Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-02-01
rHE DEATH OF EMMA ABBOTT.
How the Queen of the Lyric Stage Sang
the COnsumptive's Requiem and
Her own Dirge.


the COnsumptive's Requiem and
Her own Dirge.
There was a time. and it was not
unany years ago, when every city in
the south looked forward with emo
tions of pleasure to the coming of
Emma Abbott. Every admirer of
grand opera regarded it as an epoch
of the yea. But aside from her ex-
traordinary talent and culture, our
most arfsticratic ladies loved her for
her vrrbue--ner charity and her gen.
lie spositiOn-and when in town she
was showered with invitations to
dine, ito tea, and TO come and spend
only a few moments in the most pa
latfal homes.
Her rebuke of the Nashville
preacher is still remembered and
often spoken of when her name rs
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 asserted and denied; anyhow,
an the course of his sermon, he de-
nounced all women of the stage as
fallen and wanting in chastity. Miss
and after challenging the truth of the
monStrous assertion and SANDER,
walked out of the house.
1t is, however, not with her life so
much as with her death am trying
10 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 most attractive and
beautiful eighteen-year-old girl, be-
longing no one of the wealthiest fami-
lies, lay in the last stages of that fell
enemy of the human race-consump-
ton. Some weeks before the arrival
OF the company she said ito those
around her: ooh, hope the sun
will shine and the weather will be
warm and genial so I can hear Miss
Abbott sing once more. 1 think /
could then pass away peacefully and
without one single regret" But there
came with the queen of the lyric
stage a northern hurricane-with the
very arr charged with icicles which
penetrated the lungs. Some one told
Miss Abbott of the grievous disap-
pointmeDt of the dying girl She
went TO the opera house and never
sang more sweetly, and as soon as it
was over and the audience dismissed,
called her carriage and directly it
drove to the beautiful home of the
young Eady. OF course she was at
once admitted to her room and told
her she had come to crafty her wish.
The scene which followed was wor-
thy of the finest brush ever welded
by the grand old masters. There lay
the dying earth angel with pallid lips,
hectic cheeks and lustrous eyes, and
the light of immortal beauty shining
upon her face. Sanding beside her in
one of her richest robes (the one she
had worn that night), sparkling with
pearls, rubies and diamonds. stood
the almost divine mistress of earthly
melody.
The first piece rendered was "The
Old Folks at Home" and then follow
ed II Know NY Re6eemer Iiveth."
The finale of this weird scene was
'Bock of Ages Cleft for Me. Let Ne
Hide Myself In Thee" And then Miss
Abbott bent over the frail form and
kissed her in an eternal farewell.
Soon after the spirit passed into the
wild winds which rang Through the
wild mountains near by-set sail for
that haven from which the first home
ward bound barque lis yet to be seen
the stainless soul waited to the
stainless heavens by the sweetest
music ever heard ON earth-into the
melodies of paradise birds.
Miss Abbott returned to her room
at The hotel and retired Some time
during the night she awolke with a
dreadful pain in the left lung. 1t rap
idly grew worse-a physician was
summoned-then another and an
other, who applied every remedy they
could command, all ito no purpose.
1t was typhoid pneumonia in its worst
form. The black camel was kneeling
at her door. Angels of the heavenly
choir had stood that might listened
TO her voice in the sick room and
sent for her to come home to them.
I'm three days that voice which had
so often raised the souls of men and
women to the modest, the grandest
heights in holy ectasy, was forever
stilled in death-gone forth into-the
might.
SO fades the summer cloud away,
So sinks the gale when storms arc
Ger;
So gently shuts the eye of day,
SO dies the wave along the shore"
II. C. STEVENSON.
dallas, Tex, Decem go 1898.