Middletown transcript., 1899-05-13
...' lazy KING LUDWIG.
i1ArTl ONCE THREW HIM INTO A
FRENZY MADNESS.

!. IL. Frightened and Enraged tn
Gess.f Disa By FEis Strange Whiml
@ntl When She Finally Sang Fo
} EIsa It Drove Him Wild.
} When Patti was in the first heyda
) ef her fame, Ludwig II, the mad kin
Of Bavaria, set his heart On having he
s.lEz for him at his private auditorium
ia NFRich lie wrote letter after letter
be-: ing, illFloring, offering extrava
l.s.af somsQf money, but Patti resolute
II rlfased to so. She had heard to
!f:any stories of Ludwig's freaks, hi
ealsts aal his unreasonable commands
s5i3 she vas desperately afraid of him
Eat at last the king offered her a sun
20 caormoGs that it seemed ridicu1ou
10 orefuseit. Then the singer plucked III
courage and started for Munich. Wher
she and her maid alighted at the sta
tion. not even a carriage was there Il
inset them, and they had to inquire the
narle Of the best hotel and call cal
lisa any ordinary travellers That was
the first shock to the diva nerves and
temper, After luncheon she started out
to see the town and incidentally to
:, examine the posters announcing the
great honor conferred upon the citizens
of Munich by visit from Europe s
greatest singer. Not mention of her
! name could she find in the town. She
rushed back to the hotel and told her
] maid 10 pack the trunks.
! just at that moment a resplendent
! officer was announced He saluted her
ard delivered letter from the king.
| The letter stated curtly that his majesty
/; would await her at o'clock precisely
i in the Royal palace, where his singer in
ordinary, Nine. Fischer, would give her
/ further directions. Nine Fischer would
!! also sing with Nine. Patti the duets
! which his majesty wished to hear. A
programme was inelosed. Patti burst
into tears Of rage.
II have never been treated so bru-
tally" she said 81 shall leave at once.
Tell the king so, will not sing-never,
never, neverr" The officer pleaded with
the irate prima donna. She must not
disappoint the king. His majesty had
been wild with excitement ever since
he knew she would come and had not
slept for three nights, SO great was his
joy at the prospect of hearing her.
Besides, added the officer, "you
know our king is-is-is-'
"Crazy, snapped Patti. eyes, that's
very comforting, isn't it? don't know
why l ever came. Just then she caught
sight of postscript she had not read:
'The king commands Nine. Patti to
appear in pure white, without any
color whatever, and not by any means
to wear a satin gown, but soft wool
Silk is painful to his majesty.
"His majesty will have to be panied
| have no white woolen gown except
my peignoir. Go tell the king shall
wear red velvet.
"Redl" groaned the officer. "Oh, no,
mol Red sends his majesty into fits. If
you appear in red, he will scream and
have convulsicns. Oh, do be patient,
madame I will bring Nine. Fischer to
you. She understands the king Is nerves.
She will explain -
He fed from the room, and, shortly |
after, Nine. Fischer appeared upon the |
scene. She soothed Patti into good |
humor and also attacked the white wool |
peignoir and transformed it into a
most becoming Greek robe.
Before Z the royal carriage arrived at
the hotel and Patti went to the palace
She was led through dimly lighted
rooms and corridors into Ludwig's pri- |
vate theater, which was in utter dark
ness save for the moonlight that entered
through the windows. Patti stood upon
the dark stage, while an orchestra,
somewhere out of sight, began a soft
prelude. Through the gloom she could
Just make odt a white face in the royal |
box opposite the stage. Not another au-
ditor was in the great hall. The whole
thing was most uncanny, and Patti felt |
cold shivers creeping over her. She
shook with nervousness and fear, and |
when she should have begun her aria
not sound could she make. She OPEN
ed her mouth, but her throat was para
lyzed from nervous terror. There was a
pause The king sprang up and leaned
forward out Of the box, his white face
cleaning in the moonlight. The yiolins
the prelude. Patti gathered
herself together and made one heroic
effort. Her voice rang out into the great
empty place, and the king sank back
into the dark box.
Patti. though badly scared, made the
effort of her life and finished the aria
from t'La Traviata" triumphantly and
stood flushed with victory. Dead ST.
ence. Not sound came from the gloom
before her. She went off the stage in a
temper. His majesty might have given
some sign Of appreciation. Nine. Fischer
vas behind the scenes, and Patti wait
ID with her for the signal to sing the
1ext number. A messenger appeared at
he door, His majesty had had enough
music and had gone to his apartments.
For moment Patti stood stunned.
Then she laughed. The rudeness was so
colossal that it was funny. Nine
Fischer took the diva to supper and then
lome.
The next morning Nine Fischer called
It the hotel once more, accompanied by
he court chamberlain, who bore the
promised check, an autograph letter of
hanks from the king and some Jewels
# great value. nme. Fischer explana-
ion Of the concert fiasco pleased Patti
more thsn the jewels. King Ludwig,
he said, was in one of his maddest
moods, wild with regret, cursing him
elf aad cufei2g Patti He had walked
be floor all night groaning that he
Fi'7 traitor for PATHS voice had SO
his senses that for one mo-
neEt he1hsl gone over to Italian music
nj had. bzen thlse to Wagner-to Wag-
er the ele musician who alone had
atiSsied his majesty s soul
hat was better than having bored
i'm, added Patti. Struggling her
houiders New York Sun.
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