OLD FRIENDS MEET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18299, 16 January 1923, Page 3

OLD FRIENDS MEET.

THE "TIGER " IN AMERICA. PADEREWSEI'S AFFECTION. One of the happiest days of his visit to America was spent by' M. Cleinencean in New York on November 23. Chi that day his old friend; Ignace Paderewski, whom ■ he had not seen since the Peace Conference days in Paris, visited him, gave and received a resounding smack on either cheek, and then, though tired from a , concert earlier in the cay, played four ; selections in the,music room- of the Gibson home, • ~ Clemenceau's secretary,, Louis Le Fevre, said that the greeting between the two old friends. was the most affectionate he had even seen.; The French custom of kissing the cheeks of one's friends was carried out so heartily that the kisses given and received by Clemenceau and the great pianist popped like firecrackers. The minute Paderewski came into the room Clemenceau began apologising for not attending the concert, as he had hoped to do, but Paderewski would net listen. • :. " It is I thai .should have come to you." he said. "I have come. I have come to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your speech. It was wonderful. It was superb. It. was moving and it was touching." . Mr. Lcfcvre said that Mme. Paderewski arrived at the house with heir husband. in their car, but did. not get out of the machine. The pianist, however; bounded up the steps in great excitement and requested that he be allowed to see the : "Tiger" at once.- The secretary hurried bo Clemenceau's roon| and asked if Paderewski should be sent up. "Of course," said Clemenceau, "at once. Why, I would see this great man" in bed." . -*■'•'« • • A moment later, the pianist came bounding into the room. ' " The. ' Tiger's ' eyes fairly glistened with excitement," Lefevre, said, "and they fell into each other's arms as they ! met. . ■■ Paderewski was trembling with ex- ■ citement. , "'... ' ■-'.'•:,- After their greeting Paderewski said: ! . "You are the 'greatest man in She ! world!:" . _-.'..,/ ..- ...... "'- ■ " •'- "''■'. ! " No,^ Paderewski," replied Clemenceaa, , "you are the greatest. You made such I a wonderful speech at the Peace Conference that I was moved to teats when you ' told of the sufferings of Poland.'•'M. Clemenceau kept saying, that. he rdgretted very much that he was not able to attend the concert and:■ hear his old friend play, and Paderewski said ho would play right then and there., Gkmeticesu;, protested, that Paderewski was tired after: ,; the hard concert of the afternoon;- but the" - pianist would not listen.' 'He led the way: to the music room, where he played Schu- ,'. bert's Impromptu,in F flat. Chopin's waltz • ;., in C minor, a; nocturrie of his : own and his famous ■ minuet.:- which Clemenceau",' loved most of all. .'.:'■