The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-07-04

hearted appreciation AS a singer she was
joy to the cultivated here in st. Pau
about 20 years ago. Possessing rich con-
tralto voice trained in the best italian
school, ample, intense and dramatic, and
powerfully moving in church music, it was
a revelation Of the ardent soul in vocal
expression. The memory of her 20 Cor
Amoris' is an elevation Of the heart even
as remembrance, and the phraSing of
some passages in certain Gloria will here
after bring her to mind when other re-
minders lessen in vividness. Less in vivid
ness! 1t does not seem possible that the
ordinary touch of oblivion affecting every
human career can diminish the spell of
Mrs Donnelly's transcendent loyalty to
friendship, and to every ennobling interest
OF humanity There will be much said, and
very truthfully as far as 1t goes, of her
devotion to home, to husband, and to
children. But, above all this, Mrs. Dom
nelly was greater than her life, albeit the
domestic testimony is convincing enough
of her essential womanliness to ordinary
observation.
Beyond the faithful performance of every
exaction in the household routine, her fine
mind and impressive character fitted her
Tor the commanding recognition of the in
tellectual world Her discrimination and
literary judgment were a natural gift
which culture deepened into admirable ser
vice. The lonely. isolated years in the
small village of Nininger held compensation
Tor the courageous woman whose lot was
cast there. The strong individuality was
not subjected to any of the decoration Of
too much worldliness, and it remained to
the end in God-given goodness and SINGER
lty 1t has been written by one who had
experience to make it valuable, of the eff
fects of an isolated life in a new settle
ment that there are those in whom the
old life and the new harmonic instead of
claShlng, and whom seem to have drawn
into their natures the best elements of
both; the amenity of manners remains, the
graceful Difference to the feeling of Others
while what is merely conventional and ex-
ternal has passed away, leaving SIM
pnclty and dlrectness, a perfect openness
in word and deed which, when met with
in persons of forcible character and ex-
banded intellect, has charm not to be re-
sisted. Mrs. Donnelly gained all this, and
besides she was born with the sanity sense
of humility and patience which made every
disappointment and sorrow a part of the
eternal plan. The last time the writer saw
her she looked at the crucifix always in
sight of the dying eyes, and said: when
look at that, l try not to complain" To
reel the perfect trust that her friends had
in Mrs. Donnelly was alone a most signifi-
cant tribute to her grand steadfastness
Nothing could mar her staunch fidelity to
her world, nor disturb the cOnSoling equity
OF her opinion concerning persons and facts
Her genuiness and unvarying naturalness
were qualities that heightened the attrac-
tivness of her superior merit
What this noble woman was, essentially
is 1ncommunicable by words, as the best
part of a fine life must be when it is a
question of describing the souls part in it,
When Mrs. Donnelly was buried it seemed
to one Of her many friends as if portion
OF Minnesota had gone with her, leaving
only an imperishable memory of the primal
beginning here, when we were all young
together, set in landscape of green lone
hness IN summer and white loneliness in
winter; without neighbors, railways, tele-
graph. schools, churches, congenial hui
manity-without even a fence to suggest a
settler beyond. In that primal scene
among the surviving avant garde who made
for the civilization of today Mrs. Ignatius
Donnelly will ever remain a memorable
Inquire for her courage, edifying life and
glorious voice, which sOOthed the homesick
hearts pining for the back settlements, and
delighted the cultivated musical sense into
thankfulness for that blessed resident gift
out of the far-away East.
Now in enternity, she is where goodness
and music are associated forever in the
Divine Presence.