Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-08-21
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ONE OF 4
THE DIVA'S B
RETINUE 5
1s-~-s-S-s-s-s'S-s-e-
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By FANNIE HURST )
10 by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)
(WNU Service.l

A ROUND the heroic figure Of
IA Camilla Won Stroheim had al
1 A ways whirled encourage.
She had been a prima donna
since she had flashed, at a robust
seventeen, a magnificent Brunhilde,
upon public that welcomed her per-
manently to its bosom. For the first
fourteen years Of her triumphant
career, during the lifetime Of Herr
Graf Won Stroheim, one Of Germanys
magnates, she had three times toured
around the world in operate and con-
cert capacity, success always in her
wake
After the death of her husband,
Camilla had spent most Of her time
in America, travelling in continuous
tours with her daughter, three or four
maids, secretaries, chauffeurs and a
special valet whose exclusive duty was
to care for the dozen or so Daschunds,
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 governess
and tutors of practically every CIV
ilized country of the world. At seven
teen she was pasty-faced girl, given
to occasional outbursts of tiny PIN
pies, narrow-shouldered, slightly near
sighted, and as far removed as posi-
BILE, 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 Strohelm, prob
ably too busy with the glitter Of her
own career, had never been acutely
conscious of these physically shortcom-
ings of her daughter. She adored
her. She lavished endearments, gifts,
indulgences, and was most deliberately
demonstrative. She had nickname
for Paula; ridiculous one. "Pet-cat."
"My darling-cums Pet-cat, what
would mother do without your" my
angel-faced Pet-cat, how could Won
Stroheim exist If 1t were not for
your"
Angel-face or no angle-face, well
might Won Stroheim ask herself that
question.
From the time Paula had been six
she had slavishly been serving her
mother. BY the time she was sixteen,
no lady's maid, no masseur, no at
tendant of any kind whatsoever, could
bring to Won Stroheim the sedatlve
kind Of relaxation that emanated from
the fngertips Of her daughter. Paula
served her mother heart, soul and
body. She was on call In the watches
Of the night, when the great diva,
given to insomnia, wanted to talk.
She was on call In the wings Of the
opera house, when the great diva, i'm
patient of her physicians, wanted
Paula. who stood waiting with n throat
syringe. She was on call with the train
schedule; concert schedule; hotel
schedule. In other words, the frall
and pasty-faced little Paula was
doomed to walk in the wake Of
grandeur.
Until she was about nineteen, how
ever. these realizatlons did not bite
In Her alteration of her mother was
so colossal that 1t dwarfed her sense
Of relative values. Won Stroheim was
like great sun in the center Of
Paula's life. throwing its fierce, power
full rays everywhere about her. The
fonnorc tho fnn,para p,o,,tc tLo moods
the vagaries Of her mother, were the
Indicators, so to speak. in the life Of
Paula. When Won Stroheim smiled,
Paula smiled When Won StrOheim
threw glassware and tore silk to
shreds. Paula's little soul quailed with
in her But It must he said for Won
StrOheim. that whatever her moods,
whatever her fluctuations of tempera-
ment. her attitudes toward her child
were chiefly those Of alteration.
As the members Of the encourage
and the sychophants who hung on the
outskirts Of the retinup that surround
ed the great prima donna used to say,
Pet-cat was her sole reverence. Pet
cat was the only creature on earth
she really loved. And fercely Paula
loved In return worshipprd the flower.
strewn ground on which her mother
trod, had no thought Of self. because
hers was bound up in the macnincence
Of Won Strohelm.
It was when Paula was nineteen
that there wedged into her life an
emotion that was new. terrifying and
ecstatlc. A secret emotion. which she
would not admit Mt first even to her.
self. and yet ms II became more and
more apparent II was wonderful to
lie on the cot she invariably occupied
ut the foot Of her mothers great bed,
and let these strange ecstnsies sweep
over her In floods Of enchanted sen.
satlOns.
Paula was In love with the small
blond accompanies who had Joined her
mothers retlnue few months pre-
vIous. He was German fellow. teu-
tonic. blue-eyed. Yellowharpd. who
spoke English ms nuently as he spoke
his native tongue. n brilliant musician
with promise Of a fine career Of his
own, after few years Of apprentice
ship as accompanies. Won Stroheim
was not easy to serve IN this capacity.
Her experience with accompanies
WAS varied and fun VI I'LL kinds Of re-
Teiable cVpf gHres. They came,
they wlit She WIS known as a