Year: 1876

When the celebrated singer Henriette
Sontag began her musical career she was
subjected to the same annoyances and
that rising talent generally finds
obstructing its pathway as it would race
over the burning sands of life to the haven
of fame and fortune. Nevertheless her
debut in Vienna was most brilliant spite of
the enormous sea of opposition that greet
ed her, yet the encouraging roar of the
lions could not entirely drown the Kissing
of the snake.


One OF the most venOmous of these was
the failing favorite Of the public, but still
powerful rival, Amelia Steininger; whose
vocal octave had been considerably brok-
en- and reduced by dissipation, but she
counted scores Of admirers, who were
ready to defend her position by every
means, fair or foul, in their power, and
eventually succeeded in driving the dan
gerous rival of their ''Steininger" from
the field.


Chagrined, if not humiliated, Sontag
left Vienna, harboring anything but kind
ly feelings towards Amelia Steininger.


Some years later, while she was in the
glory OF her triumph, singing with the
Sut eShOA OoSCl ouu tu0 uCNCI-LO UC-kOI-
gotten Buffo, Spitzeder at the royal
theatre, Berlin. where her sweet warbling
made her the Cataloni of her days, where
tongues and pens all moved her praise,
the gardens were robbed of all their BIOS
SONS, and the florists of their buds and
exotics to testify to the enthusiastic ad-
miration and alteration of the charming
songstress, when old men lifted her into
her carriage that her dainty feet might not
be soled by the dust of the earth and
young men dragged the conveyance
through the streets to her hotel. Truly
she she was the Cataloni of her time, on
ly she possessed what the Gypsy warbler
did not-beauty and virtue.


One morning during this time, accompa-
MED by number of gallants, she was rid
ing along one of the main streets of Ber-
lin; she was attracted by hearing an Aus
trian song. familiar from childhood and
home, sung on the street corner by little
girl about six years old, who led by the
hand forlorn looking blind woman. 1t
was sad and touching air, and the hap
py Cantatrice Immediately ordered her
coupe to be halted, called the little singer
to her. and said:


"What is your name, my wee Austrian
echo P"


Mamie" TIE child replied, with
strong Vienna accent


"And who is the woman with youP"


"My poor blind mother, lady"


"And what is her namep"


"Amelia Steininger. lady"


"Amelia Steiningerm exclaimed Son.
tag, in greatest surprise.


"Yes, lady. my mother was great
singer in Vienna long ago. but she lost
her voice, and then she wept so much that
the light went out of her eyes then our
friends turned away from US, and we sold
everything we owned, and when that was
gone we were obliged to beg our way or
die of hunger"


Tears welled from the kind and generous
heart of the unfortunate woman as she
listened to the pathetic story OF the little
one, tears of genuine sympathy. She
turned to the gallant gentlemen who
gathered about her like satellites around
their star.


"Gentlemen," said she, the pearling
drops of heart dew glistening in her beau
tiful eyes. permit me here, on this pub
lie place, to take up collection for an
unhappy sister. from whom God has seen
fit to take his greatest gift, the gift of
sight. Here is my purse, do not allow it
to go companionless in the hands Of this
poor child"


''In an instant the gold and silver coin
rained upon the oveljoyed little girl who
imagined an angel had come to relieve
her mother from poverty and care"


"Now, tell me. Mamie, where do you
livep"


The child gave the address.


"Giye your mother my love. and tell
her her old friend Henrietta Sontag will
do herself the pleasure of hunting her up
this afternoon, and having little chat
with her.


Crying for joy, the child ran to her
mother with her good luck and repeated
Sontag's words, but she could not under
stand the violence of the impetuous burst
of tears that fell from the blind eyes. to be
by the remorseful sobbing of her
who once drove this benetactress from her
native city with Kisses.


Sontag came according to promise,
bringing skillful oculist, who, after an
shook his grey head, he had
no relief for the black cataract that had,
up to that time. obstinately resisted skill.


With delicate consideration the con-
versation was led from subjects that
would recall those days in Vienna. With
heartfelt expressions of good will, Sontag
left her former enemy and revival. The
following week rousing benefit for
distressed artist was given, Sontag's
Iphigenie' filling the house, and also the
purse of the blind woman. Until her
death Henrietta Sontag cared for her,
then her daughter became her grateful
protege and received liberal education
that fitted her for an Independent future
The slumbering nightingale left many
hearts hut none who loved her