GRACE'S FRIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 11

GRACE'S FRIGHT.

"MY GOD, FM GOING !" I CAUGHT BY CURRENT OFF CAPRI. WHY SHE KEPT IT QUIET. (Special.—By Air Mail.) LONDON, November 5. I Mies Gracie Fields, who has just given one of the best performances of her career in aid of the London Hospital, revealed this week how she nearly missed the Albert Hall concert altogether. "Just after the hospital authorities had taken out a £3000 insurance against my non-appearance" she said, "I was nearly drowned off Capri. But I kept the story quiet until now because of a superstitious feeling that it might lead to other accidents." Miss Fields was alone except for Mary, her maid, and was working on her programme for the Albert Hall. - Then, for a change, she went for a swim. : "I am a strong swimmer.*' she said, "but ! a powerful current —something like an > undertow—caught me and kept drawing t me out to sea. I didn't call out because I felt I was good enough to manage. Bat * the shore seemed to get further and I tlier away and suddenly I > * 'My God. I'm goinjr.' Then ' J e and foujrht hard, but was lo» 8^ h battle when two garden boys J _ jjjgt a and dragged me to the gj would t thought, if I '1 have heeji about „ all those people down- „ Wr * OTgJg. e l"best ever. oer{orxa* nce - . t>• e h« II the meJV , peop 1 ® bigg*** »<*££],«• to the 1 **' jury, * fter did I Qu«« n ** ly ' ke d her " Q *ad ba.utifulJy.