Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-10-27
SCHUMANN-HEINK
MOTHERLY AS EVER
[Continued from First Page.l

stronger, but oh, it is so hard!" The +,
keen, kind eyes grew misty with
unshed tears. II cannot deny my
parentage. l had a wonderful moth |
er and father. For generations my
family were well-known military
people of Austria. l have one boy
, who serves Germany. He is in the
crew of submarine and do not
know! He may be alive to-day, he
may not. My little grandchildren
over there are in need. They have
only what / can do for them and l
cannot get letters through. 1t is so
sad, SO terrible but the good God
must have reason for 1t all. We
cannot understand. My husband. the
father of my children, died fourteen
years ago. l made an unfortunate
marriage after that but for six years
l have been free. l am glad because
no one can influence me now not to
give, give, give of the money l can
make for my boys good. l have
bought Liberty bonds, yes, but have
given a good deal to the order of the
Knights of Columbus U am Ro-
man Catholic), and to the Y. M. c. A. |
Do you know | think that is the most
wonderfully good thing in this coun-
try? oh, what a help it is to them,
what comfort and inspiration!. Too
much cannot be said of it or done
for it. Listen to me. The Liberty
bonds would sell faster If some of the
horrible stories being carried about
the county by speechmakers were
left untold. / am not German hut
| have lived for years in their coun-
try and L know the people. l tell
you they are not the sort to impale
| infants upon the points of bayonetS
for pleasure. They are cruel, grant
you, but to adults. The Germans
reverence childhood. Because a few
officers are beasts, should the whole
nation be counted so? If l should
make you angry or you me, we would
fight it out between ourselves but
without hate in our hearts, with only
sorrow and love-"
Loves Her Children
But you are so big hearted, so
broad minded and simple like the
really great people of the world al
ways are that you would find it diff
ficult," ventured her interviewer.
Madame Schumann-Heink raised a.
modest hand in protest.
II great? Why, l am not learned.
/ am only singer and mother.
love my children so much that want
all the world to love them, too, and
be kind to them and so l just love
everybody for their sakes."
A few years ago one of the sons
developed weak lungs. This simple
mother" sent him to California and
then bought a cattle ranch for him
in Arizona. Here he regained mis-
health and recently passed the gov
ernment test.
when l received word that he
was accepted, that he was we'll and
strong, it hurt but l wrote to him as
| jolly a letter as l could and told him
to use his two good lungs to fight for
Uncle Sam and to cheer as loud as
ever he could with them when he
saw our flag" she said.
Yet there are some who dare ac-
cuse this woman of pro-German sem
timents!
"Oh, those camps where our Amer
lean boys are training! You have no
idea what they are. Sometimes it
goes like wildfire down the streets of
them, 'Schumann-Hein is with us
and they crowd around me and call
me Mother, Mother Schumann-
Heink.' God!" throwing wide her
arms, Il could give them every cent
have. could die for them inch
by inch!"
1.-The great singer has found time
during her busy life to give birth to
six sons and two daughters. When
spoken to about it she smiled.
81 sang one hour before my first
baby came" she said, land L was in
concert nine days afterward. 1t was
necessary. we were So poor L H6eueu
food for my little family as they
came along. Their father was good
man but not we'll. He was an in
valid for then years before his death.
He was a Mason. Surely you know
of that order? Often I pleased him
by singing at their entertainments
in those early days.
"a few years ago / closed the
eyes of one of my boys, a grown man
90 NfxE nip fhnt1p1f II
knew trouble and sorrow" the brave
voice broke, "but it was nothing
compared to to-day! Yet no tears.
We must be strong. We must We
must So much depends upon us
women but there is always the pain
in the heart"
Give Lads Ideal
Madame Schumann- -Heink thinks
it wronk to instill hate into the boys
in training.
why tell tales which lower the
dignity of an enemy?" she asked.
"Give our lads instead a high ideal
for which to fight. not with hatred in
their hearts but with determination
to win for the world what is true,
high and noble
"If the war is not over by spring,
when my engagements shall be COM
pleted. / am going over there. to the
trenches with our American boys
What does life hold for me? All my
babies. my big, beautiful boys are at
war. When my daughters husband
went / was in the house and il
nearly broke my heart to see him
stoop over the cradle to kiss his lit |
tie one goodby-perhaps forever
Yet no tears Only smiles and brave
words would / allow"
Put If you go, what will your
public do? Can your voice not COM
fort and help the sorrowing mothers
of American"
"That may be. but think of their
feelings when they can say, 'Schu-
mann-Heink has gone to them. She
will love them and mother them and
sing to them for us"
1t came as a shock to the great
singer to hear that without her
knowledge she had been booked to
virtually repeat the concert she gave
at her last Harrisburg appearance.
"Oh, what can be done? / did not
understand and now the printing is
out and it is too late!" she cried.
please do not let them think /
would treat them so Intentionally"
ANNA HAMILTON WOOD.
ENOLA CHURCH NOTES
The Rev. j. S. Van Blunk, a re-
turned missionary from Africa will