MELBA'S GREAT SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 751, 25 February 1910, Page 3

MELBA'S GREAT SCHEME

.'.Jp was- a';bold:Melbourne''roiiorter'.who t™d to-secure an : interview : ; with/Madami* ■ Melba as-surrounded -by :friends shii stood" on the- deck':-of /.the:.Ophifi' 'rnakinH 'the : very. most' of.; her..-.last :.teri'umihutes, but ;ne. ,got: the\.interview."'•• *: , ' ; .//"My 'saW' /Melba, : 'inter".Well, I; m_gomg'to !— .in Paris-good-bye, , deari-and'in London, ''»«j?,- o Pen.in'.Cbvent.,GaTden':in May in -YerdiVrOteUo.'vTh'at/wiUaast .\tili y the end of. July voh/rmso.glad to.see you'.", Madame iMelba/shtjpk. hands iwith ' an-other,.lady.;/".Good-bye, i Nell;''' : said the friend,.: ,;and ; :; good 'luck, ....old'.'". girl-1 and - ' write:to,me.l'J-.qan do/anything here/for ■■X9fl; i-. IVβ ,-put a'..'little,• narcel •' in'■ your ;Cabjn.-';.,j.- : .' ; f;:j",-:.':"- , ;- ';-L'i':: ,-/- ■■■:..-.■:•.■■:... : ithese /;people^ kind ?V obseryed. Melba.^"lJve-known;her.; sincea was.a.kiddiq..-There's.,a dear, dear , old -fnend-oyer there. , / She came-to-'say.'good-' , i we, ;and g?,ve; me .this -album; ■Mt -has in ■-it-press notices of,all-my cpncerts v dnce: •I ;.was. a child. ■ .She's made'. a hobby 'of ;it;fci::lpn!rer. than'.l-.care- ; to think. I nei*,'.,bothered -to/ make:'a collection, my--iself,. and:l..neyer/even asked, my-private' .secretary ;to. /.do*./it/J^Ahd' /I've 'often' wanted-'some';of. the-.very 'early notices'; borne of, them iare,-funriy,'■ an'd'some ■ truer than..the,/writer.' thought..//• There -were some true.prophets.in:• those/days.'.Well■' where^was T?. In;Coyont;Garden?; Well, aftor that. 1, 2 o to/ Canada, and later, back, to Europe.. > What, is it. dear?"'■■ ■'■'■■~'; ■ ' /•■'. l^*f'"n!.s'»o .wistfuUy-.at', the'...'.great>6inger.: from the edge.'of :the.circle,of/admirers. 'TVaut to say, Good-bye,; cdoVybu ? , All. ; right, epine ' ,-F, e ;• ,'.'/Madame"/shook hands .with the ■enud, inquired her name, and patted' her ■cheek'affectipnatelj;./;;.;.:,/;'/'' .... .".;'■■■■ ;-"And then,"'/.she.'Continued, ; as 'she shook hands' with several friends; "I am ■going td start, on' a'.grea'f scheme.: I proposß'. to. return to Australia. " I have' been .-negotiating.-with'Mr.;Williamson' for some ■time.;;;d-want;:hitti;to; cooperate, with-mo' ;in; a.,;grand/OTier.a;..project ,fpr. Australia; Nothing, final has ; yet.been tagreed -upon,: 'buMliere/is/eyery .hone/'of;.:! a::definite: :scheme..,:lt .is,my /greatest ambition to present,;grand /opera- I .ih ! -Australia' on- the same lines:as it.;is:presen'ted"in.the great . opera-houses',of .'-the world. VI hope /'to be , able, to'.cablo .from 1 Colombo -to say. it ;is • finally; settled.'' ."-//' ; : /. /■/;/■;; >i 'V,The.bell/warning/all'..visitbrs to; leave .the' yesseL clanged noisily; . -'.■■■ . ; "Oh', that : hDrrid.;bell! ,K- sounds -like |;a knell!; exclaimed Madame;Melba. "I wish'l,.couldtaHc/as.fast,as;.Mr. Deakin,. and' thcn'iyou/might get something from '■mb.. ; [ I 'intend to use my' best endeavours to/secure.i some'of the greatest singers of the. world to join'.in:this/grand'opera for' Australia, and..! feel "that it wilf be the I .'greatest musical, treat Australia", has ever had. Give my-love to the people of Australia; _Tell them I. lovo Australia : inoro than cvor;;if thp.tbe'possible, , and lam going .away with a heavy heart, 'although my .life will .bo interesting'till I return. Wheri/.l,have appeared in 'grand' opera: here; my. highest ambition will hayo bc-en realised. Good-bye!/ I'm sorry I haven't been/able'to tell yoii, more."' .; -- : ...

... ■' Tho/./crowd . passed'.- froiri'• the \ steamer, , and'stood.on the,wharf. Madamn Melba .leaned;, on 'the rail;" and waved' a -white handkerchief hs; long as/it was visible;. : '•

; ;."H6w...iriuoh are these chickens?".asked, the lady in'the"-market.; "Isell them at four, .shillings" each,"., said the market nian. " •. "Do. you raise them yourself?" .".Oh, .yes. ''.They., were' three, shillings and sixpence, yesterday." l ' V ... \..

. ;'.The most important adjunct to a lady's toilet table .is .a ; good; ,hair bnish, one with long' bristles, of: good-quality. Asplendid variety of .these, ranging'in price from 2s. 6d. to 15s. each, may bp. seen at Shaw's Medical Hall, Manners. Street, and the .Cecil' Buildings, Lambton .Quay, where, the Chemist; Sale is now. on.—Advt.