Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-19

doubt. ''strike" on the part Of the ex-oueen.
LOT long before she had written q line she had
threatened to do the job; and she made il
known. too that some high parsonage had paid
100000 francs for omission Of his name. This
was hint that others might ''come in at a
isir inquire. But whether they did or didn't,
Cora made no sign.
cHKcKERED CAREER.
NICHOLS Crouch has been married more than
once. An Englishman by birth his first wife
was the English actress, Lydia Pearson, who
was famous in her dav, and. as Cora Pearl was
porn In England and left there when quite
young, II is not unlikely that Lydia Pearson
was, was her mother. Crouch came to America in
io4s or thereabouts, but he brought with him
second wife. Cora Pearl was seven years old
wnen ner father left England. She vas four
.een "nep she crossed the channel and settled
In Paris For time she was in the ballet at
tne ROLES Dramatiques. Then. with a few
gns OF mind, but many Of manners, abe be-
Hah the career which made her name a world
famous one. In ten years it had ended. In
1900 she sought to make q revival of her old
Gnarm oy playing Cupid in 'Orphee aux
Enter, but, as she could neither act nor sing.
she was dismal failure, and in twsive nights
she was retired from the stage and quite alone
IN her misery. Alternating thenceforth be-
tween Paris and London, but never again in
the SWIM, she was practically unkeard of until
the publication Of her memoirs which were so
soon followed by her death.
cRoUCH's FRIENDS.
She would not now need mention but for the
memories awakened by the sad condition of
the man she called father. He has deserved
better luck. surely. Not only Irshmen the
world over but every person who loves grace
fui music and has a soft spot in his heart, will
regret to hear that the man who wrote
Kathleen Mavourneen" is passing away He
was the friend md companion Of the writer of
Home, Sweet Home;" OF Sheridan Kno gles.
the dramatist; of Mrs. Hemans, that sweet and
gentle poetess. and of Mrs. Crawford. 1t was
Mrs. Crawfords pen that gave to Crouch the
inspiration for his best song, for the words Of
Kathleen Mavourneen" are hers:
Kathleen Mavourn"en. awake froia thy slumbers,
Inc n.ae moant.ins gaie in thu suns golden light
Aris1 In thy beauty, thou star OF my night!
HIS MUSICAL CAREER.
Nichols Crouch was a born musician. His
grandfather was an organist, and at nine the
grandson played the bass in a theater orches-
ira. At twenty-one he was violoncellis. before
Rossini and little later he was at the Drury
Lane In London, famous and accomplished.
There ho wrote his first songs-"Zephyrs of
Love-" for Miss Annie Tree, and The Swiss
Song OF Meeting" for the celebrated Madame
Malibran. There, too, he formed his friend
ship with John Howard Payne. and when that
equauy fortunate genius produced his opera.
''Ciari. the Maid Of Milan. at the Drury Lane.
Crouch directed the orchestra. In that opera
Home, Sweet Home, was sung for the first
time on any stage. 1t was years afterward that
Crouch composed Kathleen Mavourneen.
Mrs. Crawford had sent the words TO HIM
The melody, he once said came to him as by
an inspiration, while he was riding on horse
back along the banks Of the lamar river, in
England. He sang the ballad in Plymouth, and
Its success was instantaneous Then followed
from his pen the songs. Would l We're With
Thee" Sing to Ne, Nora" I'VE Parted in
Silence" and others. All of them save the first
named are forgotten. All of them have been
republished in this country. kathleen Mavour-
neen" is believed to have made nearly S75. 900 for
those who have sold it. yet not cent OF conf
pensation has ever been received by the man
who wrote it. In 1850 Crouch was with Max
Maretzek in the first Italian opera performances
in this city. Later he was church organist in
various cities in the south, and in war times lac
was one of the first to respond to the confed-
erdcy call for arms At the age of seventy
this strange genius became an apprentice to "A
furniture manufacturer, and for number of
years he labOred enerGetically and faithfully at
his trade.