The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-13
HONEST LITTLE EMMA"
The Early Girlhood Struggles OF Miss
Abbott.
From the Hev York World.

woman against adverse circumstances, y
said Curtis Hoffman, who lived in the same
house with the young choir girl when she
first came to New York.
After the removal Of her family 10
Peoria shs often suffered for the bare neces-
sites Of life. At the age Of the demands
of poverty oftsn became SO urgent that
little Emma was Obliged 70 start OF with
her father aud brother upon concsrt tours,
| tramping from town to town and from
village 70 village through cold and rain aud
snow, never warmly clad, often hungry,
making expenses aud couple Of
/ dollars over at one place, per-
wanderi g wretchedly over the country on
tours that lasted sometimes weeks, some
times months, coming back at last to the
poor, waiting mother, always with the same
results; always penniless, wretched and for
lorn. Thus time passed, filed in with little
! intervals Of schooling and frightened
always by the hope OF one day being great
| artist.
Emma was In her 18th year: during
| the summer vacation she was asked to take
charge Of two little children and accompany
| their parents on a Witt TO their relatives,
200 miles away.
THE opportunity was accepted, and
here among entire strangers, from whom
| she could hope TO receive neither sympathy
long cherished plan Of giving q concert by
herself She was SO entirely successful that
she returned home with, probably, more
money than her father had ever made in
any ten concerts be had ever given. A few
days after her return she walked nine miles
into the country in order to apply for the
situation OF teacher in a little country
| school, and then walked back again, happy
in her success Of having obtained the APP
pointment
"At the age Of 10, quite alone, quite un-
| aided. with little encouragement from her
own family, In short dresses aud short hair,
her little guitar slung over her shoulder,
the girl wandered the length and breadth
OF Michigan, over parts of Iowa, Illinois
Missouri and Wisconsin, giving concerts,
| sometimes to refined audiences, but oftener
to the rough lumbermen and miners,
and someti es in hotel parlors Often
earning only the barest expenses, she
toiled on, hoping and never discouraged.
She said one day: L would many time Gu
ter town with only 10 cents in my pocket
and that would be spent in stage fare TO the
hotel. would often give my concerts in a
| church and, without makinga programme,
would sing whatever came into my head
standing alone in the pulpit with my guitar
| restii & upon the Bible. People in the au-
| dience would often send up requests that l
sing this or that favorite song, and thus
many as thirty times.
~ never felt afraid OF my audiences.
but would talk TO them and tell them funny
little stories, and they would laugh and APP
plaud and be so good natured. The strings
of my guitar would so often loosen and
! break, and l have had as many as six
| strings to mend of an evening. One little
r would always break on my cheek and the
blood would come and the tears would flow,
/ wOnln tO m
look at me so kindly am sure you will not
mind If stop minute to mend this little
string chat is always getting out OF order :"
AFTER that the little NINA joined a
troupe, and upon one occasion sang SEVENTY
i've consecutive nights, and upon another
seventy-six consecutive nights, travelling in
the daytime and giving concerts at night
from town to town and from city to city,
rendering from ten to twenty songs In an
evenlng-never firing, rarely depressed,
sending every cent that could be spared
| from barest necessities to the mother at
home, sus aimed by he unflagging ambition
to become great singer.
Though many admired her voice, few
| thought it more than ordinary, save in con-
sideration of the extreme youth Of its
possessor, and the first real encouragement
she ever received was from the poor rabbi
OF Jewish synagogue in Chicago, who, hav-
ing heard the best singers in Europe, said
to her, You will be great artist and have
| grand career. Had l only the money
would send you abroad and educate you
but be patient and perSevering, your time
| will yet come. Opportunities occurred of
receiving the criticisms of Ole Bull and
| Parepa Rosa, aud both praised her voice.
| But praise was neither money nor educa-
| ton, and as Emma's 18th birthday ap-
| preached the child grew dispirited and dis
couraged.
"Penniless and dishartened, she arrived
one night Toledo, where she sang for O
cold and critical audience in the pa.lor of
the hotel where she was stopping She re-
| ceived neither encouraging looks nor words
| nor money, and went to sleep feeling that
her struggles for recognition were ended,
and that henceforth she must sink into
| commo l-place oblivion. She discovered
the next day that Miss Clara Louise Kel-
| logg would sing IN concert in Toledo,
and determined TO hear her. She had no
money with which TO purchase ticket, out
| Thought that if she could persuade Miss
| kellogg to hear her sing she would have a
ticket presented to her in return. Sue
haunted the depot in order to gam hearing,
but missed her. She attacked an tia ian
member of the troupe, who, not understand.
ing English, was asst unded at the earnest
ness of the young girls demand for Mss
Kellogg, Miss Kellogg; | want to see Miss
| Kellogg
" The incident caused much laughter
among the crowd collected ia the depotun-
til a gentleman very kindly promised the
child that he would make her request
known, He did so, and Miss kellogg took
the little Emma with her 10 the concert in
her own carriage, and after it was over lis
tened to her voice. Max Strakosch was
present and Aida Fopp, aud che three pro.
pheSled for the girl a wonderful career
Miss Kellogg, with enthusiasm. took her e
New York and put her under her old mas.
ters, 1t was early suggested TO Emma Alb
bott, after her arrival in the metropolis
that she should seek a position in one Of the
church choirs. Miss Kellogg gave her let
ters OF introduction to Mr.. Beecher and &c
DIR. Chaplin. The latter received her kindly
anc referred her to the music commit, es OF
his church, and there began her first steps
toward that higher musical education
which she SO greatly desired. So deeply in
terested did Mrs. George Hoffman, a man,
Der of the church, become in the girl that
she gave her home at her house on Fifth
avenue. where began theromauce of Emma
Abbotts life in the nesting of EU gene
Wetheren. These early days of Miss Abbot;
have not been fully told. Nothing like 80,
900 was contributed for her education. Three
thousand would be nearer the markm
Doesn't Know Who He Is.
From the Cherokee Scout
Eight years ago George Virgins, son OF
| w. Is, Virgins. who is a d rOml emit citjz an