The New York herald., 1921-12-18
Continued from Page Seven.

Continued from Page Seven.
which she first saw Mr.. Otis Skinner,
the toastmaster Of the evening. She
went to the Criterion Theatre to call on
Miss Laurette Taylor, who was an inti-
mate friend of hers. with whom she had
acted for several years. She went to
the stars dressing room. threw open tho
door and exclaiming oh, you darling,
rushed into the room. To her astonish-
ment there stood Mr.. Skinner In a union
suit. Miss Taylor was not acting there
then and Mr.. Skinner had taken her
place. Miss Fontanne told me that she
hardly recognized him tonight. On the
other side of me is seated Mrs. Skinner.
When Miss Fontanne told her what had
happened that day Mrs. Skinner seemed
to have no difficulty In recalling the
incident At all events, she leaned for
ward and looking searchingly at Miss
Fontanne asked, oh. are you then the
woman that rushed In that day""
Christine Wilson's Fortune.
Christine Nilsson, who died in Sweden
the other day. invested a large part Of
her earnings In this country. She made
more than one visit here during the
summer and made many friends who
could be of business advantage to her
One OF these was the late John Hobart
Warren and at his advice she put much
of her money into Boston real estate
The investment turned out to be very
judicious. Her holdings increased
greatly in value. About fifteen years
ago she decided that she world prefer
TO have all her fortune in Europe and at
her request Mr.. Warren superintended
the sale of her property and the trans
fer of the estate to Europe.
Nine. Nilsson sang for the last time In
this country during the season that Nine.
Sembrich first appeared. An intimate
friendship sprang up between the begin
ner and the famous soprano. Nine.
Sembrich's younger son, who died some
years ago, was named after Nine.
Nilson-Christian Marcel-the union OF
the two names being a reminder of the
great friendship between the two So
pranos.
Chambers's Last Play.
That IIaddon Chambers had written a
drama and that it was called THE Card
PLAYERS" was known in this country be-
FIRE the death of the playwright, but
there had been no intimation of its story.
Now II has been made public In London
that Lyn Harding will act the leading
role, that OF an old gambler, at the
early London production of the piece.
His devotion to his daughter forms the
theme of the play, which the author Is
said to have called the best he ever
wrote. 1t was not entirely finished at
tie time of his DEATH but there was little
that remained to be done. and as his in
tentions in reference to the ending were
we'll known the play Is quite as 1t would
! have been.
Not So Merry, Ehs
Reginald Prasch, who made such a
success on the first night of Henry w.
| Sayage's revival of "The Merry Wild
ow." is now in New York. He viii soon
return to Europe and not continue the
career which Mr.. Savage had planned
for him over here. He speaks little or
no English, and as roles for such actors
are not numerous in this city he prob
ABLY will go home at an early date
| This change in his plans Is altogether
due TO Mr. Savage's prejudice In faVof
| OF running his own affairs.
Nine. Lipkowska is also out OF the
company organized by Mr.. Savage ano
Miss Dorothy Francis. the dark haired
soprano, formerly OF the Chicago opera
Company. is everywhere making grea'
success In the title role. Miss Francis
Gang the second part here. The Rus
sian soprano had her engagement to sins
in "Snegouroutcka" with the Chicago
Opera Company, and as that required
ten days of rehearsal and several per-
formances OF the work. Miss Mary Gar
den insisted that Nine. Lipkowska spend
A certain time with her company. Mr.
Savage, therefore, decided that Miss
Francis should alternate regularly In tho
role of the Widoio with Nine. Lipkowska
II thus fell to her lot to sing before the
President the night the company opened
~ i,,lr olra
and there resigned and persuaded the
popular Ddniio TO refuse to appear that
night. There was. of course, all kinds oi
difficulties I'm the way of a successful
performance, but Mr.. Savage finally hat
the satisfaction of giving the operetta
as he wanted It, IL Is needless to sa!
that Mr.. Prasch's American career. sc
far as Mr.. Savage was concerned, ended
then and there.
Mr.. Savage starts South to-day for .
rest, but he has so far readjusted matters
IN his company that he is better salts
fed with the performance OF "Th,
Merry Widow" than he ever was. There
Is not a trace Of foreign accent TO be
heard at any poin. during the perform
ance.
The Third Frau weingnrtner.
Nobody who knew the former Betty
| Kalich was surprised to hear that she
had become the wife OF the famous cor
ductor, Felix Wengartner. she rose
here above the circumstances or mel
first appearance at the Colonial Ihea
tire In this city. Announced as famou'
Dutch musician. she did turn whici
even required her to play the vlohn
In those days the Monday afternoon au
dience at the Colonial was IN lts mos
| na,,a,o staga Miss Kalch barely go
throuuh t,e first performance, for sh'
fell a victim to the same Monday gath
eripg which laughed Yvette Guilbert Of
the stage. ,.
But Miss Kalich was not disheartened
charles Frohman engaged her for "Th'
Laughing Husband In which she sans
the leading role with Courtice Pounds