New-York tribune., 1921-10-23

stai
give it to as straight" said the rn...
''Well," went on Arnold, "pve smokss :.
anese tobacco-it's vile. I've sro,.s
nese tobacco-it's worse. Then there. a'-
rean tobacco and Saghalin tobacco "
Manchu twist and Siberian blackjack n Aa
sampled the lot, off and on, but, nv dsax Wv
Horne, II you don't mind my saying 40
-er-infant industry in the Hudson D
country should be strangled before II oe+.
of hand This cigar, my dear sir, is the -.ss
est, reekingest, deadliest, most odoriss.-.
and generally outrageous cigar ever enc.n. uA'
tered in all my travels"
The further the poet proceeded viii, =,
excoriating arraignment of that terrible c,..a
the broader became Van Horne's pr;n r.
massive shoulders were shaking with emit
ment of the joke.
Couldn't be worse, eh?" he demanded
Il hardly believe 1t could, on my hopo,s
said Sir Edwin.
"WellI" roared the head Of the G Pr
"T might have known it. Tom Shaugbnes.r
likes 'em!'
T VISA TETRAzZINI, famous colora,rr,
soprano, who sang in verdi's LA t.,
viata" at Chicago in 1913. permitted it tn \.
known through her enthusiastic rnpresaro
that she would receive reporters at the con.
gress Hotel during the afternoon.
The blond and chubby songstress. wbo..
extraordinary high notes had not then ue-.
meated the musical consciousness Of Amer;c.,
opera lovers as later they did, was, nevertbs
less, considered good newspaper copy by CHI
cago editors. One Of them wondered, som.
what irritably, if 1t wasn't possible n
get something from Nine Tetrazzini tbs.
would be different from the ordinary star IN
terview.
A man from another newspaper on lik.
mission accompanied me to the signora.
apartment. We were admitted by the urban,
impresario with gesture bespeaking caution
'Hoosh!" he whispered, fingers on lips "zs
signora she slip"
"Not hurt, hope," ventured my companion
"No hort" explained the friend of Tetras
zini. "Eet is not to hortr-she slip. Ze sguora
is vat you say-rest- Wait" he went on, Il
show you re mos won'erful sing in ze world
Zees lady, ven toch her, so---she wake from
her slip-she sing high c, straight out from
her slip. She alvis do zees,' he confided.
Catlile, he crossed the apartment and threw
wide a folding door. Within, clad in pals
blue peignoir, her yellow name becomngy
disarranged, lay the prima donna. Still or
tiptoe, the impresario approached her Paus-
ing to smile confidentialiy ct his visitors, be
gave the diva a sudden poke.
"Signora!" he snapped. "Signoral Alertel"
With a startled gesture the singer half rose,
opened her mouth wide and emitted an amaz
ing note 1t was a regular Metropolitan
Opera high C, delivered with all the ire
mendous vocal power of which the signors
was capable.
Introductions followed Nine. Tetrazzini
was embarrassed. She admitted it, That bad
man was always playing tricks. To cover her
embarrassment she seated herself at Stein
way grand piano. This was the prelude to
further display Of madames versatility. She
began playing an overture with her left hand
doing bass drum on the piano case with the
heel of her right. When the kettledrums came
in she produced the effect with agile finger tips
in the same way. Nearly every sort of instru-
ment in the orchestra she simulated with her
lips. Luisa was all over the piano in series
of really startling musical effects.
"Zees lady" resumed the impresario, "she is
zee mos voner-ful woman vat is in opera She
know every part in every opera. If some time
she sing no more opera, zen she become zee
great artistic in vaudeville. She can do every
sing vat is.
When Ben Atwell, director of publicity for
the Chicago Opera Company, saw the story Of
Nine. Tetrazzini's performance, he hunted the
lady up and protested.
Where did you pick up that press agent?'
Ben demanded. First thing you know he'll
have you walking slack wire"
"Zat guy?" laughed the prima donna. "Ee
CONS to me wees highes' recommends from ms
friend Signor Reengaleeng.'