, 1891-01-25


From the day when. a little girl, she de
cided that she had too few opportunities
for Advancement in the little western
town where the first ten or twelve years
OF her life were passed, and started-with
her shoes In her hand to save them from
wear-to make her way TO the east and
fortune, to the night a few weeks ago
when, contrary 20 the doctors peremptory
orders, she sang her part with a flush Of
high fever on her cheek rather than disaP-
point an audience. she lived up to her mot
to as few OF US live up to ours.
At first she conquered, at last she died.
About her death fate woye a web of CO.
incident romance. When she stepped from
a railroad train at Garden City, Kan, jan.
0, 1889, a telegram was handed to her an
nouncing the death OF her husband, Eu-
gene Wetherell, at Denver. Jan. O, 1891,
just two years later. kilograms were sent
to the four quarters OF the world from Salt
Lake City, Utah, and they told that the
beautiful singer herself had passed away.
These bits OF yellow paper marked the end
Of a career full of unusual events, great
ambitions long unfulhlled, but at last real
lied beyond her brightest dreams, many
heGrtaches, many joys.
She was born in Chicago In 1851. Her
father was a musician of some local note,
but very poor. Not long after her birth
he removed to Peoria, his, and that was
Emma's home until she adopted her brave
motto and set out alone and ~penniless TO
win the world or perish. Before she took
this remarkable step her father, who gave
music lessons and played at an occasional
concert, had taught her how TO play the
guitar, and had given her voice such small
cultivation as he was capable Of. When
her ninth birthday came IL found her stur-
Oily pushing at the wheel of family fortune
hv agafatfun nj her fufbarfa rpnrartu NpF
long afterward began her Journey to New
York.
Once there the purity and strength OF
her voice and her girlish beauty soon
gained for her n tiny reputation in the
cheap musical circles into which she OBJ
tanned access through letters written by
her father. By great good fortune the
attention OF Clara Louise Kellogg was at
tracted to her. To the kindness of the lat
ter great singer and good woman Emma
Abbott doubtless owed much of her sue
cess in life, and IL was a kindness which
she never forgot. Miss Kellogg was the
means OF obtaining for her a position In the
choir OF n large Brooklyn church. After
that end was attained no ones friendship
was needed. The glorious voice was enough.
By and by the congregation OF the church,
realizing the great possibilities OF their
beautiful soprano, decided 60 send her to
Paris, where her voice could receive atten-
ton from masters worthy OF the task.
Ten thousand dollars was set aside for
this purpose, and Eugene l. Wetherell, a
young member OF the congregation, wa
made custodian of the fund.
The church's proteRe progressed finely
under the tutelage of the French masters.
Patti, whose boudoir the young singer in
yRded in her determination to do every
thing to win success, snatched a handful of
Jewels from her own ears and throat and
pressed them on the delighted girl aftor
hearing her sing. Not satisfied with this,
Patti gave her letters to Mapleson and
Gye, the great musical managers, which
assured her a hearing she would otherwise
have secured with great difficulty. In
this way was the first part OF her student
life in Paris passed. Fortune smiled her
sweetest. To be sure, the money which