Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-21


of foam in her wake There numerous
tugs lowering about, and a short distance
away white yacht with slender rakish masts
and stout rakish tunnels kept easy pace with
the huge slowing liner, and rumor whispered
that this sumptuous private vessel was to
carry ashore Madam Sombra as soon as Gov
eminent formaities were concluded
At the extreme front of the upper deck
Madam Sombra herself leaned against the
rail and gazed at the green wooded shores of
New-York Bay. When last she had beheld
this scene she lanky, awkward child of
twelve going to Europe to be instructed in
music. Now she returning, a grown
woman and celebrity who had played be-
fore the German Emperor and the Gar of I:
Russia and was about to challenge the YER
dict of that most tickle of despots, democ-
racy. 1t was Marcila Harrison of Petersve,
Vermont who had DEPARTED it was Madam
Sombra of the world who returning
Near to this splendid woman stood short,
rather corpu1ent, red-faced man, with bristling
white mustaches and hair, who seemed labor
ing under great excitement, dropping now and
then into cultural German when his English
failed He talked with a voubility that be-
came greater as the suspicion that the woman
was not paying attention to his hurried words. And
indeed it unkind of her not to give heed to his
utterances, he being man whose experience in the
musical world entitled him to an attentive audience,
for Herr Schwartz probably the most noted
concert manager in the world. If the woman had
pondered for moment on his position, or had en-
deavored rightly 10 understand it, she might per-
haps have been more mercful
On his last visit to America Herr Schwartz
brought over with him prima donna OF mature
years. whose fame had greatly outlasted her voice,
and the press of America proved somewhat severe
on Herr Schwartz although it dealt lightly with the
singer Herr Schwartz expected to retrieve himself
on this trip He had secured for Madam Sombra
the most sumptuous suite which this floating palace
of the Atlantic afforded. He had surrounded her
with secluson as if she queen travelling
i,rcog, and in truth his protegee had been most
amenabe to his wishes during all the voyage except
once when she insisted playing the piano at the
concert which given for charity and worse than
that, she had responded to encore after encore,
keeping her audience spelbound in the interval
by her superb mastery OF the instrument. But
Herr Schwartz practical man, who did not be-
Ieve in playing for nothing, who liked to the
dollars roll in before the piano lid lifted How
ever, all that nothing compared with the
critical moment which was now approaching, and
Herr Schwartz dismayed to find his charge once
getting out of hand,
At last the woman took her arms from the top
of the rail- stood upright and slowly turned toward
him pair of eyes that were dim with moisture
Herr Schwartz" she said calmly, your at
tempted coaching of me is kind but useless; because
| have not heard what you said, and if | had it
is probable | should not have remembered it. If
you suppose, the journalists do me the honor to
come and see me, cannot at this moment tell you
what l shall say, what l shall omit. If they ask
me questions, l shall answer as well as l can
America is my native land. What my feelings may
be seeing it again rests between those green hills
and 1t is a subject | shall not discuss with
anybody, be he journalist not 1t is something