The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-20
FANNY ELLSLER IN BOSTON,
A Dancer Who Made the Puritan Blood
Boil

| A Dancer Who Made the Puritan Blood
Tn these patriotic times, when, more
than ever, we are becoming accustomed
! to bow with uncovered heads and rev.
erent hearts before the grim obelisk at
| CharlestoWn, not embarrassing will it
be to look back about sixty years, to
when our grandfathers and grand
mothers were engaged in raising the
necessary funds for its erection, and re-
call little episode in which Fanny
Ellsler, the then tnimitable danseuse,
and the naughty monument came into
intimate association.
In 1910 Fanny Elser was in this
country, and Boston was, of course one
of the favored cities in which she ex-
hibited the acme of terpsichorean art.
Her appearance created the greatest
emotion and commotion, and made the
Puritan blood boil-with admiration or
indignation as the case might be. The
unco guild had raised their hands in holy
horror. She had been received with
adulaton and enthusiasm all over
Europe, and her triumphs were being
repeated in this country. Never before
had an artistic of her genius and capa-
city been seen here. There were no
Loie Fullers in those days. The young
men of that period lost their heads and
wildly went to every extreme of extrav-
agant admiration. Flowers were show
cred upon the divine Fanny" jewels
laid at her feet and poems innumerable
indited in her honor. Her horses We're
taken from her carriage, and men We're
not ashamed (for the time at leasD to
takes their places in the shafts, even
struggling for the opportunity to draw
the dance queen to her hotel after each
performance.
Naturally at such a state of affairs,
the women rose in revolt, and the ana
themas Of the church people were
heard in the land
1t was at this time that the patriotic
citizens Of New England, her women to
the fore were actively engaged in rails
ing money for the erection of Bunker
Fill Monument. "The Ellsler," with
the proverbial generosity and lberality
of stage favorites, rose to the occasion,
and, without waiting to be asked gave
a great benefit for the good cause, net
liliS over pf,uUU, WHICH sum she OIIGrGQ
to the association.
How this large donation from a stran-
ger was appreciated by the press and
the public of those days may be est-
mated somewhat by the following ex-
tract from an editorial that appeared in
THE Boston Weekly Magazine" a lit
erary paper of high reputation and wide
influence, of the date of October 10, 1910.
copy of which lies before us at this
writing. IT is only a fair sample of
many antagonistic articles that ap-
peared in journals of the time:
THE ONUMENT-FANNY Fills
LER
Fanny Elsler offered the president
of the Bunker Fill Monument Associ-
alton donation of $1,000, or a benefit
for the monument and as the president
left 1t to her choice, she of course gave
the benefit.
''The question is now raised whether
1t shall be received, and we are glad to |
find that the ladies who have so nobly |
and efficiently come forward of late, |
and by their energy and liberality Sc
cured the completion of the work. OBJ |
ject, as with one voice, against its re-
ception. In this they are right The
wages of obscenity-for it lie nothing |
less-should not mingle with and pol
lutte the free will offering of New Eng |
lands daughters.
But the question of reception is to |
be decided by the men, not the women: !
and the rejection of the money would |
be mortal offence against The Ellis
divine Fanny Well, we shall |
see. And the result will show whether
the directors have most respect for their
wives and daughters or for a French |
dancer. We should be willing to leave
the decision to the descendants of those
who bled on Bunker Hill Let them
say whether the monument of their
fathers and their country's glory shall
go up stained with the proceeds of an
exhibition fraught with indecency, and
upon which their fathers would have
with indignation"
Needless to say Notwithstanding bit
ter opposition. Fanny ElIsler's donation
was finally accepted with thanks" by
The level headed directors of the asso-
citation, and foreign dancer had the
honor of being not insignificant con-
tributor to the rearing of the famous
Bunker Hill Monument the pride and
BOAST of New England.
1t has rumored that the dainty Slip
oers in which 'the divine Fanny" pirou-
etted on the occasion of the benefit were
smuggled in among the nre-
'ious documents and mementos that
were so carefully deposited in the cor
1erstone, and that there they palpitate
o this day,-Boston Transcript.