New-York tribune., 1903-02-22


1 have left behind me- Further chit-cnat
which lasted ten minutes. convinced Augusta
Holmes of the mystic power of SpirituaHsin-
But it was not only Ambrose Thomas that she
sought in spiritland. One bright summer MORN
ing beautiful rose fell mysteriousiy al her
feet. Madam" said medium. who was pres
ent, that is a sure sign that the master Wishes
to speak with you" She was in doubt Ior
moment. whether the master" was wagner UT
Cesar Franck, but she finally decided in favor
of the latter table rapping conversation en-
sued in which Franck said: I'm the name Oh
goodness let me tell you that in the work you
are composing there is error in the elgnth
measure of the second violin That Is all
have to say just now. but the error, which IS due
to the carelessness of a copyist, made me SO
nervous that an irrepressibly mysterious force
compelled to reveal it to you Whereupon
the spirit of the conscientious composer van
ished.
In a corner Of Augusta Holiness bedroom was
antique reliquaire, or casket, for sacreu
objects This mysterious chest when opened
was found to contain a quantity of white swans
down, in a falling shower of which the com
poser declared she had been covered during d
night of invocation. In a roll of parchment was
a lock of human hair that, according to the
revelations of occult science, had been shorn
from the head of Boer cOrnet killed by an
English bullet" Among Augusta Holiness cir
Gle Of intimate friends was Saint-Saens' the
composer. He thus describes her culture of oc-
cultism
She had sudden outbursts of mystic passion
One day she conceived violent alteration for
Kali, the Indian Venus-goddesS of Love and OF
Death She composed opera Of whlch
Kali the heroine, and in which there was d
somewhat striGent chorus of Kali! KAN! I'M
placable goddess" with furioso brass accom-
send her a statuette of Kali A parcel IN que
time delivered her apartment in the Rue
Juette Lamber. 1t was opened and contained
what had been asked for. Kali stood with IOot
implanted in the stomach of dead youth. The
Srewsome goddess wore necklace OF human
heads The statue was of dark blue metal. TAI.
hideOus and indecent This was disliluslon Tor
Augusta Holmes, who exclaimed: Alas. 1t IS
indigo from head TO foot, and simply disgust
ngt' The score of KALI was torn TO shreds.
and the of the Indian Venus was never
more mentioned in her presence.
She was haunted during the last two years
with a feverish desire to translate into music
the ideas of Spiritualism She pored day and
night upon her half finished compositions, un-
dertaken in pursuit of her chimera- But her
last composition, charming song entitled Les
Petits Bretons." inspired by the present famine
in Brittany was only composed three days be-
for her death. She hard worker and d
prolific composer. Her cycle of melodies, such
as Noel dIrlande." "Contes de Fees Les
Ivresses," "Chanson Persane," "CC.'cher de
Soleil'' and La Princesse sans CoeU-. are IA
miIiar household words in Fra a-ce. Her
operas were less successful, but Les Argo-
nautes" anu Ireland" have been frequently
given in Paris, and passages from them are oc-
casionally executed at the Lamoureux and Co
lonue concerts. Augusta Holmes was perfect
master of the piano. She played with wonder
full feeling Her fingers seemed to be of STEEL
imparting to the keyboard astonishing sorority
Despite all her eccentricities. the death of the
composer of LES ArSonautes' is a great loss
for musical Paris. c. l. B.