Felon

In March 1929 tall, jolly Pianist-Conductor Ernest Schelling was rehearsing his "Impressions From An Artist's Life" with the New York-Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini. He banged his thumb on the keys, had to stop playing. On his thumb appeared a felon which turned into a prolonged infection. An ordinary felon (whitlow) is a skin or bone inflammation which usually lasts about three weeks. So long as the felon was "engaged in his employment, or maturing his felonious little plans," Pianist Schelling could play no solos. He could, however, and did, conduct the Saturday Philharmonic concerts for children, to whom he is known as "Uncle Ernest." Last season he tried a piano duet with Harold Bauer, exclaimed wryly afterwards that it was "tough going."

Last May Ernest Schelling went to Europe. Summering at Lake of Geneva, he saved Mrs. Robert Thompson Pell from drowning (TIME, July 11). Last week, wearing his customary chamois gloves, he arrived back in Manhattan. He would celebrate in the autumn the tenth anniversary of the Children's Concerts, he said. And, his felon nearly gone, he would give piano recitals, resume with Toscanini on Oct. 20 the "Artist's Life" performance which has been postponed these three and one-half years.

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