THE TRIALS OF A PRIMA DONNA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 77, 9 July 1910, Page 10

THE TRIALS OF A PRIMA DONNA.

(JS.V Ahukme Tetrazzini, in AI.A.P.) Within the lust few yours 1 have some what painfully discovered that to havt one's name brought prominently before the public, even though it be in the most favorable lijjht, is not always without serious disadvantages, The path that has to be trodden by a well-known singer may be rose-strewn in places, but even where there are roses they have thorns, and sometimes there are not even roses. One of the most unpleasant, and certainly the most persistent, of my trials is to be found in my letter-bag/ Every day my private correspondence is swamped with letters from people I have never heard of before who want me to do all .sorts of things for them. The least exacting of them simply ask me to send them money, apparently under the delusion that I have unlimited wealth at my disposal. It is no exaggeration to say that had. i given away all the money that I have been asked for during the last year or two by people who have no claim on me whatever, I should now be several millions in debt. Sometimes they ask me for quite small amounts, and it is oceosionally rather difficult to refuse these, but other ask for small fortunes. As it has long since been found impossible to keep pace with this flood of begging letters, 1 have given up even acknowledging then:, and all have to be ignored.

Hundreds of clergyman ask me to sing at their churches to help them to get money for some church fund. Here, again, it is impossible to discriminate. One cannot possibly sing at all of them, so they have all to be refused. Then there are people who write very charmingly to ask if I can send them tickets to hear me sing, and who afterwards write very rudely when I tell them I cannot oblige them. One lady wrote quite a long poem about me, and, of course, I was greatly pleased and flattered. But it was rather disheartening to find this note at the end of the poem: ''lf niadame likes the poem, will she please send the writer some opera tickest," and if they only knew how much. I should like them all to come and hear me sing, I am sure they would not say such unkind things when I have to refuse them the tickets they ask for. Then the people who write asking foi my autograph are as numberless as the sands on the seashore, and to satisfy these I should have to sit signing my name the whole day long. One lady was rather funny. She wrote asking for my autograph, and in a weak moment i scribbled my name on a visiting card and sent it to her. A day or two later she wrote again: '•Dear Madame,—l have presented your card at the box-office at Covent Garden for two seats, but they would not give them to me on your card alone. I herewith enclose card you sent me. Will you please write, 'Oblige my good friend with two seats,' and we will try again." Another correspondent wrote, bewailing the fact that she had had her pocket picked as she was leaving the opera after hearing me sing, and asking if I would kindly send her the money she had lost. I have a still more serious trial, however, in the people who send me all sorts of things, hoping, 1 suppose, that I shall buy them. This matter became so serious that at last my secretary had to get someone to witness the opening of each parcel. This precaution had to be taken as a result of a most unscrupulous attempt to blackmail me. A parcel came one day containing a pair of ear-rings. The stones were pieces of ordinary glass, but the jeweller said he wanted fifty pounds for them. They were promptly returned to him, of course, and he had the audacity to threaten to sue me, declaring that he had sent me real diamonds, and that 1 had submitted for them the imitations.

Another man sent me a pair of ordinary woollen wrist-cuffs. I thought this was a joke, and threw them aside; but a few days later came a bill for them, demanding five pounds. I am sure everyone will admit that these attempts to trick me are very wicked indeed, and it seems very hard that a woman, just because she is well known and a foreigner, should be madt a target for so maay unscrupulous people. One man wanted me to buy his guitar, but I forgave him, because he gave such a funny reason. He suggested that I could learn it very easily, and that I could then accompany myself on. the stage. • _ „ All these things, together with long, long railway journeys and sea-sick voyages, scarcely make for lightheadedness. And, finally, there are my business eontracts, which have to be looked after very carefully indeed. I might parody one of your little songs and says ' ; A singer's life is not a happj one." 'Well, not always.