The sun., 1903-05-24
TOLD OF SIBYL SANDERSON.
~ ~ ~
Eccentric Career of tho
Beautiful American.

Nbv, sanderson sang for the last time
IN the United States. but not In New YORK
Her farewell performance was In Phila-
delphla She had sung at the Metropolitan
Opera House in the preceding week her
nppe., e.rlt> there WIN made not as ho"on
the character she had sung more than 500
times. but as Julieite
A great deal depended upon that per-
formance for the American prima donna
She had not been successful on her pre-
vious visit to this country and her tour
throughout the country had not been IN
the nature Of triumph.
She complained that she was suffering
the fate OF the prophet in his own country.
Her contract called for only one appearance
at the Metropolitan. 20 it was OF the utmost
importance 10 Miss Sanderson that she
should nut her best foot forward on this
occasion.
The Saturday OF the matinee was cold
and overcast. Snow threatened and coat
collars were turned up high. Most OF the
principal singers at the opera house arrive
early when they are going to aing-some-
times two and half hours before the cur
tain rises.
At a quarter to 2 there was no sign Of
MISS CSdIuSIsOh. Aiio ltAi IVY "S''S W ''~'
dressing room to give the quarter OF an
hour warning He received no answer.
Pushing open the door he found that
the singer was not there. Her maid had
been there and all the preparations for her
arrival had been made. The costumes
were in readiness and the oosmetice were
spread over the table. Then the maid
had gone out to look for her mistress.
IN round thpf the
prima donna had not even arrived. con-
sengers were started brea thless to the
dnger's hotel. while the telephone bells
rang nervously.
In the midst Of this excitement one Of the
doormen brought word that there was
strange lady at the wrong entrance to the
opera house who might be Miss Sanderson.
It was she. In beautiful gown, cut low
In the neck and covered with sable cloak
that was not even buttoned at the collar
the prima donna was scolding her cabman
for having brought her to the wrong en-
trance.
The cold wind blew her skirts about her
feet and the snow was falling. But she
was standing with her neck bare, talking as
unconcernedly as il she were in the mild
summer air
Miss Sanderson, do como inl' called
the stage manager. we had Just notified
Mile. Seygard to come and sing your part.
Do hurry in
is it 80 late,' inquired the soprano with
her most enga ging smile. Il had no idea
Of it,
So the performance began half an hour
late. The intermission after the first act
lasted for nearly an hour because Miss
Sanderson had taken cold while she was
standing on tho sidewalk. and had to have
physician to treat her throat 30 that she
could finish the opera. This last appear
ance was typical Of many occasions on
which 1t was important for her to do her
best
Miss sanderson's last day. were made
comfortable by one reward. She had from
Antonio TerTy's estate an income which
enabled her to live comfortably; that 70 to
say. a. comfortably as any woman 90 e1-
travagant as she was ever could. Her
debts before her marriage were very large,
and these. singularly enough. her husband
refused to pay.
He said that she should have everything
she wanted that her money could provide
after she had become his wife, but he re-
fused to pay any Of the debts contracted
before her marriage. So she always had
the thought Of those obligations to worry
her, although that never restrained her
extravaganoe.
There was always in France . very exag-
serated impression as to the value OF the
Terry fortune and Il Yas placed much higher
among the millions than it belonged. 50
the beautiful American. whose taste In dress
was exquisite. bad all the credit she wanted
With the Paris seamstreeses.
Her costumes a. Aonon were always
beautiful and she wore In New York q
superb diamond chain that fell to her knees.
Somebody was bold enough to ask her
once st dinner In New York II the diamonds
were genuine.
OF course not she answered. with the
beautiful smile that always won over every
body who tried to be her enemy or hold
her responsible for any Of her peculiarities,
they could not possibly be real diamonds.
Poor little Adson would have had to be
swfuly rioh to accumulate as many as that.
But as q matter of fact they we're real
diamonds and Antonio Terry had given
them 70 her just before they sailed on the
same steamer for New York.
When her Paris creditors realized that
Mrs. Terry was not going to pay tho debts
contracted before her marriage they began
to attach her salary wherever she sang
In Paris. So that 1t happened that for
her recent appearances there she received
practically nothing, The salary went t O
the dressmakers who were always 20 willing
TO give her credit.
For this reason she lost in q measure
her enthusiasm for appearing in Paris
even when she felt we'll enough. 1t was
only q few months before her death that
she petitioned the courts to prevent her
creditors from continuing their attempts to
seize her income and to compel them to
be satisfied with a certain share Of 1t.
1t was three years ago that Miss Sander
son lost 80 much hair as the result Of illness,
worry and hot crimping irons that she
was compelled to have her head shaved
and take to wig But few persons would
have known that 1t was . wig. It was
1T a dinner In Paris that shs showed her
contempt for any prejudice against wear-
ing other persons hair.
The dinner was formal and among the
guests were several persons Of exalted
social position, whose sense OF their per-
sonal dignity was increased by tho fact
49,, r. L. O.