The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-29

A Girls Surprtsirg Studies Among the PEG.
pies or the Midway Pisisasee.

A Glrps Surprisirg Studies AMONG the Pso-
pies or the Midway Pinisaoes.
Worlds Fair which was held In Chicago
last year has produced a number OF results
which lay claim to novelty. but none OF them
has been as entirely agreeable as a new form
OF private entertainment introduced by .
young woman known as Viva" This hap
pens. indeed. to be part OF her real name. She
Ia Miss Viva Cummins. daughter OF Ella Ster-
ling Cummins. who was one OF the California
Commissioners to the Chicago Fair.
Mrs Cummins's official duties required her
presence at the fair every day. and nearly
every day Miss Viva. who is II years old. dis
covered q new attraction for her among the
various peoples and tribes on the Midway The
young lady developed such remarkable abil-
ity In acquiring the languages OF these strange
peoples that for her education. as well as her
entertainment Mrs. Cummias provided facilt-
ties for her daughters study OF their Lam
guages and songs. and the result 10
that she has learned to sing songs In
thirteen languages She acquired both
the words and music OF these songs
SO perfectly that It was suggested II che
were appropriately costumed the deception
could not be discovered Mrs. Cummns did
secure accurate costumes for her daughter,
artistic people in Chicago. Miss Viva appeared
before them In what she termed an ExDosi-
tion Of Song" Her work amazed her hearers.
Some OF them who were suffciently Interested
learned that In the matter OF her remarkable
Mantle an tfa sr f% %thsT
lawyer was proficient In sixty different lAn-
The young lady and her mother came TO New
York month ago. Mr. James Grant Wilson,
Iresidsnt Of the American Authors, Guild, aud
Mrs Wilson first Introduced Miss WAS enter
tainment given hy the Wilson's announced
auages. After she had i'm Pers 0natei a java
nese Bedouin. Auezzln with his call to
ing, and an Indian mothers lullaby, her Audi-
enee had Decome so enthusiastic over her
work that the young lady was not permitted
10 finish her DEBUT enteftalnment until shs
had added seven songs OF the tribes OF Asia.
nasr an htoas h Sns as SINCE .hs1 40;
To "a sUS reporter who saw Miss Viva. In
with the success she has made as an enter
tainer she complained that evsry one seemed
more Ainicult aud the more peculiar songs o.
the Orient. With her this whole enterprise has
that she had had liItle experience 10 the
curious songs OF curious peoples all during
her father; and study In his library often taught
her her odd iitSls sSngSu hey Ike her father
syrs s,IusR5 w ~ eSSiGgy G9a sSmPaTatys
taught Mother Goose melodies s0ms Eastern
traveller Was as IKE as not to be teaching her
The facility she showed In learning their
songs nightly pleased the strange peoples Of
the Midway and when 1t became known that
she was making thorough and Intelligent
study they gave her all the assistance theY
could, When she is not appropriately eos
tuned II IL a little bit eerie 10 hear from her
almost childish lips Egyptian songs In Arabic.
galese. sanserlt. JAvaness. and Aztec. But
when she IA appropriately cOstumed she Actu-
aliy seems 10 he the person she represents.
Thus FAR Mrs. Gun Minis has psrmitIsd her 10
appear only at private entsrtA 10 IN ents. but shs
PsRSet u e b 9iysa fog society tstsESSts1