Progressive Opinion | 1941-10-24 | Page 3 | Beloved Singer Pleaded for Mercy, Not Justice

Beloved Singer Pleaded For Mercy, Not Justice The beloved Madame Schu-mann-Heink was a woman of rare charm and geniality. She was the first to make fun of her own shortcomings, short-comings, and was often heard to comment good-humoredly on her decidedly matronly figure. On one occasion, a fashionable portrait painter asked her to sit for her portrait. The plump opera star hesitated for a long while before making her decision. "Don't be afraid, Madame," said the artist teasingly. "I'll do you justice." "Ah," replied the prima donna, "it isn't justice I ask at your hands; it is mercy!"