CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 36, 24 December 1943, Page 3

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

Of one Yule tide spent in St. Petersburg, before the Avar. Dame. Nellie Melba, the world-famous singer, tells the following story: "On Christmas Eve, after singing in opera to a densely eroAvded audience, 1 Avas called before, the curtain for a Avhole hour and a half, until from very fatigue 1j was compelled to lake a seat during the short interval of the deafening applause. And Avhen at last I was allowed to. escape, a crowd, thousands strong, followed me to my hotel and serenaded me through an intensely cold night until three o'clock in the morning.

"When, a loav hours later, L reached the station to leave St. Petersburg, 1 found it packed with my admirers of the night before. It Avas Avith the utmost difficulty that a Avav was made for me to my carriage through the. cheering, hat-tossing, delirious crowd, who. when at last I had. secured a refuge in the carriage, sent in countless throngs for iny autograph, and finally, seizing the pencil and my gloves., tore them to pieces to. keep as souvenirs."

On another Christmas a very different and beautiful story is told by the prima.donna. As she was leaving the theatre at Philadelphia, and Avas about to step into her carriage, her arms laden with flowers, an old avoman, Avho had waited for hours in the bitter cold, stole up to her and timidly asked for a single flower to remember her by. In a moment jVlelbii had handed to her her entire floral burden, and then. swooping down, kissed her. "Cod bless your beautiful heart!" was, all the poor Aveman could find voice to say: but if ever a benediction found its way to high heaven, .surely that one. did.

On one Christmas K,vc when Melba was travelling to Minneapolis, to sing, a boy, selling fruit and candy, entered her car and after making some purchases., she asked: '"Would you like to go to the opera to-night?" "Well, sine!" said, the hoy'with a grin. "Would yen like to- hear Melba?'' she continued: and the lad answered: "Well. L (should smile!" "Then," said Madame, pointing, to

her manager, "go over to that gentleman and tell him !| said he would give you tiukets for yourself and your mother or some friends." The boy, in mused surprise, asked: "Well, who are you, any way?" "L am Madame Melba" she answered whereupon the unabashed youngster sent tier into, convulsions by retorting: ''Go on! I've seen Madame Mefha, and she's real pretty."