The Washington times., 1919-12-18
WRITER TELLSOF
. PATHS ROMANCES
Much Married Song Bird Sue
ceeded in Silencing Breath
of Scandals.

Writing OF Patti the song bird, one
who knew her we'll says: There were
never any scandals about her life,
except those which related to her
three marriages. The first, to the
Marquis de Caux, was undoubtedly q
marriage de convenance. for the Mar
Quis, while he was a man Of education
and distinction, was much older than
| she was. Undoubtedly she married
him for the sake Of the social dis
tinction she thereby secured. When
later the Marquis grew insanely jeal-
GUS of the tenor with whom she was
singing at the time. Nicolini, man
OF hne presence and fine voice, and
instituted proceedings for divorce,
the world simply shrugged its should
ers and said that it had not expected
anything else.
DiAerence In Station.
And here, by the bye, is a story
that has not been told. When the
Marquis was confronted at the Jockey
Club In Paris with the criticism Of
his friends, which is generally volun-
teered in such circumstances, and
asked why he had not called out Nj
colini to q duel. he replied: "A French
Marquis cannot fight a duel with the
| son of cook" Nicolini's father. you
know. was q cook. which was perhaps
a more creditable occupation than
that Of the Marquis predecessors.
There is also a story told to the
effect that after the divorce from the
Marquis and she had married Nicolini,
Queen Victoria had refused to receive
her. This is not true, for the reason
that probably one Of the most beau
tiful of the tributes ever paid her
was the one sent her by the Queen,
which was to this effect:
IL King Lear spoke the truth
when he said that a sweet voice was
possess. you. my dear Adelina- must
be the richest woman In the world
Tribute Of King.
1t was during the time she was the
wife of Nicolini when she was in this
country that she became involved in
directly in a tremendous scandal con-
corning the theft of a wonderful vio-
lin, Strad, which Nicolini, who was a
great collector. had bought from
local dealer for the sum of $780, 900.
The bargain was concluded just be-
fore Nicolini was sailing for Europe
| with his wife. He offered to pay the
old musician who owned the violin
and who had been brought to him
through the efforts of a well-known
| local dealer, with a check for the
| amount. The old musician refused to
| part with his violin for a check, and
| it being Sunday, the cash could not be
obtained, so Nicolini kept his check
and the old msuician kept his violin,
| which soon after that disappeared.
The dealer who had arranged the
transaction was later arrested in the
matter and a long trial resulted, with
various sensational developments.
One of the results of the loss of his
violin was the death of the old musi-
| clan who had owned it.
PATHS third marriage, it is true did
produce considerable criticism for the
reason that the man she married, who
survives her, the Baron Cederstrom,
Swede, had been her masseur and
English society thought 1t rather
mira dig for lady who was a~great
prima donna and had once been the
wife of a nobleman, to marry a man
whom they considered, on account OF
his profession. beneath her. However.
she lived down the prejudice and
they say that Cederstrom was de-
voted to her. as she was to him.
Charming Hostess
Patti was always very charming
hostess, but inclined to require certain
ceremonious observances on the part
of her guests. When she appeared in
her parlor or at dinner or on the
stage, everybody was expected to rise
and make obeisance, as IL she were
some great personage-as, indeed, be-
tween you and me, she was.
During her career she maintained
what might called the integrity of bel
canto, of beautiful singing. And
through this she undoubtedly did
much to encourage others to follow
her example. This was before the
age Of what I would call the scream
ers and vocal declaimers.
Alahough born abroad, she was
practically, to all intents and pur-
poses, an American. and so when peo-
pie ask what great singer has this
| country ever produced, besides those
that are living today, one could al
ways answer "the greatest prima
donna of her time, Adelina Patti"
Old-timers can recall one of the last
seasons in which Adelina Patti sang
! in this country at the Academy of
| Music, on Fourteenth street, before
| the Metropolitan was built. And they
| recall that during that season
| packed house remained patiently wait
| ing till the opera was over and Nine.
Patti would appear in her street cos