Show MME MELBA FAMOUS DIVA RELATES HER australian experience from our own correspondent f june 6 mine melba who ar rived on sunday at marseille from australia kindly received mo thi morning in her sun flooded rooms in the hotel rit looking out on the stately yen dome column she looked a picture of health and wore a handsome striped summer costume which became Ler admirably r she assured me laughingly that five i weeks on ship had robbed her of ideas and inspiration I 1 asked her if she were pleased with her in australia she smiled at the happy recollection ol of ner triumphs there 1 I had a beautiful time she said they gave me a great reception As goon as I 1 arrived in brisbane waa crowds crowds crowds the station was decor abed flags and lowers and every where I 1 looked I 1 saw banners with welcome melba at melbourne people came out F 4 the traffic was stopped and the street s leading to my home two miles away were lined with people I 1 had been away sixteen years and they were evidently glad to see me back I 1 was very much touched by their cordial reception australian familiarity were your australian audiences en I 1 asked r r very replied ame mme melba after il had sung crowds of people used to wait lorane outside and the women and girl kissed my hands and skirt and threw hovers to me one old lady ave me a handful of opals paying she had nothing else and the presented me with boomerangs boome rangA they were i all delightfully familiar at the first I 1 at which I 1 arrived in victoria a i a ced i lullo nellie 1 what price richmond a reference to my having I 1 i been born in flat suburb of melbourne occasion at a concert at I 1 had sung a classic number someone in th gallery called put dont put on any side nellie sing us home sweet home and you asked 1 I said ame mme melba smilingly why of course I 1 did as I 1 was told it has been said that the receipts of your concerts in australia broke all records Ts that true well as a matter of fact said ame mme melba my first nine concerts realized pounds and at my last concert the house was worth 2600 pounds which seemy to falsity the proverb that A prophet is not without honor save in his own country SINGING IX THE HEAT did yon suffer much from the heat 1 I found it very fatiguing especially the night I 1 sang at melbourne for mr ames beaumont who has been the leading tenor in australia since I 1 was a lit tie girl lie is now si aty and almost blind I 1 sang for him at his benefit performance for mance it was the hottest day on record and I 1 sang three times with the temperature at in the shade it was frightful mine melba found that australia had made enormous progress in a musical sense since fie was before like the australians are fond of sunshine and music seem 0 o po to prether and mm thinks that thi accounts for their love of t song the prima donna especially admired the able conducting and competent or chestra of M Slap at melbourne the young musicians she byg have great ambition aal much enthusiasm and she is confident that many of them will come to the front ame mme malba haa plans abc present she hopes however biogo to america in october on a tour but she will I 1 not sing in opera the diva is resting i in the meantime and when I 1 mentioned she exclaimed with enthusiasm thusia sm oti I 1 love it I 1 have an electric brougham for town use and I 1 would do a great deal more motoring if it were not that the dust sets in my throat |