The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-14
Story Of the Career OF Americas
Greatest Soprano.
Sang With Her Mother in COun-
try Musicals.
LILY OF THE NORTH.
Christened by San Giovanni, the
Genoa Master.
Commanded to Appear Before
Gar at st. Petersburg.
VIII Sing in TOpeka's May Nus
ical Festival.

ers than any of the other great singers.
She does not demand the public's sym
pathy because a pet poodle is denied
accommodations in the best suite of the
best hotels.
She does not ny into tantrums at the
last minute and have to be coaxed and
wheedled by distracted managers be-
hind the scenes.
She does nothing in fact, that is
weird or wantonly peculiar.
Hers is a good. wholesome. doctrine
Of common sense and hard work
The nearest Nordica has come to do
ing anything sensational is in the al
legged adoption of the coon song as an
Offset to Wagner in her repertoire.
AS matter of fact. Nine. Nordica
has not adopted ragtime and the coon
song All the stir has been caused by
her singing simple little negro melody
of Poor, dear Nevin," as she calls him,
the words written by Frank L. Stan
ton.
Mighty LAX a Rose says Nordi-
ca, referring to the sweet little song she
used as an encore number when she
sang in Topeka in May of last year,
belongs to the best class of latter-day
American compositions and is so dis
unct from coon songs or ragtime as to
mars II q sui 4lLAHE AllcA d441 OAAC cAOAA4
identify it with such popular music. IT
is a song to which justice can only be
done by cultured musician and I am
surprised that it is SO commonly be-
ieved that 1 am singing songs adapted
to vaudeville and the street organ"
All of which goes to show that Mime.
Nordica is not Historically fond of ad-
yertsing and this makes her a para
dox
Perhaps some explanation of her I'M
diva-lil1e tendencies may be found in
the fact that Nordica is a down East
Yankee and in Yankeeland the spirit
of practical commOn-sense grows rank.
Nine. Nordica is one of a family Of
six daughters and the youngest. The
eldest sister, Mrs Emilio Castillo, has
for many years made her home in Los
Angeles. From Mrs. Castillo have been
secured many little stories of their girl
hood days, when in the quiet village of
Pennington. Ne. the Norton home was
the rendezvous for the unsteady in
clined i'm all the country round.
The Nortons came of good old Puri-
tan stock: likewise the Aliens, Nordi-
cas- maternal ancestors. George Allen,
the founder of the family in America,
landed in 1885 and his granddaughter
married the son of Miles Standish Rev.
John Allen. Nordica's grandfather, was
one time chaplain of the Maine assem-
bly,. One of his favOrite stories was
that when a boy he thought Farming
ton the center of the universe, because
when lying on his back gazing upward
the sky seemed highest Just over Farm
ington But with his daughter it was
different Her mind was ever wander
ing beyond the confines of the village
away to the great cities which offered
advantages to her and to her children.
She even dared to dream. though she
dared not tell it, of Europe.
of her mother, Mrs. Castillo draws
this picture:
II remember when I was a great girl
and mother had several children, she
looked no more than rs years old She
had beautiful chestnut hair, which fell
in a profusion of curls each side of her
sweet. animated face. She was full Of
energy, enthusiasm and enjOyment-al-
ways ready TO go OF entertain upon any
A WOMAN OF IDEALS.
A woman of energy and strong will,
Mrs. Norton was also a woman of high
and romantic ideals. Nor was she
ashamed of them.
1t was because Of her admiration of
Shakespeare character that ner eldest
child received the name of Cymbeline s
daughter, lmogen-
Tt was because of her interest in The
Last Days of Pompeii" that a second
girl was called lone.
What else could be expected from one
whose own parents had christened her
Amanda
The third daughter. for some reason,
had to content herself with the unro-
mantle name of Annie; but the fourth,
who appeared when all America was
shouting for Louis KOssutn, the Hun
earian patriot. became Wilhelmina
Again it was her fondness for tbs
poems of Bayard Taylor and senti-
mental admiration for the young wife
whom he mourned that made Mrs. Nor
afT n f4fc / tsar
ard Taylor. But this was not tho
Lillian whom the world knows. The
first Lillian. a beautiful gOlden-haired
child. died q t the age of II months, and
the next little ore who came fell heiI
to her name and a bountiful two-fole
love
The father. too. was somewhat Of ths
dreamer. although he lacked the prac-
teal heaven which was the making OF
the mother. Hc was an inventor and 4
musician. From both parents came the
musical gift. for both were noted in the
village for their musical accomplish
ments.
A common family group was that o.
the mother sitting at the piano, thu
father and his brother Harrison witt
their violin. the mothers brother. JOIN
Allen singing in sweet tenor. whil
the older daughters and cousins JOinet
with him in the song Often there
were friends and relatives who came il
for an evenings pleasure and joined u
the chorus When the FRANKLIN Count.
musical convention undertook such am
bilious work as oratorio Mrs. Morton
and her daughter Imogen were in tn
chorus. Sometimes the mother under
took minor solo parts. Conductor. pi
anists and soloists were from Boston
ever the center Of Mrs Norton
dreams
And this haunting dream was to be
come a reality and in the most un
dreamed of way.
Efaerfffo q (fI1h9n I'M
lately arrived ina Boston. was one da.
searching for a cousin even more latel
arrived who for an entire day had no
appeared at his lodgings. In the cours
Of his search Young Castillo called upol
lawyer. who afterward became hi
friend. When the young Cubans want