Evening journal., 1905-07-29
TRlIBY IN REAL LICE
A Strange Story From Paris Of the In.
fuence Of the Dead.

I The case of Hulda Messendorp a
pretty little American student i'm the
Latin Quarter, Is one Of the stranees,
on record. She is Trilby i'm real life
and she has been singing under an in
fuence quite as powerful as that ex.
erted by Svengali over Du Maurier's
delightful heroine. In this case. how
ever scientists and others are agree
| Ing that the impelng force was nor
| hypnoiism. but simply one Of power
ful and telepathic influence exerted
over the girl by her dead teacher.
Miss Messendorp was born % years
ago In Minneapolis OF German parents
"heh she was years old her parents
moved to Montana. settling i'm a small
mining town about one hours journey
by rail from Butte Here the Messen-
qorps prospered fairly we'll and when
Hulda reached IS her parents were
aole 10 send her east for musical edu-
cation. AT that age the girls voice a
rlen soprano gave great promise,
After one year In New York under
the best singing masters To he found
there Hulda Messendon was sent 70
Paris, where her studies were CON
tinued under celebrated Italian
]
American girl was so deeply devoted TO
her teacher that she mrsed him dur
ing his last illness. When he died she
was completely Frustrated She was
removed to a hospital. where for weeks
sne lay IN a dangerous fever and her
NE was desDaired of.
When she recovered and tried to re-
sumo her studies under a new master
IL was only to find that he voice had
gone entirely. Not the faintest trace
or IFS former glorious beauty and
sweetness remained. Physicians and
throat experts who examined her
simply shook their heads and said she
would never be able to sing again.
Now comes the strange part OF II.
Miss Messendorp had, among other
accomplishments. learned to play the
violin, She was better than the aver
age amateur performer and had often
laughlingly declared that when her
voice gave out she would still have her
violin TO depend on as a means of earn
ing living. So she readily agreed
with her friends that the best thine
for her to do would be to remain IN
Paris and take up the study OF ths
violin. She worked hard for over a
year and soon had the satisfaction OF
being complimented as highly on her
playing as she had formerly been on
her singing.
one evening Miss Hessendorp agreed
to play at "A small party held in a
painters studio In the Latin Quarter
About 30 guests were there-artists
singers students. models. doctors and
literary men. When the American cir
took her place at one end of the room
to begin playing she suddenly caught
sight of portrait of her dead voca
teacher hanging on the wall only few
yards away.
The audience saw strange look in
the girls eye and were startled Il
hear her begin 10 sing. Her voice. rich
delicious and powerful. rang through
the big studio with an effect that was
lentrancing.
II was pathetic Italian song. rend.
cred with intense feeling. The violin
fell from the girls hands as she sang
but no one appeared to notice il
Everybody was gazing open-mouthet
lat Miss Messendorp. who in turn look
ca at and sang to the face al her deat
master ga the picture.
The spell was broken by the owner o
the studio. who quietly dropped
curtain over the picture Miss Messen
dorp Instantly awoke, looked aroun,
her bew.ldermen; and then tainted
She has no; been able 20 sing a nor
s.ace She saw the picture. and proha5l.
never WILL again