Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-24

@ROUND the heroic figure Of Camilla
II :s s.: e be. s.,r. DOM. sine:
she had flashed, at a robust ~,
magnificent Brunhilde, upon a public that well
coined her permanently to its bosom. For the
first IA years Of her triumphant career, during
the lifetime of Herr Graf Won Stroheim, one Of
Germany's magnates, she had three times toured
around the world in operate and concert ca
pacity, success always in her wake.
After the death of her husband Camilla had
spent most Of her time in America, travelling
on continuous tours with her daughter three or
four maids, secretaries, chauffeurS and a spe-
cial valet whose exclusive duty was to care for
the dozen so dachShunds which invariably
made up part Of the diva's caravan.
Paula Won Stroheim, daughter of Camilla had
been born in the Waldorf-Astoria In New York
City, christened in Berlin and educated by gov
ernesses and tutors of practically every civilized
country Of the world. At II she was a pasty-
faced girl, narrow-shouldered, slightly near
sighted, and as far removed as possible from the
exuberant creature-beauty Of her mother and
in no way similar to the stout expansive figure
that had been her fathers.
CURIOUS, but Won Stroheim, probably too
busy with the glitter Of her own career, had
never been acutely conscious of these physical
She lavished endearments, gifts, indulgences
and was most deliberately demonstrative. She
had nickname for Paula; a ridiculous one.
''Pet-cat."
MY darling Gums, Pet-cat, what would
mother do without you?" MY angel-faced Pet
cat, how could Won Stroheim exist If it were not
for you?"
Angel-face or no angel-face, well might Won
Stroheim ask herself that question.
From the time Paula had been she had
slavishly been serving her mother BY the time
she was 49, no lady's maid no masseur, no at
tendant of any kind whatsoever could bring to
Won Stroheim the sedative kind of relaxation
that emanated from the fnger-tips of her
daughter. Paula served her mother heart. soul
and body. She was call in the watches Of
the night, when the great diva, given to IN
somnia, wanted to talk. She was on call In the
wings of the opera house, when the great diva,
impatient Of her physicians, wanted Paula, who
stood waiting with throat-syringe She was
call with the train schedule, concert sched-
ule, hotel schedule In other words, the frail
and pasty-faced little Paula was doomed to
walk in the wake of grandeur.
Until she was about 49, however, these real
iZations did not bite in. Her alteration Of her
mother was so colossal that it dwarfed her sense
of relative values. Won Stroheim was like a
great sun in the center of Paula's life throwing
its fierce, powerful rays everywhere about her.
The tempers, the temperaments, the moods, the
vagaries of her mother were the indicators, SO
to speak, in the life of Paula. When Won Stro-
helm smiled, Paula smiled. When Won Stroheim
threw glassware and tore silk to shreds, Paula's
little soul quailed within her. But it must be
said for Won Stroheim, that whatever her moods
whatever her fluctuations of temperament her
attitudes toward her child were chiefly those Of
alteration.
AS the members of the encourage and the
sycophants who hung on the outskirts Of the
retinue that surrounded the great prina donna
used to say, Pet-cat was her sole reverence
Pet-cat was the only creature on earth she
really loved. And fiercely Paula loved in re-
turn; worshiped the hower-strewn ground ON
which her mother trod had no thought Of self,