Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-03-15
PORTALS new YORK LETTER

windows arrsyed and draped with
spriRged muslins. sheer batistes and
iiimsy Swiss. Ughl Ii makes one
shiver, and then, like all the other
women within sight, we press our ruby
noses against the frosty panes, for
getting the icy air about US, oblivious
| to the icioles forming on our wells, and
| imagine ourselves under the sunny
skies, bareheaded and daintily gowned
in this or that fairy creation.
But dear me, | am not going to tell
yon about these frivpls. | love clothes
as well as any other daughter of Eve
does, but want to tell you about that
Circe OF music, Emma Calye. | met
her at luncheon, the other afternoon.
1t was a small informal affair, for she
accepts very few invitations and only
sees intimate friends here. She was
helping herself to an olive, Of which
she would rather eat, she said, than
anything else, and l noticed n curious
ring on her little finger. / asked her
about it. for it seems to me there must
be sentiment about an odd or ugly
little piece OF jewelry when pretty
woman will wear it, sob that" she
said, with one of her rare smiles, sis
my luck stone, laris lazuli. the stone
of sunny Italy. always wear it. 1t
came to me with little bunch of
flowers while l was singing in Paris.
Not the luxurious flowers that are
forced under glass, but Just the tiny
wild violets and anemones that como
up in the spring. They were sent to me
over the footlights between the acts
when / was singing Marguerite. ;
They were tied with a rare old lace
handkerchief and over the stems was
slid this ring. There was little letter
in o feeble handwriting: In my youth
dreamed of woman whose voice
would call me to higher and better life.
found her, but the angels took her
away and I---fell TO the lower things.
All that is left of me now is dying
The best part went long ago. l wanted
could intercede with my God for me.
Your singing last night brought back
all the old memories to me. | am dying
with the old voice in my heart
found it came from one of the charity
hospitals. / went there tine next day
. and found an old man dying. He
stretched forth his claw-like hands to
me and murmured, .Dieu est Bon.
, ] sang Just a few bars from the Spin
ming Song. The old nan smiled, his
face grew raler. and pointing to the
ring, he said, keep it, ii was hers. II
will bring you luck and keep you from
HARM No one could tell me anything
Of him. He had been picked up on the
steps Of the Madeleine Chapel and had
begged that the poor flowers that he
held in his hand should be sent to
Madame Calve.'
1t was o pathetic little story and
simply told. What you want to know
. first about this lovely woman, il you are
|, "a woman, Is something about her jewels,
: know. Madame Calve has n fine col
, lection, though when met her she wore
was cigarette case with "Uarmen" IL
rubies, souvenir. of course. Thi.
i charming oautratiice INDUCES, as d.
{ all Spanish women, In the seductions o
t cigarette. She holds cigarette
t which Is always avery email one
4 daintily between her first and secont
r fingers, and one loses sight Of one
prejudices against women smoking
r. when you see her blow from betweel
q her yearly teeth little Whit Of curlinj
smoke. Calve is not beautiful womel
!, in the strict sense of the v ord beauti
: full; it is tho expression of her fac
that makes the charm. When you Sc
her as "Marguerite'' yen feel tina
Goethe had her in mind when he con
ceived the character, and then whe
J. she is the gay insouciant Carmen,
0 with the wicked twinkle IN her eye
: and the seductive smile about the cor
II ners of her mouth, you decide then an
d there, that Merimee knew her when h
d wrote that story.
It Now, of course, all you women wan
d to know what she wore. Black.
| ...nkk al. ...A sae
t. and black panne velvet waist drape
y with the net and sequins. Around he
neck was an exquisite lace scarf, tie
and Pinned by a jeweled heur do lis
She wore ohincbilla and black turba
"a iauntily on one side, with a blac
K plume noddIng In 'front.' Nothing start
n ling, but no other costume would hav
"a been better suited to the SPANS
"a beauty. II walk SO much" said til
~ charming singer, land depend upon il
~ but here it is SO cold, ugh! cannc
!. 90 out. In my home, ah - turning
:. = me- she said, you must come and sc
=, me in my old castle In the heart Of til
IN Cevennes. It was built by the Cadriert
family in the Eleventh century. 1t
of dark yellow stone, made gray by ii
moisture of centuries. / go there 10 g
Of away from people," she said, "for 1t
ID away up in the mountains, 500 fe'
Or above the valley of the Tarn. l wis
Id you could all come and see my veg
a table farm and my dairy, and my thru
IN great mountainpeaks, which sit wit
IN grim. foreboding faces in front Of n
Is. castle. have christened them Ca
men, 'Cavalleria' and 'N'Avarralse
Why?' with an arched smile. wei
you see it was hot until had bet
o. successful in those three operas that
ke had money enough to buy my home.
IN A peculiar story goes with the posse
~ sion of this chateau, my hostess to
=, me afterwards. 1t seems there is
80 Mile. De WALSH, an intimate friend
We Calve, at the head of psychologist
10 matters in France. Now many Romf
Catholics ale extremely mystical al
i Madam Calve is much so. At the cor
mencement of her career, Mile. [
Ut Waski made her take IA vow that IL 81
ne should succeed in her art she wou
d. devote certain portion to some char
6. table purpose. In fnlflment of h
tn vow she has huilt on her estate ;
IS. orrhangage for 40 little girls, who
she gathers from the slums and plac
under tho care of a Catholic sisterhoo
They are taught gardening and 9th
Ily useful employments. Here, too, r.
or has built church for the ohildr
lie and people of the surrounding countr
to when the public are tired of mo al
n are looking for new prima donna
nut in my place, l am going TO Decor