The San Francisco call., 1904-04-10

need to fear nerves and things from
Schumann- Heink. had asked for a
chat on the morning of her first con-
cert and spent perhaps moment Won
dering if the singer would dole out her
words by the precious dozen, in a
grudging pianissimo. Then I remem-
bered Franz George Washington Schu-
mann -Heink and Maria Theresa Schu-
mann-Heink and Heinrich Schumann-
Heink and the five other little Schu-
mann-Heinks, with their eighty little
fingers TO wash, 10 kiss better" TO
keep out Of mischief to find work and
play and bread for and knew better.
And so large a family to pray for, too.
as madame seriously put it.
She came 10 meet me then as felt
she must, with a full-blooded grasp Of
the hand, a "how-de-do" like an organ
note and a smile as sunny as the
morning outside. II was at her hotel
in a general sumptuousness of set
ting-velvet green mostly, beginning
with a carpet lush as an April lawn.
There were several other feet on it be-
sides mine and madame's. In fact in
terrupted a very kaffee- -klatsch Of
-'Ichs." "dus" and ZACH himmels' as I
went in. Madame's accompanist. Miss
Hartman. who also guides madame's
naive and courageous English in the
way 1T should 60 was there, other
friends. and a gifted young woman
with a voice that she had brought
for the singers criticism. Less
used to an audience than Schu-
nann-Heink, I asked, after the
"Euten morgens." if she minded chat
ting before people. If she didn't I
didn't
"Ich," she laughed and lifted her
eyebrows. "Nein. Warum?" She then
rolled a huge chair up TO another that
stood by the window and we sat down
We want a picture Of you. ma
dame" 1 opened. viii you be good
enough to let the camera man take you
now?''
L win. be very glad" madame hos
pitably replied. I have to make smile
face? You see, am not beautiful and
not much yOung-I have son 2L"
4 can't believe it, madame 1 re-
turned, with as much truth as cour-
tesy.
She went of into a riIl OF delighted
laughter at this and leaned over to
grasp both my hands as she got up
from her chair, lightly as a young girl.
Then stepping back, this incor-
rigible comedienne-for such Schu-
mann-Heink is-frowned blackly,
folded her arms, pursed her lips and
said in an abysmal cOntralto: Must it
be 20 ." ''Or 20 o?''-the latter in mine
ing treble. to the tune of a curtsey,
with daintily picked up skirts a la
Watteau, I could have sworn then
TO two aaxen braids sprouting as
madame dropped into an awkward lit
the German madchen and then into a
seat.
May I be there to see your comic
OPERA" I wished devoutly.
I'm a bad thing-no write this?'
she asked as she gathered Miss Hart
man into camera range, with an af-
fecuonate: You viii want her alzo ?"
But I did not promise.
Pretty, madame is not, ] thought as
] looked at her there, posing in large
unembarrassment. But then she looks
pretty, There is a pair Of scintillant
brown eyes, humorously cut off at the
lids. and with the clear, blue whites Of
a child; cheeks Of lively rose under a
clear, warm tan; fine brown hair,
with health in every thread Of its
gloss and wave, and a smile irresistible
in it's radiant good humor. kindliness
and bubbling fun, to make her. And as
I looked at her, like a German Ceres
in her deep -bosomed, ample-shOuldered
prime, I thought there was no beauty
like that of perfect health, and
madame in its incarnation.
The sitting over, the prima donna,
with the cheerful independence that
characterizes her-she quite probably
sews on her own buttonsi-rolled
back her chair to my side. She be-
gan: Perhaps you would like to have
my children NIT me2 Nein? Bring
the pictures, please, Josie" And as
Miss Hartman delivered about a yard
and a half Of handsome Schumann-
Heinks into my hands madame
laughed: The New York Herald al
ways wants my children, too, and many
other papers. This is, you know, Franz
George washington, and this Maria
Theresa" and so on through the
whole bonny double quartet Of them.
They're beauties" 1 said critically,
but wait until Maria Theresa sings
Ortrud like her mother. It's you we
want to-day"
: think madame here gOod-humoredly
doubted my taste, but she told me
proudly that President Roosevelt had
presented Franz George Washington
with q silver mug last year, with From
Theodore Roosevelt TO Franz George
Washington Schumann-Heink on his
third birthday" inscribed thereupon-
Schumann- -Heinks ardent American
ism is not her least notable trait. She
is frankly. ardently grateful to the
country that, for her magnificent ser
vice in song, has given her the means
10 bring up Franz George Washington
and the rest in the way they should go.
She evidences it in the fearless and
comical fashion that made Ernestine
Roessler's fathers major Roessler) life
a very lively one. until the now Schu-