The Washington herald., 1912-04-08
BY JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

Some folks there are who say that
Eritzi scheff is the most beautiful prima
donna on the American stage. Others
there are who insist that she Is not even
a pretty woman. But have yet 10 near
the man or woman say that Nine. Scheff
has no charm.
ApropoJ of her appearance at the
Belasco Theater this week in the beautt-
full Strauss opera Might Birds the
question of her beauty came UP for dis
cussion the ether night in an assembly
Of somewhat artistic people, with a di-
versity of opinion that made the srgu-
ment hot.
Lets drop the question of her beauty
and talk about her charm, said a sensi-
ble chap.
"Ah!" sighed his friends with relief.
FRITZ Scheff is always winsome,
whether her mood is quarrelsome. tender,
petuIant, or serious. She possesses
charm, and that is of far greater value
than beauty" asserted the man who had
made the suggestion that the question
of the prima donna's beauty be dropped.
At this point the discussion began
anew, this time of the comparative value
Of charm and beauty. and the argument
became as heated as before, until 1 sug-
gested that 1 be appointed as a COM
nittee of one TO ask Nine. Scheh to
analyze charm and give her opinion of
It's comparative value with beauty.
Madam's Answer.
So I went 10 her with my question
and she gave me that elusive smile of
hers that is so great a part of her
Titchery.
Then quite suddenly she became alto
gether serious.
7 was thinking of this very thing one
day last week. 1 was waiting in one Of
your Washington shops for change. Two
girls stood next 20 me. The one was
very lovely to look upon. She had fea-
lures that were almost perfect and
peaches-and-cream complexion The other
girl had irregular features, and her face
in repose could never be called pretty.
She was stylishly gowned. and her man.
ner was very sweet and gentle Their
change came before mine, and the beau
tiful girl hurried away. while the palmer
one fingered a moment, giving the sales
woman a smile that was like flash of
radiance, that lighted her whole counte-
nance
What a beautiful girl" I said to the
saleswoman, referring to the first one.
Why. did you think her pretty?" l
was asked, in surprise 7 thought the
other one much better looking" she told
me.
The remark has been seething in my
brain ever since
Doesn't this incident answer your
question:" the prima donna asked me-
What do you think" 1 questioned
back.
Power of Charm.
Il think that there is more power in
charm than in beauty, and that they are
not synonymous terms. The plain-fea-
.ured girl in the shop had that magical
that wonderfully elusive quality of charm
which. whe n6ombined with beauty, is
irresistible; but which without beauty
goes very far in replacing it. and certain
Y accounts for the winsOmeness of many
women who could never be considered
beautiful.
And the best thing about it," Nine.
SChen went on TO tell me, is that any
woman can cultivate charm. II is dis
tinctly a mental or spiritual attribute
and, like most human qualities, it is
founded on very tangible. matter-of-fact
things. a woman's heart is the essence
Of her charm. If she is capable Of
much loving, capable of a big, kind feel
ing for all the world. it will be evidenced
by her manner; it will flash out in her
smile; it will reach out through her every
medium of expression, winning human
hearts wherever she goes.
1t is easy to forget the woman who is
only good to look upon; but the woman