Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-24
DID NOT LIKE HER JOB
"MoSt Beautiful Woman of
Europe" Disseminated.
WAS FLATTERED AND FETED
LONELINESS Said to Be All-Suficient
Without Talent.
TOSSED ASIDE a SINECURE
Plodded Road Leading to Grand Opera
and Parisians as Good as
Forgot Her.

Special Correspondence OF The Star
PARIS. June 0. 1905.
That ''the most beautiful woman OF Eu-
rope" may be disconnected with her Job is
shown by the extraordinary case of Lima
CaYalierI.
As a music hall star of the first magni-
tude she was flattered and feted She had
but to show her beautiful person and war
BILE a few ditties to earn heavy money. The
world had practically told her that her
loneliness was all-sufflcient without talent.
Lima Cavalieri tossed aside the brilliant
sinecure and plodded the hard road leading
70 grand opera. When Parisians learned It
they shrugged at the impractical choice
and as good as forgot her. Now she has
just given them mighty jolt by coming
back as a grand opera star with rumored
engagement at the Paris opera itself. and.
Furthermore. she has just bought a SPLEEN
did mansion in the Avenue de Messine But
why she grew discontented with being the
most beautiful woman of Europe" and
how she threw up the music hall sinecure
on the on chance OF succeeding in grand
opera remains a secret.
The secret spring of Iina's change of
base began with a great hope, continued
through great despair. and ended in q
great devotion. The hope and the despair
were those OF worldly love. But the devo-
ton was that OF sister.
Nothing could be more striking than the
contrast between the lives chosen by the
two girls. When their widowed mother died
In Rome in 1889, Ada was fifteen years of
age and Lima seventeen. AS there were no
relatives and the property was small,
friends put them in a convent school OF
aristocratic connections. whose side special
ty was the education of poor girls of good
family for governesses and companions.
Time in School Short.
On account of her age. Lina's time in the
school was short. Once in the world It did
not take her long to decide against the
teaching career. Besides her beautiful per-
son. she had pretty voice; and even had
the voice been less, her first appearance on
the music hall stage left no doubt as to the
kind OF success she might expect
In 1873 Lima Cavalier was called the
prettiest girl in Vienna. At the famous
Ronacfaer's she had enormous vogue as a
beauty and wearer OF magnificent toilettes
She warbled few catchy ditties. And
they were sufficient.
In 1894 she was drawing all ParIs-and
the clubs contingent-to the Folies- Bergere.
She had discovered the dress makers and
mIlliners OF the Rue de Ia PAX. and was
making acquaintance OF the jewelers. The
photographers had sent her lovely face and
figure to the four corners OF the earth. and
she began 10 be called the most beautiful
woman OF Europe"
1t was at this time that Lima CavaIIeri
Baratinski. second son OF a considerable
Russian house and young man about
Paris.
Prince Alexander came to have immense
admiration for the talent. the voice. the
beauty and the goodness OF the girl.
You must cultivate that voice. he told
her. You wasting yourself on the
music hall stage. which is not worthy OF
you Take up opera" he advised her.
That Is what my sister Is always writ
ing me-" pouted the fair Lima Those who
knew her at that time declare that. per
sonally. she found herself very well where
she was. The climbing of the grand opera
ladder would mean unceasing labor-not to
speak OF risk. The appeals of Ada had not
moved her. Was II love that now began to
pull her? Watts touching painting OF
''Love Leading Life" contains a mighty
moral.
Groaned in Spirit.
Like the camel that is being loaded, Lima
xroaned in spirit. Like the camel, she was
slow In getting started But, still like that
reliable creature. once started, she kept
going. In 1ss,6-e1 the music halls saw no
more OF Lima Caysiieri. and 1t became
known that she was diligently cultivatinS
her voice under Mime. Mariani-Masi
Prince Alexander was delighted. At least
he professed himself delighted. Indeed, 1t
was generally thought that the two young
people so admirably fitted TO each other
would certainly marry-a, supposit!on made
the less uHTeAsOn3oft py the "Sii-hHOWG
fact that Prince Alexander's elder brother
and head of the family had only few
{ years previously married celebrated Rus
sian actress. with whom he was living hap
PLY. Lima was simply working to make
herself worthy OF the alliance. She would
not ask Prince Alexander to marry ''the
most beautiful woman of Europe" He
should espouse grand opera star!
Three years passed IN work and love and
hope Then Lina's chance came IN 1900.
when she was allowed to maze her debut
at no less musical center than the Theater
Royal OF Lisbon as Media In "Pagliacci."
Unhappily. the Lisbon public u hard