The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-03
PATTI AS A SCHOOL GIRL.
Attending Her First Appearance in
Public at the Age Of Thirteen.

Traits Shown at an Early Age-A
Life Saving Heroine in Her Teens.
Some "Reminiscences Told by Her
Classmates Generosity to an
Old Friend-Her Old Home in Mt.
Vernon, N. Y.
New York, Dec. 2.-Adelina Patti first
sang in public when only IL years of age.
1t was at an entertainment given on June
49, 1858, for the benefit of the Catholic
church in Mount Vernon, n. Y. Mount
Vernon then was a new and sparsely set
tied suburban village, fourteen miles
from the metropolis. 1t is now a city
with a population of over 10000 The
Patti family lived in a large brick man
sion in the envirous. They were in good
circumstances and maintained a very
comfortable, transformations establish
ment, having horses and carriages and a
retinue of servants. The location was
near the New Haven and the Harlem
railroads, and the house and grounds
until recently were in full view of
passing trains. The property is now
occupied by the family of the editor of
a prominent German newspaper pub
lished in the metropolis. Patti yet clings
with fondness to the "reminiscences of her
girlhood Yeas, and whenever in the city,
she invariably takes an excursion drive
up the boulevard, to review the old home
stead, and call upon some of her old time
friends. This custom was repeated Oh
her last visit to New York but the old
house itself, and more especially its sur
roundings, have undergone so many
changes that she said that she would
never care to go again. What were for
merly open fields and pleasant groves, are
covered by city streets, lots and numer-
Gus buildings. The old landmarks are al
most obliterated. She sighed as she said
to one of her former playmates, who still
lives i'll South Mount Vernon: "Oh =
change, changes; all changes, and all
the dear old scenes have passed away 1
shall not wish to see it any more
Patti made two brief calls on Old school
mates, one of whom has for years been a
cripple, suffering at times the acutest tor
ments of peculiar chronic spinal disease.
Her moderate income is insufficient to
secure more than ordinary medical ser
vice, but Patti has not only furnished her
with the means to command the efforts
of the most eminent specialists in this
country, but desires every possibility for
further relief to be exhausted. at her ex-
pense.
Adelina, with her sister Carotta, at
tended the District school, in Mount Yer
non, more than mile distant from their
home. In "Scharf's History Of West
chester County" reference is made to the
fact that in 1883 complaints were made
to school trustees by several persons that
the piano in the school house was monop-
olized by "a little Italian girl" who at
every available opportunity played and
sang, to the exclusion of other pupils.
This was Adelina, whose genuine Unborn
passion for music eagerly sought develop
ment and progress, paramount to all
other considerations, and on all possible
occasions Madame La Rue, one of Patti s
former classmates, tells many interesting
facts and incidents that never have been
published. She says: THE Patti girls
We're nice in every way, Some thought
that Carlotta had the softest, sweetest
voice; but for rich, full round tones com
pass and power, Adelina was then, as she
is now, superb Even in those days, all
of us school children, and in fact every
body who heard her, recognized her re
markable gift of voice. But none of us
ever dreamed that she would attain her
present eminence as the acknowledged
queen of song
Mrs. Greene, another of her school
mates said: "No one could help being
impressed with the beauty and power Of
her voice. Often, while the class were
singing, we would forget everything else
but that voice; and when the teacher
would ask why we had stopped singing,
we always answered we couldn't help
stopping-tO listen to Adelina.' "
Nine. Angerine, another classmate,
said; Yes, often half of the girls would
pause to listen to Patti. Now, of course,
she knew all of this and you would think
1t would have made her vain. But it
didn't seem to. She was queer girl pc
culiar, but not freaky, or cranky, or silly.
She had strong will, but not a bad tenn
per. While not at all proud, she was
particular as to the choice of companions
Although goOd-natured and big-hearted,
she mad very few intmates and
they were one Of the incest sort Sue was
one of the most generous and sympa-
thetic creatures that ever knew. She
is very benevolent woman. and !
could, Of did not know it would be
very offensive to herr tell you of many
kind deeds of hers. II any one thing
were calculated to arouse her wrath now,
it would be the public mention of her
charities.
The school children were accustomed
to speak of her as "the little Italian
girl" Although she did not like IL, she
manifested no resentment But one
day some of the boys annoyed her
greatly repeating, mockingly, the words:
"Patty-cake, patty-cake bakers man, etc "
Under any circumstances she seemed
to have an aversion 10 boys, but on that
occasion she was tried beyond endurance
Suddenly, whirHng about. she confronted
them with the fierCeness of a tigress. She
fairly quivered with rage, as she poured
forth terrific invective in pure Italian
The English language probably was not
strong enough None Of us understood
what she said, but the boys turned pale
with mingled surprise and fright None
Of the boys or girls ever presumed to an
noy her after that occasion She soon re-
lapsed into her ordinary peaceful manner
and was as good natured as though moth
ing Of the kind had happened. Often this
Renaissance has come to me as ] have
looked at some OF her most celebrated i'm
FASHIONED representations on the operate
stage in recent times. Then it was an
embodiment ofa artless nature Now 1t
is genuine nature with the adornment of
art
Patti was rather short in stature and
athletic. She delighted in outdoor exer-
else and was expert in running, jumping,
swimming, and even climbing, and withal
was ever decorOus, graceful and modest
On one occasion she was a life-saying he
rome. On bright, crispy, cool Saturday
morning in October she accompanied a
beYy Of school girls on a hunting eEcur-
sion to a strip Of forest known as The
Cedars,' situated on the Schieffelin es-