Farewell

In Manhattan last week, 66-year-old Ernestine Schumann-Heink, sang her farewell. Early in the season she announced her last season in concert and then set out across the country, trouping as had been her way. She went to St. Louis, Birmingham, Cleveland, Columbus, Chicago, Richmond, Baltimore, to 24 cities before she came to Manhattan. There attended her all the tears and tributes of a last time. The American Legion saluted her. So did the Governors of the 48 states; there were letters from them all, a farewell appreciation for "a lifetime of self-sacrificing service." Mme. Schumann-Heink cried, kissed Walter Damrosch who had presented them, and made a speech: "Now I say goodbye, but that does not mean that I shall become useless. I hope still to continue to serve my country. Heretofore I have given my heart to the soldier boys, but now I must look after the girls--if they behave themselves and don't smoke or powder their noses--for you know I am looking for a contralto to whom to pass on my work and art."