The times., 1898-08-14
cALvE AS A BACHELOR MAID.
Entertains Charmingly at Her Lit
tie Hotel In Paris

tie Hotel In Paris.
Paris. Aug 1.-Caive, the adorable Car
men-Calve with the voice of nightin-
gale-Calve the impassioned actress
Calve. the great artist-as such we all
know and admire her. But Calve, in
another role-Caive, directing her house,
hold-Calye, as a bacheler-maid-Calv
at home, is a person about which the
world at large knows but little. And
admit, it was with all the interest which
hoyers as halo about the everyday life
Of great people, with all the friendly Curl
osity one woman feel about another.
/ accepted Mime. Calves invitation to pay
her my first visit.
Her little hotel occupies sunny corner
on Place des Etats-Unis, in the heart
center of the American quarter-the pri-
yate, American, not the student quarter
of Paris. Thus We may know and believe
that Nine. Calve has allied herself to
America and Americans by ties of friend
ship and love with which the American
eagle-on the dollar-has nothing to do.
Her very windows, broad, low Venetian
ones, with multitude of little cathedral
panes look out onto the statute of Wash
ington and Lafayette. And here in
pringtime-February p when Ameri-
cans come and lay wreaths and garlands
at the feet of the dead heroes, Calve
peeping from behind her blinds can see
and know that Americans where they
have worshipped once are constant al
ways.
1t was buttons" who opened the door
1t was an English looking butler too,
with "mutton-chops," who showed the
guests where to dispose of their wraps.
So far, this might have been an Eng
lish householder one of the -four hun
dred." 1t was Calves regular at home
day-Sunday afternoon.
'Quelle chaleur.'' remarked a French
man standing near me, apropos of the
heat.
And then some one answered back in
good old American: Yes; didn't you
know it? Calve has an American fur
mace, had 1t put in last Winter, and
keeps it going full blast all the time" l
turned round and there stood Clarence
Whitehall. evidently enjoying the un-
happy Frenchmans discomfort. This
young American singer, who made
his first bow to a Partisan audience last
Summer III the Trocadero, and who has
not yet sung in America. seems to be
making his way among the French, al
ready accepted by the artists themselves
as one of them. and coming success.
II might have known it was American
heat" growled the Frenchman, moppug
his brow. Mime. Calye will have moth
ing now that is not American. Eh VOLTA.
ecoutez." he said, suddenly lifting mis-
finger. Everybody listened as ordered:
and there came surely tinkling down the
broad steps the sound of an American
outoharp. And then there came in full
flood the rich melody of a womans voice.
singing some southern lullabye, There
COull he blt VOica like
was her voice. That voice which makes
you tremble and burn and sigh by turns.
Only here, it seemed infinitely sweeter.
too, more Of the woman in it, less of the
passionate impetuosity.
The sight which met our eyes was one
not to be forgotten in a lifetime. Calve
sat on low stool beside the fire. the
autoharp in her lap, the freight full on
her face Perched on two high chairs in
front of her were two little girls; their
bright eyes large with wonder. their tiny
feet dangling unconsciously, their hands
folded mutely over their little plaid
dresses. Calve was all in white, only
bunch of red roses tucked in at her belt.
The freight shone on the glossy folds
of her dark hair and lit up her wondrous
eyes. until she looked more, much more
the goddess than ! had ever seen her in
any stage setting. She was singing for
those two little girls The few who had
already arrived sat in the background.
The song must have been something re-
membered from her own sunny infancy
in the Midi-the south of France. / have
never heard 1t in any opera or anywhere.
You could almost see, hanging about her
heavy eyelids the sub-conscious memories
of half-forgotten childhood, as she gazed
half at her small listeners and half into
the fireplace.
The song finished suddenly and amid a
patter of applause which came from our
hidden vantage ground, Calve came run