The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-23
A ROYAL LOVER.
German Crown Prince Infatuat-
ed With Geraldine Farrar.
Baseball Players Daughter and
Son Of King.
A BIG OYERGROWN BOY
American PrimR Donna Says
He Bushes and Stammers.
Calls Marriage Gossip About
Herself and Prince Nonsense.
A BIG OYERGROWN BOY

"Oh. the crown prince is just a big
overgrown boy. Why, he got red In
the face and stammered like school
boy when he talked to me. It's just
nonsense to say I am going to marry
him"
This is the way Miss Geraldine Far
rar talks about the heir to the German
crown. Miss Farrar. viii is the daugh-
ter of Sid Farrar. once the crack nrSt
team, is a great friend of Miss Helen
Mast of Denver. Miss Mast is a
daughter of Photographer Charles A
Mast and is finishing her musical edu-
cation abroad
Miss Farrar has arrived in Paris
and is the guest of Mrs Bertram
Webb. one of the leaders of the Amer
ican and English set Miss Farrar
benefit for a summer home for child
rem at Trilport.
In speaking of her friend regarding
her great success, she said:
when 1 was first engaged to sing
in the royal opera l was just 10 years
old Indeed, was so young that
when the question of contract was
brought up it was agreed that there
should be merely a verbal understand
ing with the directors.
MY mother always went with me
behind the scenes, and that imme-
diately became one of the sources OF
trouble. The other members of the
company, all of them much older
than 1 was. began criticising me for
bringing my mother to the theater.
When I ignored this they resorted to
jibes like this:
do you like your milk warmed,
little one?' and Can you walk yet?'
4 did not permit this to worry me,
and then the women singers, all of
them from 80 to 40 years old, went
TO the directors of the theater and
demanded the right to bring their
mothers behind the scenes.
In order to put a stop to this, one
of the new directors forbade my moth
er going behind the scenes. He was
so obdurate about it that I wrote to
Emperor William asking his consent
to continue to do as had been doing
about the matter. I said that if this
could not be done 1 must insist upon
being released from my contract. as
one of my age could not go behind
the scenes alone.
1.-The emperor Immediately ordered
the director to permit mother to &C
company me on the stage at all per-
to appear at the royal palace and
sing for him. The empress highly
commended me for having my mother
with me always at the theater and
was most cordial to me.
"On the following day I was in
Vited to dine with the royal family
and was introduced to the crown
prince The prince never left my side
for moment while / was in the pal
ace. in spite of signals to him from
the empress that he must not neglect
the other guests L did not mind his
attentions in the least. nor did 1 feel
the need of my mothers presence
there. as the crown prince is Just a
great big boy. He blushed and STAN
mered and was evidently embarras sed
in the presence of an operate star.
Although year older than 1 was at
the time, he seemed much younger.
The next night the prince was in
hoy nd
he applauded me extravagantly He
made no secret of the fact that he was
sending his card to me behind the
scenes with a line of CONCENTRATION
written on it. 1 had left the theater
so the prince sent the card with mes
senger to me at my home, in the
royal carriage.
"Other members of the court had
called on me that afternoon and SO
the story was started that the princes
carriage was always at my door. Then
some American girls who knew me
whispered to their friends that one
of the princes rings nau been found
in my rooms. All sorts of stories fol-
lowed in the wake of these-aH of
them extremely absurd.
while was studying with IilIi |
Lehman last winter she assured me
that she had had it on the best author
lty that I had gone on a cruise with |
the emperor on his yacht, disguised
as a sailor. All of it was so ridis11-
lousy absurd that it was hardly worth
a denial. but / did not care to profit
by that sort of elf-advertisement. and
said so very plainly.
Jealousy against me in Berlin grew
TO such degree that anonymous let
tiers began to come to me almost daiiv
the writer's all warning me that 1 must
IeaVe the city. The letters were al |
ways timed so they would reach me
Just before performance. One let
ter-writer warned me that If I at |
tempted to sing that night the whole !
'front.' row of the theater would be /
packed with men and women who |
would shout out just what was paid /
for my songs.
I ignored all of this and in a gen
eral way it must be said that the Rer
lin public treated me very kindly ana
CONSIDERABLY. Oddly enough MANY of |
the calumnies that We're started /
against me had their origin among
people of my own country. In face
or II all determined to leave Rer-
I'm. but was induced to reconsider n
ana last winter. at Monte Carlo |
signed new contract for three Years
got my own terms as to salary and |
the roles in which l am to appear
The goal of my ambition is Ameri
ca, but 1 feel too young vet to sing
before a public that is accustomed t0
the highest talent and is so exactiners,
While Miss Farrar was singing in
Berlin last winter, Emperor William
gave her magnificent diamond