The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-26
EMMA ABBoTT,s DEATH.
Touching Incident That Marked the
End of the Song Queens Life.

AAAtN VI h0 SOhs 4ueCnS Lie
St. Louis Republic.
There was a time, and it was not many
years ago, when every city in the South
locked with pleasure to the coming OF
Emma Abbott. Every admirer of grand
opera regarded it as an epoch Of the year.
But aside from her extraordinary talent
and culture, our most aristocratic ladies
loved her for her virtue, her charity and
her gentle disposition, and when in town
she was ShOWered with invitations to dine,
to tea, and to come and spend only a few
moments in the most palatial homes.
Her rebuke Of the Nashville preacher is
still m and often spoken of when
her name was mentioned. This pure woman
one Sunday morning attended church in
that city. Whether the minister knew she
was there and who she was has been as
serted and denied. Anyhow, in the course
of his sermon he denounced all women of
the stage as fallen and Wanting in chastity.
Miss Abbott at once arose in the audience,
and, after challenging the truth Of the as
sertion, walked out Of the house.
1t is, however, not so much with her life
as with her death am trying to deal. One
at the foot and in plain view of the Rocky
mountains, she was billed to appear in
Faust" In the same city a most attract
longing to one Of the wealthieSt 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, 1 hope the sun win shine and the
weather will be warm and genial so / can
hear Miss Abbott sing once more. I think
l could then pass away peacefully and with
out a single regret.
But there came with the Queen of the
Lyric stage a northern h~urricane-with the
very air charged with ice-icicles, which
penetrated the lungs. Some one told Miss
Abbott of the g~rieyous disappointment Of
the dying girl. She went to the opera house
and never sang more graciousIy. AS soon
as the evening was at an end and the audi
ence dismissed she called her carriage and
directed it to the beautiful home of the
young lady. OF course she was at once ad-
mitted to the room and told her she had
come, like q good fairy, to crafty her wish.
The scene which followed was worthy the
finest brush ever welded By the grand old
masters. There lay the dying earth angel
with pallid lips, hectic cheeks and lustrous
eyes. with the light of immortal beauty
shining upon her face; standing beside her
in ore 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 Il Know
That My Redeemer Liveth.' The finale of
this weird scene was Rock Of Ages, cleft
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 mountains nearby
set sail fol the haven OF rest
Miss Abbott returned TO her room at the
hotel and retired. Sometime during the
night she awoke with a dreadful pain in her
left lung. 1t ranidly grew worse. A ply
stefan was called. Then another, and an
other, who applied every remedy they could
pneumonia in It's worst form The black
camel was k~neeling at the door.
so fades the summer cloud away,
Sc sinks the gale when storms are Ger,
So gently hut the eye Of day,
So dies the wave along the shore"