SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 493, 28 April 1909, Page 3

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

/ -/Notices of.Engagements and Weddings.— '.. When: reports of weddings,-and ,announce- ' ments of engagements ore sent to '.'■Dominica"'for publication, the name and .address of tlio,-sender should bo enclosed. ' not for publication, but as an ovidcnce of . .good faith.- Otherwise tho announcements cannot bo published.] •* Madamo Melba. All tho things we think of, we linew about in ■ past generations, and there <is nothing new •under tho sun. The people who told stories s about ' fiery ■ dragons to their children had , watched ■ with :terror Vas ' the. pterodactyls !wingod uheir horrid way across the twilight sky,' and the mother who first thought she ■invented the tale'about the lovely girl, from whoso lips foil pearls and diamonds whenover she opened ner mouth, had dreamed of Madame Melba—tho jewels of Madame Melba, ; tho notes-of Melba's voice. - There were just two sentimonts' among the'' audience'. last night—tho .wonder- and : delight' of ■ those who had never heard her before;,' who had only , known' that somewhero in the world someone . sang like that, and .who had not known until : they: heard'her, that it was- Melba, and.the | delight, satisfied delight, of those who, having ; heard before, listened to' her again with tho > knowledge . tliat ■ the 1 intervening years had ionly given;greater beauty I 'to her-voice./;-: ; ;."I heard :ner sing Tosti's 'Good-bye' years |ago;". : said one lady, "but not as she sang it' just now.'-' She- is. even more .'.wonderful 1 to-night Hhan sW-was then.'V. .Arid everyone "'said,'' "Isn't'she perfect!";,-' .• ' I' . Madame Melba is ;vory good to. look at as :sho; stands ■on 'tho platform; she is.of good height, and' grandly built, and- her abundant dark hair forms a - very . effective frame' for 'her expressive face.V,As she sings she makes '.play with her features, and'her. very" eyes sing 'to you. Ono can' see in' her, the queen of .'dramatic song,"-and when; she ' sings'-Tosti's ; "Good-bye',"-sho knows how to send a chilled feeling into the hearts'.of her' audience and 'mako. them : shiver at ,-the l thought 'of; dying joy. One would 'like every sentimental young lady who sighs out this'song to hear Madame Molba, to-grasp the strength--of vher conception, and'then go home and : burn her 'copy of.cthe; song, ; or put it away wrapped- up in r. programme ■ of. List, night's concert/v- ---? "It 'seems'.trivial i.to. talk ior Madame'Melba's 'beautiful frock, but. it may help other 1 people \to picture Her better, if :tiey . know that "she : woro'a ! gown of rich crimson satinj with gold embroidery .on' the bodice, : and a . dark green, sash, swathing her waist and falling in lone ends at the. side | that she/glistened with magnificent'diamonds,: that she .wore-a' diaImond. necklaco-. and very largo pendant,' and that a, tiara of diamonds, and great purple tourmalines, sparkled •in her; dark hair;' ' Miss, Una Bourne, i.tho young pianist who - plays with groat- vigour or with .-, great delicacy, is ;an attractive- figure. Tall and ; slim and fair, she has a very interesting face, -full ..of; character apd -determinatior'; and rhe ilooked, oharming■;la^-.'-nightj-:-.-inVa-vJro&lt of iwhit© satin with. a white ribbon, filet in her fair hair.. •-. ■■ •: V'. " -It was a vory.; smartly dressed audience, .and never.did tho hall look so gay. Lady Ward was wearing a frock of emerald green chiffon volvet,. with handsome cream iaoo, -arid Miss;. Ward - was .in pale pink satin. Mrs. ,;]?ihdliy wore pale grey cniffon over pale green silk. ~. V. - '-'m'.- "■' . '■'■'

Madamo'.'.Melba as Organist. Madame Melba was very much interested to hear that Wellington had become possessed of a fino, large, city organ, and she wondored what it would be like , to play on. In Sydney (so she told a Dominion reporter) sho one day went into the Town Hall to play their huge organ, ,and being anxious to near, just how much noiso'iti could'possibly make, she pulled out every stop, and played .hard, enjoying >tho>to.rrinq'>-ro<riHishoh | wus''sblo 'to' produce, till, sho said, "Someone came run-' ning in.i and, begged mo to stop. Ho said they wero swearing-in the new Lord .Mayor close by, and no one could hear a word that was being said. And so," said Madame] "I' had to stop." > 'Miss Cormack, from Carterton, is visiting Mrs. Louis Blundell. Mrs. Tewsloy is givifig a,girls' tea on .Thursday in honour of Miss (Jna Bourne, I 'tho pianist. " ■ ' Mrs. A. E. Donne, who has been visiting friends in tho South Island, returns to Wellington on Thursday. Miss Scott, assistant-teacher at the Terrace End' School, Palmerstoii, who i? going to Kilbirnie, was presented'by the Terrace End Committee with a handsomo manicure set. '''Messrs. Nash, Fairbrother, Jarrett, 'and Lewis'spoke highly of Miss Scott's ton years' work. > ' Miss Holly, Mr. and Mrs. J. Holly,-Miss and Mrs. O'Brien,, and Mr. and Mrs. O. M'Manaway, of Canterbury, arrived by tho Pateona yesterday, to be present/ at the marriage of Miss B. M'Manaway to Mr. W. Holly, at tho Basilica to-day. , Mr. and Mrs. Silk, who have recently returned from a long stay in England, have taken Mr. R. R. Harris s houso in Wereroa Eoad, Levin, and intend remaining in the district- for: some timo. Mrs. AmeliuD Smith, who has been visiting her daughter at Rotorua, returns .to town at the end of the week.