The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-04-07
DEATH OF EMMA ABBOTT.
How the Queen of the Lyric Stage
Sang the COnsumptive's Requiem
and Her Own Dirge.

There was time, and it was not
many years ago, when every city in the
south looked with pleasure to the COM
ing of Emma Abbott. Every admirer of
grand opera regarded it as an epoch Of
the year. But aside from her extraor-
binary talent and culture, our most
aristocratic ladies loved her for her vir-
tue, her charity and her gentle DISPOSE
ton, and when in town she was show
cred with invitations to dine, to tea, and
to come and spend only few moments
in the most palatial homes.
Her rebuke of the Nashville preacher
is still remembered and often spoken OF
when her name was mentioned. This
pure woman one Sunday morning at
tended church in that city. Whether
the minister knew she was there and
who she was has been asserted and de-
MED. Anyhow, in the course OF his ser
mon he denounced all women of the
stage as fallen and wanting in chastity.
Miss Abbott at once arose in the audi
ence, and after challenging the truth
of the assertion walked out of the
| house.
| It is, however, not SO much with
her life as with her death am
trying to deal. One night in the
| city of Denver, Col, located at
the foot and in plain view of the
Rocky mountains, she was billed to
appear in Faust" In the same city q
most attractive and beautiful 16-year-
old girl belonging to one Of the wealth.
lest families, lay in the last stage Of
| that fell enemy of the human race
consumption. Some weeks before the
arrival of the company she said to
those around her:
"Oh, I hope the sun will shine and the
weather will be warm and genial so I
can hear Miss Abbott sing once more.
think I could then pass away peace
fully and without a single regret"
But there came with the then queen
of the lyric stage northern hurricane
with the very air charged with ice
icicles, which penetrated the lungs.
Some one told Miss Abbott of the
grievous disappointment of the dying
girl. She went to the opera house and
never sang more graciously. AS soon
as the evening was at an end and the
audience dismissed she called her car
riage and directed it to the beautiful
home of the young lady. Of course she
was at once admitted to her room and
told her she had come, like good fairy,
to crafty her wish.
4 The scene which followed was worthy
of the finest brush ever welded by the
grand old masters. There lay the dy-
ing earth angel with pallid lips, hectic
cheeks and lustrous eyes, with the light
of immortal beauty shining upon her
face; standing beside her in one of her
richest robes, one she had worn that
night, sparkling with diamonds, stood
the mistress of melody.
| The first piece rendered was "The
Old Folks at Home" and then followed
81 Know That My Redeemer Liveth."
The finale of this weird scene was Rock
of Ages Cleft for Me, Let Me Hide Ny
self in Thee" And then Miss Abbott
bent over the frail form and kissed her
an eternal farewell. Soon after the
spirit passed into the wild winds which
rang through the wild mountains near
by-set sail for the haven of rest.
Miss Abbott returned to her room at
the hotel and retired. Some time dur
ing the night she awoke with dreadful
pain in the left lung. 1t rapidly grew
worse. A physician was called. Then
another, and another, who applied every
remedy they could command, all to nc
purpose. 1t was typhoid pneumonia in
it's worst form. The Black Camel was
kneeling at her.door.
$50 fades the summer cloud away,
So sinks the gale when storms are o'er.
| So gently shuts the eye of day,
So dies the wave along the Shore"
H. C. Stevenson, in ST. Louis Republic