The sun., 1916-12-10

the suburbs and masquerade as a beg
gar. with a shawl over her head. going
from house To house asking aims: she
who. least of all. had IN use for aims.
II was just her .oye !)r adventure and
for playing a part.
81 remember one day on the street
she saw an organ grinder with a mon
key. She took the cup away from the
monkey, and while the organ grinder
played she passed around the cup TO
the irious GROVE which quickly gath
cred 20 see the pretty girl playing such
u prank. h got more silver in u
minute than the monkey got coppers
In n month
she was liable az any time to bor-
row a guitar from a ballad SINGER in
the street and sing Just for the fun of
the thing. while the owner Of the
guitar would reap a golden harvest.
she used TO eo in search OF queer
'ittlc restaurants. and she would sing
and dance FOR the liners from the pure
joy Of adventure. The next day when
II was discovered that "Katti' Schratt
had visited the place u would be ia
nous, like the cafe OF the Golden Calf
IN Flora Bella because all the young
hloods would so there in hopes OF see
ing her again.
With us. however. she was nearly
always serious and reserved. | went
away from Vienna and | did not see
her FOR some time.
u came TO America In 1881 and
Joined Heinrich Conried's at
IN" Tha.ia Theatre. was the Mar
u in Johann Strauss operetta
The Merry War n | made my first
mt on the American stage by singing
Nur Won Natur.' In the spring OF
lSA2 'katti Schratt also came to
America ana created the part OF
'bpf!chhe in 'Divorcons.' 1t was a
his success. | think she played II bet
ter h any one else. and ! have seen
all the others.
do o remember-o, course YOU
do not. because you We're not even
born then. There was Il scene in the
restaurant. FleisChmann every eve
hlhS sent over TO the theatr. st.amlng
not "A perfect meal from soup to nuts.
ana served II with the assistance OF
w" real walters from an uptown res
ttirant. This was the scene where
IN" husband and wife ,Dr. Bas.-r.
mann and Frau Schratt) were having
a Attie supper together. When | an
pear with the salad course discover
then kissing across the table. make
a nasty exit. and a later 1
come in backward like the crab I'm the
salad place the dish on the table and
am OF again. | know the omedy was
appreciated by the audience because I
heard the applause.
she left New York after six week q
ana returned to an engagement at the
court Theatre in Karlsruhe and then
she was In Vienna again. She was
married TO Baron kuss. but was soon
a widow.
1t was at the Vienna Theatre that
she was first seen by the Emperor.
THINK 1t was about 1886 that they be-
came good friends.
she had a beautiful estate and villa
AZ lschl in the Tyrol. When I was in
Vienna In 1898 l was her guest at
ischl. She chose to live in the greatest
simplicity.
"katti Schratt when I first knew her
was not what you would call beautiful,
but she was very attractive and pic
turesquc.'
Other Niennese In New York speak
with the greatest respect OF Frau
Schratt. She never attempted to CAPT.
talize her friendship with Franz Josef,
they say. She seldom appeared in
public after her retirement from tn.
stage II when she did her manner
and appearance were modest and in the
best OF taste. The gossips of Vienna
found little to criticize about her had
they dared to brave the Emperor's
anger. because IL was known that he
would tolerate no public criticism.
II Is n fact that Is known to only a
few people connected with the stage
In Vienna that Gerhard Hauptmann
cut out a line In his play Tho Sunken
Bell when II was produced in Vienna
because there was an utterly innocent
use OF the word "schratt" and he was
afraid to risk It.
Frau Schratt probably FIRST became
acquainted with the Emperor when
she was called TO the palace to read &c
him. as all actresses are subject &c
royal command. II was q custom ol
the imperial court to have a reader tC
keep the Emperor In ouch with thu
literature Of h day.
At her house. u cottage near thu
palace at Schoenbrun. the Emperor. II
was said. used to meet people of promi
hence In his Kingdoms informally. Sh'
vas always careful to invite only thos,
people whom no wished to know AM
In that way she maintained . kind o