Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-26


fore the shooting of President Gar
field, he composed and dedicated to
him the song God Save Our Pres
ident." Among his other well
known compositions are, Under
the Daisies, ''When the Tide
Comes In," and Say Not Fare
WE'LL"
Nine. Antoniettc Sterling
Will start for America in about
a week to begin a brief concert
tour. Though this remarkable
woman has been one of London s
celebrities for twenty years, she
is but vaguely known to most of
her countrymen, for she is native
of New York. Her Identification
with English life has not, however.
impaired her devotion to America.
Dark featured, black piercing eyes,
her black hair, always worn in q
plait down her back, she seems
akin to some priestcss of shadOwv,
dim religion that had birth on the
bank of the Ganges or the Nile.
and you are not surprised when
with a curious indetinable smile
and half closing of her eyes I'M
der the porches of her firm fore
head, she confesses herself a mvs-
tic. As she sits with composed
face, looking into the freight.
talking of some high interest. YOU
may think dreamily of the Cumac
sibyl, but in the viracity of her
spirit, in the animation of her
manner, the impulsivc ardor of her
speech, in the sensitiveness Of her
sympathies and the eagcrness of
frank, cordial response. you recOg-
nize very modern woman with a
very human heart. She is modern
in an altruestic sense, her life be-
ing an expression of her honest
faith in the divine paternity, ard
she regards all mankind as her
brothers and sisters. 1t was this
belief that determined or rather
modified her professional career.
She was possessed of the feeling
when she was the soloist in Henry
Ward Beecher's church. This
great preacher declared that he
lost a certain inspiration when An
toinette Sterling quilted her ac-
customed place in the choir to
Journey abroad.) She came to
London and studied with Marches
and with Garcia, and at Baden
with Pauline Viardot Garcia, il
always being understood by hel
teachers that the deep, rich phe-
nOmenal contralto was to find its
field in opera. Such was not the
the thought of the pupil, ''tho
glory of music" she said, sis in
the instrument, the glory of song
is in the word ''Let the SONG
be thing for the heart
Nine. Sterling is a lover of hu.
mainly rather than a servant OF
art. A poem addressed to An.
toinette Sterling has the paren
thetic line under the title, 90.
whom it may we'll be said" She
went about doing good.
This line embodies the character.
istic of this noble and true woman
and to the neglect of self-interest.
to the putting aside of pay engage
ments, she has gone among the
poor and lowly, to workingmen'
and workingwomen's meetings
into east end gatherings, to cheer
with sweet old songs of homely
sentiment, the message of which
was in the word rather than in the
measure. One of her most sue.
cessful songs has been Charles
kingsley's ''Three Fishers.' SCI
to music by Hullah. A summer
evening at Kingsley's country
home. the three, Mr.. and Mrs.
Kingsley and Nine. Sterling, SAT
under soft light in the drawing
room. Mr.. Kingsley asked i
she would not sing that song.
Without accompaniment she sang
and presently the poet novelist put
his fine white hands over his face
and the tears trickled through his
fingers. ''You have given my
words a meaning l never knew
they had' he said, when she ended.
And when Charles Kingsley had
gone the far journey his widow
sent for the singer. "My friend.
sing for me 'The Three Fishers. .
and she sang that and many songs
through the afternoon and into the
evening, a precious memory now.
Princess Bonnie.
Princess Bonnie is an operetta
which is likely to be a success in
New York. Willard Spencer is
author of both book and music, and
1.-THE latter ismost agreeable. Com
pared with numerous other sue
cesses, it is in some respects supe-
rior. The book is clean and fhe