The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-21
PARIS. Jan. 10.


I've I4AVALLIERE, once known as
the gavest actress in Paris, is doing
penance for her life of gayety, dis
sipation and extravaganza.
But; the manner in which she is doing
penance is both singular and mysterious.
Every morning and every evening, when
the deep notes of the giant "Savoyard''
bell boom forth from the campanile of
the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, on Mont
great dome woman dressed all in black.
Of unassuming bearing. she would pass
unnoticed even by the crowd of beggars
and broken down old men and women,
who with monotonous chanting voices ask
for aims at the door OF the great basilica
If it were not for the original form her
charity takes
She does not give money, or even
bread, but very dainty cakes, such as the
poor people nc;cr cnieyed probably in
their happicst d:.ys. They like her cakes
very much and have named her 'The
Lady of the Cakes
That is Eve Lavalliere, whose beauty,
exceptional talent and charm of person
atty brought the fashionable men of Paris
for several seasons to her feet. Three
years ago il was announced that she had
abandoned the stage and would enter
Carmclite content and become a nun in
the austerest order known to religion. A
Carmclire nun is required to hide her face
until she dies, never to speak and to see
no human cling outside her order. She
passes all her days in sight Of grinning
skull anal is subjected to incredible severi-
ties.
Eyc Iayallicre did not enter the con-
vent, rs il "a; said she would. 1t is easy
to iin;i@.nc III / one who had led her life
wOuid not Ec fit to pass into the life of
contcnt without long period of prepare
ton.
Many persons were cynical enough to
sugg Sc that she was acquiring novel pub
hcIty Tor some startling temperance on,
the stage, but this suggestion now appears
absurd. 1t is more than three years since
she left the stage, and she has made no..
effort to return, and has held no commu-
nication with managers, authors or any of
the persons a.theatrical star must consult.
She was not rich at the time of her retire
nent and is thought to be nearly penni-
ess now She will not speak to the re-
)orters who try to question her, although
other years she was happy to receive
journalists before rising from her couch.
A year ago last Summer, when many
persons thought she had gone to the con-
rent, correspondent discovered her by
accident living in a cottage in the little
'illage of ThuiIere- Notre-Vittel, in the
Josges Mountains. All efforts to inter-
'iew her at that time were fruitless,
1t was reported then that size had
!bandoned the world because her lover
lad been killed in the war. Then it was
aid her lover was an attache of foreign
Embassy, an enemy of France, and she
adj given him up.
These suppositions would have been
cry valuable to Mile. Lavalliere as pub
lefty, but she has made no effort to profit
y them.
And now she has returned to Paris, to
he scene of her former triumphs, revels
nd designations, to complete her penance.
is most significant that she should be
aboring among the poor on the summit
f Montmartre, the traditional scene of
he widest artistic revelries of Paris.
here is nobody in the artistic or theatre
al life of the capital who does not occa-