Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-01

New York, Feb. 1.---Margot Asdmith,
wife Of the former Premier Of Great
Britain, sat in a high backed chair on
the stage o the New Amsterdam Thea
tire yesterday afternoon ami gave her
first reading before an American nudi-
cnce. Such is her fame that the theatre.
one Of the city's largest, was full.
Weakness due to seas!ckness--sht
had been of the tumblng ship less
thnn Il day explains her departure
from the normal posture Of public
speaker. Nor was her voice up In
full strength. Realizing this. she
ca''ed at the start, "lf you
don't hear what ! say, will you shout
ort?"
In the top balcony they did shout
out. They said,, "Louder!' and I'VE
can't hear you!'
After this she raised her manu-
script in order to throw back her head
.Dd facilitate delivery of the voice.
.ut even 50 It did not carry far. The
trouble seemed to lie in the formation
and meditation Of her tones rather
than in their weakness.
DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler having
introduced her. she had put on Il pair
OF shell trimmed spectacles and begun
to read the first Of her chosen sclec-
tons from an unpub 'ished second VOL
uDle Of her autobiography.
"My Last Adventure in the Sporting
World" she named 1t.
She had not got very far with the r"-
cital when, in response to her invita-
ton, those cries Of Louder" !" began
raining from tfc upper ba'cory, Once
or twice u please" was added. Mrs.
Asouith let her voice out a notch and
thought she was getting on much better
when a woman in the ba'cOny shouted
with n show Of Indignation: ""c cant
hear YOU :"
Judging from the way she pronounced
"can';" it's fair guess that this in
tcrrupter was Il compatriot OF Mrs.
Asnuith.
THANK you: sorry" Mrs Asquith
said. flashing smile M tow ard those
fnr.away women. who obviously wcr"
fearful lest they were missing some
scandal in high life.
They weren't. by the way.
She Gets Thrown
She read on. The "Sporting Adven.
tuIe." to the disappointment pf NOT 4
few prchcnsile- -carcd auditors, proved ta
be the story Of Mrs. Asquith's trial of n
new hors" and hunter named Dnnde.
lion. Dande ion ut first was like a
spring bed under me-" but eventually hc
threw the lady. and when she came to
she was surrounded by grooms and doc
tors. Long before the climax wns
reached one of the protesting women in
the top ba'cony had made her de",s.on.
Her words were penetrating enough for
all to hear. as, in the midst Of Mrs. As
quith's animated reading. she shouted:
"Weli. good-by. You We got our
money for nothing. Good hv. y
Movements of Mrs. Asquith' : flexible
but absolutely vertical figure. *heLthed
to the ankles in Il gray velvet gown
with an ancient Egyptian pcrpendicu-
larity of line. her prof with Il touch
Of the eagle, her swiftncss in solving n
score of petty problems connected with
her impromptu. reception on the. stage
nfter the lecrurc--thcsr effects were al
more interesting than the lecture itself.
us showing a personality in action
rather than Cnics""nt.
Her visit to Windsor Castle was in
the year 1905.
King Edward. it seemed. came out
Of the castle The motors were all in
line, ready t. take the royal party
somewhere. But Prime Minister
Asquith was missing.
King Laughs ut Scandal
"The King was very angry read
Margot.
Where is the Prime Minister hr
said, Didn't he get my commando
went up to the Qucch and said. i fear
there must have been some scandal III
the court and my husband has clopCd
with ono Of the maids OF honor. l beg
Of you to pity my bushes and command
the King to proceed, SO the Queen
tapped the King on the shou der and
with n sweeping gesture pointed to the
motor and invited him to ride with her
and they drove off. Later it was asccr-
tained that my husband had been walk
ing with the Queens lovclicst maid OF
honor upon h"aring which the Kim
was most jovial and even eloquent"
After tho reading, which was mucl
nppaudcd. Mrs. Asquith fingered on III,
stage. Two large bouquets of roS .,
were thrust ut her. She waved :,
! friends across the footlights motionina
to them to 60 around to the stage an'
| Join her.
Gould YOU understand me-" erie,
Mrs. Asquith, laughing over the foot
! lights. "Wcll, II you couldn't, as
sure you you didn't miss nuything.'