The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-03-20
MARIO AND GRISI.
Their Eccentric Habits and Devotion to
Each Other.

Oh any age, HdfTlcu LII looO Uullld NilSl'
who was, perhaps, the greatest dra-
matte singer of this century. She died
in 1869. He, after making and losing
an enormous fortune, died in 1883 at the
age of seventy-fve. Both were re-
markable people, not merely as artists,
and the lives of both will, no doubt,
some day be written.
But it is already high time for the
serious biOgrapher to take up his pen.
While he is delaying, writers who have
but fragmentary facts at their disposal
are investing the careers of the two
singers with legends and myths which,
unless soon contradicted, will eventu-
ally be accepted as history.
According to sketch by one of these
writers, recently published in Paris,
and which contains statements that,
although they are probably not all true,
are sufficiently curious to deserve no.
tice, Mario was the most eXtravagant
individual that ever lived. Not satisfied
with possessing houses in Paris and in
London, he had villa at Brighton and
palace at Florence; and at each of these
establishments he kept large perma-
nent staff of servants. Everywhere
money ran like water. After his mar
:iage with Grisi he never permitted her
% spend farthing of her own income,
md she was thus enabled to save some
| hing for her daughters from the ulti-
nate wreck of Mario's fortu es.
When he was not singing Mario dined
| m frraot state at DiOa n'clOp1S An invi-
| tation to his banquets, we are assured,
! was much sought after; but the host
seems to have made little or no distinc-
| ton between kings and peasants. His
mditre d hotel informed him when dinner
was served, and it was not an uncom-
mon thing thing for Mario to enter his
dining room with princess on his arm.
Grisi, nevertheless, always sat on his
right; and after the soup her devoted
husband invariably turned toward her
and, with a pretty speech, emptied his
first glass in her honor.
He usually slept by day and seldom
awol1e until about five o'clock in the
afternoon. Meantime the newspapers
were placed by his bedside; but he never
looked at them, and so great was his
distaste for letters and papers of all
kinds that one of his finest estates
! is said to have been seized and
sold by his creditors, he learning moth
ing of the affair until several weeks
had elapsed. Even then he only heard
of the business by accident.
Grisi on the other hand, was most
methodical. She arose early and per-
sonally looked after the comfort of her
children and household. Her weakness
was an inol dinate love of jewelry, and
she would wear scores of rings on her
fingers and two watches at time.
She was proud of her beauty and tried
to preserve it by causing herself to be
rubbed with orris and violet powder,
and by bathing her face, neck and arms
in crushed Strawberries, of which she
consumed fabulous quantities, both in
and out of season. She also drank
milk of almonds, beverage which,
in the belief of some, indirectly caused
her death. She had three maids
whose sole employment was to dress
her; but they were not enough for hel
needs, for she changed her costume al
every hour of the day, although it was
her custom never to wear anything but
white before dinner. At dinner hel
favorite robe was of black velvet, ovel
which she wore a necklace of twelve
rows of pearls.
Mario gave her presents almost daily
and at her death she left large collec,
ton of valuable trinkets and curiosities
Although he was always most devoted
husband, Grisi was not above jealousy
and once, when he was singing in St
Petersburg and a rumor reached hel
that Russian princess was showing
him attentions, she left Florence with
the intention of facing and confoundine
her supposed rival. 1t was her last
journey. She fell i'll at Vienna, whence
she telegraphed to Mario, who came a
once But he came too late. Grisi wa:
dead when he arrived.
The French authors account O.
Crisis funeral is almost incredible
Mario, he says, ordered coffin to be
cut out of rock crystal and to be mounte;
in silver. Within, visible to all, was laid
the dead singer, dressed in her favoritt
white and covered with gems Soor
after her death he withdrew from the
stage and retired to Rome, when he en-
tirely changed his habits of life.
"a year before his DEATH" conclude:
the writer, 81 had the pleasure of pas
sing the evening with him. We sat to
gether until far into the night, so com
pletely did he enthrall me with his rem
iniscences. The singer had become ;
philosopher. AS far as l was able tt
judge, he accepted his modest position
and was even happy in it. His favoritt
occupation at that time was the reseat
ing of cane-bottomed chairs"
He was then poor, and, of course, too
old to attempt to retrieve his fortunes
During one of his previous residences il
England he lived at Kingston-on-the
Thames, where many strange stories O
his princely liberality, his kindness o
heart, his curious nocturnal habits, anC
his commanding appearance, are still
current. A good and true account of his
life should form one of the most en-
chanting books of biography; but thi
French sketch of him is too brief ant
too romantic to fill the void.-Casselli
Saturday Journal
Insignificant and Unknown.