The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-11-21
Ehe au gueslau zHornluu oumber Fl, 1889

AlAiSSA1, oUt 1T WdS Ilic C-AOSAeA' " ~"1AA
ty of his wife, and her power over her
father List, whose influence was
great, that made the scheme successful.
1t was she who made the two great
musicians friends and allies and di-
rected their different sorts OF genius
into channels that brought money as
well as fame to them both.
It is remarkable how the woman
clings to the memory of Wagner and
how utterly she seems to have forgot
ten her first husband, who it not cast
in SO great mold as the German COM
poser was none the less genius OF a
veg high order. She has not in her
later years spoken of her first hus-
band, but she fires at the mention OF
her second. 1t was just before the at
tack OF paralysis from which she suf-
fers that she replied warmly to Wis
itor who ventured to say that she was
in great sense responsible for the
success of Wagner.
''The world is wrong in holding such
an opinion" she said. 1T was all his
mighty genius. / could help but little.
1t is the eternal principle that man
must create and woman nurture. Few
women have ever created. They
are wandering forces when SO strong.
Mated with the master power of
genius in man their contributions to
worlds good have been infinitely
greater"
1t is in this statement that the de-
votion of the woman shines out, but it
is more unselfish than true in a way.
One man here who is in a position to
know whereof he speaks says that the
one-half will never be known of what
Wagner owed to this daughter of
family of German Jewish money
brokers. Said this authority:
''Cosina Wagner was what her hus-
band said she was-one of the most in
tellectual women of her time. Not
this alone. Her intellectually even
she allowed to be lost in her match
less devotion to her husband. 1t did
not make her his enemy, egotist though
he was. 1t made her make him. No
weakness, no amount of flattery ever
tempted her into boasts as to the part
she played in making Wagner what he
became. Hence and because of her
royal self-abnegation she will ever be
known as luminously as Wagner HIM
self. They cannot be considered apart.
He would not have gained the height
he did but for her, and her desire to
disclaim all credit is but another proof
of this. She has been truly great
woman, and is the wreck of one that
compels admiration.
1t is even so, for when lying in bed
after the last stroke of paralysis she
still brought her wonderful nerve into
play, and while very nearly uncon-
scious, would insist upon consulting
with her son Seigfried upon business
matters. more in reference to'the man
agement of the opera house at Bay
reuth which she held and still holds to
be Wagner's best monument. She
would insist on having business CORE
spondence read to her, and no advice
of her medical attendants would dis
suade her. Even her son, who strange
ly resembles his father, Wagner
could not move her from her purpose.
1t seemed her intent to die in harness.
and in the end she no doubt will.
1t is rather strange to some of us
that this descendant of brokers Of
Frankfort who were Knights Of the
Order of the Three Golden Balls as
well as receivers of goods got in all
sorts of ways-some not strictly honest
should have stepped into another
sphere and handled men of high artistic
genius, as her forefathers handled the
jewels of more than one impoverished
king or queen in their day: with the
difference that in her case the profits
went to the men of genius rather than
to herself.
Wagner was more fortunate than
most men of his kind in meeting such
a woman as Frau Cosina,' said one OF
her admirers the other day. and in
truth he was right, as the records show.
"Just run over the list" said the au-
thority. "There was Handel. He
fell in love with an English girl Of high
degree and her parents spurned him. He
was but musician. This Incident col
ored his whole life. Haydn married
shrew who made his whole career
unhappy. Chopin was devoted to
George Sand, who wearied of him in
the end because of his i'll health, and
who took up with Able List, who,
by usort of righteous Judgment,
afterwards deserted her for the
mother of Cosina Wagner. Chop
in died two years later. Schubert was
but little more fortunate. for he fell in
love with the daughter of Count Es-
terhazy. the Austrian statesman. The
girl was not worth it, but Schubert
cherished his love for her all his life
long, and his best work was dedicated
to her.
The love affairs OF Franz List have
been before referred to, aud the great
composer Rossini in way was even
more famous for his love ventures"
So after following up this line of
argument it is not hard to see by put
ting on a certain sort of spectacles
why Wagner took away his friends
wife or why the friend should have
viewed the proceedings with compla-
cency bordering on approval. as Won
Bulow did.
Even to-day after the lapse Of many
years. when she is looking forward 10
speedy meeting with the one man who
entered into her life so completely,
when she is bent and broken, II is not
hard to see how il was necessary TO d.
rect the genius Of Wagner IL the proper
way and to bring to fruition his hopes
I o. crfaa Z. for TN. world a new standard