rio, who says that no one ever approached Madame
Patti in the art of obtaining from a manager the greatest possible sum
that he could contrive by any possibility to pay. In 1882, owing to the
competition of Henry Abbey, the American impresario, Mapleson was
obliged to raise Patti's salary from $1,000 per night to $4,000, and,
finally, to $5,000 per night, a sum previously unheard-of in the annals
of opera. The price, moreover, was to be paid at two o'clock of the day
on which Patti was to sing.

On the second night of the engagement at Boston, Madame Patti was billed
to sing in "Traviata." Expenses had been heavy and the funds were low,
so that when Signor Franchi, Patti's agent, called at the theatre
promptly at two o'clock, only $4,000 could be scraped together. Signor
Franchi was indignant, and declared that the contract was broken, and
that Madame Patti would not sing. He refused to take the $4,000, and
went off to report the matter to the prima donna. At four o'clock,
Signor Franchi returned to the theatre, and congratulated Colonel
Mapleson on his facility for managing Madame Patti, saying that she
would do for the colonel that which she would do for no other
impresario. In short, Patti would take the $4,000 and dress for her
part, all except her shoes. She would arrive at the theatre at the
regular time, and when the remaining paltry $1,000 was forthcoming she
would put on her shoes and be ready to go on the stage.

Everything happened as Patti had promised. She arrived at the theatre
costumed as Violetta, but minus her shoes. Franchi called at the
box-office, but only $800 was on hand. The genial Signor took the money
and returned to Patti's room. He soon appeared again to say that Madame
Patti was all ready except one shoe, which she could not put on until
the remaining $200 was paid. It was already time for the performance to
begin, but people were still coming in, and after some slight delay
Signor Franchi was able to go in triumph to Madame Patti with the
balance of the amount. Patti put on her other shoe and proceeded to the
stage. She made her entrance at the proper time, her face radiant with
smiles, and no one in the audience had any idea of the stirring events
which had just taken place.

In later years, when Madame Patti invested some of her fortune in the
beautiful castle at Craig-y-Nos, in Wales, the people employed to put
the place into repair, knowing of her reputed wealth and extravagance,
sent