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The promoter P.T. Barnum was correct in his assessment of the talent and personality of Jenny Lind as being fascinating to American audiences. Part of that personality was Lind's generosity, as she was known for her many philanthropic performances. This ledger page itemizes the charities that were to receive the benefit of a Boston performance by Lind in October of 1850. Boston pastor Edward Everett, acting as accountant, recalled finding Lind backstage, after the performance, at a table covered with cash currency representing her proceeds from the night. Everett was entrusted with the counting of the money and the distribution of the funds to Lind's list of local charities. He retained a five cent piece as "his commission" and this autographed copy of the ledger. The coin is embedded in the backing page and is visible as an impression in the paper of the ledger. The ledger, and the five cent piece, made its way into the autograph collection of a Mrs. Russell of Boston, and then to Aaron Cooke of Michigan. The Cooke collection eventually ended up at the Clements Library. Although the Clements does not make the collecting of autographs a high priority, this collection is of great importance to the library as it was Aaron Cooke who convinced the young William L. Clements that he should also become a collector. |
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