The Irish standard., 1912-10-12
Conversion of Henry E. Abbey
Manager of Metropolitan Opera House,
New York


York i
e'ssssss's's's see's.ssssss's.sass,sssssssbe
his First Communion at the reeu,a,
time along with the other children OF
st. Paurs parish, except that he sal
IN his wheeled chair, just within the
sanctuary rail. a spectacle and an ex.
ample to all the children. His help
lessness had been explained to them
and had been recommended to their
prayers. During the Mass he followed
the service with his book, and never
once looked around. From that time
he was frequent COMMUNICATE, and
never lost his first fervor.
He was sent to school in De La
Sale Institute. A record of his dailv
life would make interesting reading
He never repined over his unhappy
lot, and spent much of his time read.
ing. Asked once to express an onin.
ION on one of Sir Francis Burnand's
books, he replied that he did not like
1t because the author had tolerated
unusual cruelty to one of his charac.
ters-a poor old man. He was much
loved by everyone about him, and in
tensely so by his father. Having rim
his brief course and accomplished his
little task by the age of fourteen, he
passed away peacefully from pneu.
monia, after receiving the sacra.
ments. During the rest of her DAYS
his grandmother treasured up in old
Northampton the prayer-book, the TO-
sary, the crucifix, and other objects
of piety which belonged to him.
Naturally, the father felt keenly
the loss of his son, whose physical
weakness had made him all the
dearer; Yet he seemed to have been
merely interested in the boys relig-
lous life, and not at all affected by it..
His busy career allowed him little
time for serious thought, although he
followed sympathetically every step
of his sons spiritual development.
MIR. Abbey had set pace for all Am
erican managers from the moment
ne appeared In the New York arena
IN 1877, and was finally hailed by en-
thusiastic admirers as the Napoleon
OF managers. Executive head of a no.
table firm, he won fame by inducing
distinguished European actors to ap-
pear upon the American stage, among
them Madame Bernhard, Madame
Edading, and the famous Coquelin.
His management Of the METROPOLITAN
Opera House introduced to America
the most celebrated singers of Eu-
rope, and provided them with fame
and a fortune, which they had not
possessed before. His ventures were
the wonder of the time, and most of
them We're as profitable for all con-
cerned as they were daring and bril-
liant.
In time, however, he met the fate
OF Napoleon-not by grasping at too
much, but rather by anticipating the
financial splendors of the present day.
His firm went into bankruptcy for
the moment, but never quite lost it's
influence, and was close to re-estab-
lishment when fatal disease struck
down the brilliant. manager. He died
in New York on October II, 1896, at
the age Of fifty-eight. On the day of
his death he sent for the priest who
had for years ministered to his son.
His disease was some degeneration
of the blood-vessels, which showed it.
self In frequent hemorrhages. He
could not speak without splitting
blood, but he made this explanation
to the priest: "The doctors have in
formed me that have only few
hours to live" was the substance of
his explanation; land wish to die a
Catholic. You have only a brief time
In which to prepare me for death,
Father; but I know the chief doc
II AAeS VI Vl0 1dltN. 1 DelloV0 In6m
all. Do for me what you did for
Harry. want to be with my boy"
He was baptized and anointed, and
passed away that afternoon. Appar-
emily, his conversion was as sudden
as his death; but, as we all know,
there is growth in these things, not
clearly visible at the time. but ap-
pearing after the event in luminous
perspective. He had grown up as in
different to religion as the people
among whom he lived; but. with the
alert, unparalleled eye of his kind,
he had seen and remembered certain
things among believers. For example,
even before his boys conversion, he
had accidentally encountered the
Church in one of her most brilliant
servants.
When he visited Paris to induce