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REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN OF NEW ENGLAND


the Lexington alarm, enlisted April 24, 1775, from Littleton, Mass., in Captain Abijah Wyman's company. Colonel William Prescott's regiment, service three months, nine days: see company return dated Cambridge, October 3, 1775; also, order for bounty coat or its ecjuivalent in money, dated Cambridge, November 11, 1775; also, private. Captain George Minot's company, Colonel Samuel Bullard's regiment, enlistetl August 16, 1777, discharged November 30, 1777. On January 15, 1776, his name appears as a fifer from Acton, Mass., on the roll of Captain David Wheeler's com- pany. Colonel Nixon's regiment. Jonathan Fletcher, of Acton, Lieutenant, Captain Jacob Haskin's company, Colonel John Jacobs's regi- ment, engaged February 27, 1778, service five months, twenty days, at Rhode Island;- also, same company and regiment, service to October 1, 1778; also, service from December 1, 1778, to January 1, 1779. After seeing continuous service as Lieutenant, he was com- missioned Captain in the Ninth Company of the Seventh Middlesex County Regiment of Massachusetts militia, July 27, 1780. ("Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution," vol. v., pp. 776, 777.)

The artistic bent of Tryphosa was shown at an unusually early age. When only three years old, she was chosen, on account of her natural aptitude, to impensonate jniblicly " the Queen of the Dollies" at a charitable performance. This role was by no means a thinking part. Three stanzas fell to the share of the little queen, and right nobly did .she acquit her.self. Her precociousncss in musical matters soon showed itself in a rapid proficiency in her studies of the violin and piano, so that she was repeatedly called upon to play at semi-public musicales and concerts. Her voice, however, became so remarkable even in early years, and so much attention did it attract from those competent to judge, that instrumental studies were relinquished entirely in favor of vocal culture. In order to have the highest and most competent opinions, it was decided by her ]3arents to send the young aspirant to Europe. Accomjianied by her mother, Tryphosa accordingly made a trip to Paris, and sought tlie opinion of Madame Marchesi. The celebrated teacher enthusiastically pointed out that the young girl's voice was really most beautiful in quality, that it had the old-time "lyric-velvet" tone, and that, if every other study could be thrown aside in its favor, it would be reckoned among the most remarkable voices of the century. As, how- ever, just previously to this trip abroad Try- phosa had at the age of seventeen passed her entrance examinations to Radcliffe College, her parents thought it advisable for her to con- tinue for .some time her studies in college before devoting herself entirely to artistic work. After some years had been passed at Rad- cliffe, the urgent letters of Madame Marchesi prevailed, and Tryphosa with her mother again went to Paris, this time for a long and systematic training under the great teacher. In two years she returned to America in order to be married to Mr. Francis Batcheller. This important event in the life of the young artist was, however, understood not to be a perma- nent interrui)tion to an important career. As a cultured amateur, Mr. Batcheller had always taken the keenest interest in his future wife's talents, and had aided and encouraged her in her studies. It followed as. a matter of course that Paris again claimed the young wife for a further year's study with Madame Mar- chesi. The notice of the important critics and compo.sers was now drawn to the finished artist. George Boyer, the celebrated critic and poet, became her teacher in elocution, and was most enthusiastic in her prai.se. Mas.senet, the great P^rench compo.s(>r, did her the honor to play the accompaniments at a concert when she sang his compositions. On the 9th of June, 1900, Mrs. Bates-Batcheller , made her profes- sional debut at the Salle Erard in Paris, witii M. Ed. Maugin, the chef d'orchedre of the Grand Opera, as her accompanist. The praise given on this im])ortant occasion fully justified the many sacrifices an artistic career had demanded, and predicted great things for the future. Brilliant professional offers for Paris and Milan followed as a matter of course, but were declined in order that every possible ad- vantage might be gained from further study. A journey to Italy was determined upon for the .sake of the tuition of Vela and Bimboni.