M. A„ P. (Mostly About People.)

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2110, 8 February 1908, Page 4 (Supplement)

M. A„ P. (Mostly About People.)

Tho Kaiser has given an another example of his versatility by painting six niinatnro illustrations for pictoral postcards. These paintings will ho reproduced by the thousand and sold for charitable purposes.

Mr. John Rockl'cllcr lias given an additional 2,000,00 dollars (over £520000) 1.0 the Rockl'cllcr Institute for Medical Research in Now York. Tho money is to he held in endowment, llic income being used at the discretion of the management. The gilt is understood to have been prompted by the success of recent investigal ions carried on under tho director, Dr. Simon Flexncr.

Tho days of the youth of Ysayo, tho groat violinist, were fraught with many hardships in the cause of Ins art. In these- days of prosperity he is fond of telling his pupils of his strugles. “All,’ he says, “at your ago I practised in a garret, and only went out when too hungry to go on playing.” Times have changed, however, and for one American tour ot fifty concerts he received the enormous sum of £25,000. AVith so princely mi income at his disposal there is little wonder that A'snye—the name is trisyllabic, whether it is cognate with that of the Hebrew prophet it so closely resembles is a question—has a unique and fabulously expensive collection of violins, the gathering of which has been- one ol his greatest hobbies.

A picturesque celebrity, in the person of General Porfirio Diaz, pi evident of the Mexican Stales, is said to bo coming on a visit to England noxt year. Tho story of lus career glitters with genuine and stirring romance. Diaz was originally, a common soldier; but men died quickly m Mexico during tho revolutionary wars and tho cleverness, tact, and courageousness of Diaz enabled him to become in turn captain, colonel, general, commander-in-chief, and, lastly, President, in which position lie wields greater power over Mexico than the Czar over Russia, or the Kaiser over Germany. But he .is a wise ruler, and tho many 'reforms ho lias brought about has transformed Mexico from a land of chaos into one of order and prosperity. When Diaz first came into power, robbery and corruption were rife. In fact, bandits kept the country in terror, and the manlier in which the President dealt with them shows his astuteness. Ho offered them amnesty and enrolment in a specially highly-paid cavalry corps—or that for every person robbed any bandit caught should be shot. Amnesty was a cep t eel. As an illustration, by tlio way, of the stirring times through which Diaz has passed, it may hementioned that -his record has been summed up as fifty engagements, twice seriously wounded, and three times a prisoner.

Perhaps tlie most remarkable fact concerning Mine. Louisa Tetrazzini, who is hailed as a new Patti on account of the remarkable success which sho has scored at Covert Garden in ‘La Traviata,” is that she received only six months’ vocal training in her life. Nevertheless her range extends from B below the stave_ (an exceptional note for a soprano) to E in alt. As a matter of fact,. Mme Tetrazzini practically taught herself all she knows about singing and acting. It i 6 true she went to Signor Ceccherini for six months, but at tho end of that time lie dismissed her with tho words, “Go; neither I nor anyone else can teach you anything more.” Her salary at Covent Garden is £IOO a performance, although in America she has received more than double this. AVlion it became known that AI nit' Tetrazzini was amongst tho liigest-salaried operatic stars, her post-bag began to be filled each day with letters from mendicants who considered that they had a right to part of her earnings, and others who apparently thought themselves -far better able than herself to say how the money should be spent. Tho most curious application of all, however, came from a young and ambition’s composer, who suggested that Mme Tetrazzini and himself should set up as music publishers together, sho to supply the capital and name of the firm, while ho would supply songs and music. To tlie composer’s amazement, however, the new Patti declined the partnership.