The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-23
M E N w OM FEN
 A ND I'll IN G s


 and temperament for they are both
 combined in a wonderful degree in
 Geraldine Farrar, the great prima
 donna who is to be here Wednesday
 evening at the Jefferson theatre.
 Now I have never been much of a
 one to really love back seat, and
 simply because I'm truthful enough te admit that 1 like to stand on the front
 porch" some of my. friends chide me for
 loving publicity. Sure 1 like it, don't you, honest Injun?
 I hope I have temperi and tempera-
 ment l am certain I have the former, for every now and then I lose it, and
 for days i'm on the mourners' bench for something I've done or said, but just because I put on crepe let no one presume on it for feel that l would get out of a ~hearse to get lick at a fellow who tried to take advantage of me.
 | l like real biographies, not the cut ] and dried ones which set out only the good points and hide the bad ones but the ones which set down both. It may be heresy for me to admit, butt if I I had to choose between living with a l saint or sinner I would unhesitating- ly take the latter, for I know some good people who spoil the joy of living. | ri of ina tnld yno baf he had been married for twenty years 1 and that in all that time he and his | wife had never said a cross word to one another. looked him square in | the face and said, "either of two things, you are tie biggest liar ever met or you and your wife have had mighty dull time" You fellows who are mar
 ried and read this ought to say anon! The good wife might always speak softly, but I'm sure no-~husband can keep sweet for a score of years.
 
 But back to Geraldine Farrar and her l temper, for she has got it. I'll not say that 1t has -made-her what she is. but I'm sure it has helped her climb the ladder of fame. Her career was no I different from that of any other bright 1 ambitious child. Had she been the 1 sweet-tempered thing the chances are | today she would be back in her New 1 England home the mother of a big fam i, fly and living a humdrum life. Yes, I'm l getting on thin ice and I know it. l
 I know some will rise to say that 1 such a life is preferable to being queen | of the opera I am not discounting the l home makers, the Lord knows they have an important place to fill, and so say blessings be upon all the fai-h- full mothers in the land; and yet say what you please there is call and place for those whose God given gifts ought not to be lost around the fire l side, but scattered far and wide to amuse if you please, but in my opinion | better, to lift vast audiences up on rhe | wings of song.
 1 l think Geraldine Farrar is right in 1 saying: This God-sent> gift of song was bestowed upon me for some pur- pose, know not what. It may fail me | tomorrow, tonight; at any moment I something may mar the instrument, 1 and then all the perseverance, pluck. study and luck in the world will not restore it to me-" And because this Is true I say as long as she retains her marvellous voice let her use in the way best fitted to reach as many as pos l sible. It's for this reason I.tNink Mrs. l Richard +. Johnston and Mrs. Orline 1 Shipman deserve the thanks of the community for bringing her to Bir- mingham.f
 How long has Geraldine been sing 1 ing? If I knew the exact number of 1 years. I'd tell how old Anne was before l would give Miss Farrar away. She is still young and beautiful, and as far as l will go in the discretion of divulging the number of her birthdays will be to, say. that if she has registered, she will be able to vote in the coming na- 1 tional election. I hope this is explicit enough to suit any one. I know 1t is for a gentleman, but some sister may think l have side stepped, but what care I.
 l For. fear. however. that some may think I am trifling I hasten to add. | she was three years old when she sang in her first chu%ch concert. Her mother | and father at the time sang in the First | Universalist Church of Melrose, Mass, her home town. At that time as she is | today she had perfect self-po6session and never showed the slightest stage | fright. for when the song was finished, and the applause had subsided. she stepped to the edge of the platform and said to her mother who was sitting in 1 the front row: ~Did I do it we'll, mamma? Before five, she had shown strong musical tendencies, and by ten. had visions of studying abroad. and by | sixteen was studying in Paris.
 | 1 I said Geraldine Farrar has temper, and here I've been talking about her voice and the start of her career and | nary 8 word about any of her out bursts But forgive mo. she is tus: so lovely. and sings like an angel 1t is hard for me to set down things here l in cold type showing how at times l she was little devil. also remember her athletic looking husband and while boasted in tho beginning about my readiness to scrap. I'm not foolhardy and use some discretion. but as he will not be one of the party I'll risk story or two to establish my accusation.
 There is a well authenticated ae- I count of how before she was in her ! teens, she disciplined a boy twelve or l thirteen. whV annoyed ner while skat- l ing by trying to trip her with his hockey stick. She gave him several warnings which he Jet go by unheedcd and persisted in his bad behavior. Geraldine. tiring of it. 'skatsd to the shore, picked up her umbrella, tore out three of the steel ribs, and /wirM these 1 as whip thrashed her persecutor 50