons, the eldest 10 and
the youngest years old. As the fam
lily were left4n destitute circumstances,
Frederick, the second son, was kindly
received and freely supported for year
at the Abbott family school. He had
fof IL, inf
by leaping from his nurses arms, before
he was a month old, through an open
window without breaking his neck
AS scholar he was more noted for
vivacity than quiet study.
Aftel years sojourn at the family
school Frederick and his brothers, by
the energy and ability of their mother,
were gathered into q family home in
Providence, r. I. The two elder broth
ers were fitted by their mother to enter
Brown university, and were supported
by her at college till they graduated.
George, the eldest brother, became a
lawyer, and has served by repeated cleo
tions as clerk of the Rhode Island assem-
bly,.
Frederick entered upon the profession
tf journalism, and became city editor OF
TNe Providence Journal. He wrote to
Professor Bell, the inventor of the tele-
phone, TO deliver lecture at Providence
on the new invention. By invitation
Young Cover went to Boston to assist
Bell in the preparation of his lecture.
MIR. COVERS SUCCESS AND END.
His active and ingenious intellect be-
came intensely interested in the new in
yention. He contrived to simplify the
machinery and to increase the intensity
of the magnetic power, using one instead
of two batteries, and introducing cir
cular instead of horseshoe magnets, with
other devices now used in the Cover
Bell telephone.
Having obtained patents and estab-
lished the Bell Telephone company,
Cover went to France and formed q
telephone company there, of which he
was president, with salary of $25,O 900.
He also obtained patents in Germany
and England. In England a company
was formed, but the English govern
ment took the telephone, as they had the
telegraph, as part of their postoffice SER
vice, purchasing of the company mill
ion dollars worth of telephones for their
use.
After brief acquaintance these two
American celebrities were united i'll
marriage, and Nine. Nordica was re-
leased from her engagement at the
Grand opera. She came with her hus-
band to America.
Their married life was not happy
one. For sufficient cause Nine. Nordica
sued for separate maintenance, but
never for a divorce. While the suit was
in progress he left suddenly for Paris,
where he had been deeply engaged study
ing ont an invention to employ magnet
ism in the control of balloons. This he
considered the greatest invention of the
age, both for military and commercial
purposes.
TO test the efficiency of some of his
plans he undertook in a balloon, alone,
to cross the Straits of Dover. Since his
disappearance from the view OF the
spectators who witnessed his ascension
he has never been seen.-Lewiston Jour-
nal.