The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-17
MELBA's WEDDING PARTY.
She Makes Two Young Folks Happy
and Loses Her Secretary.

a Pretty Breakfast at the Savoy and
Many Fine Wedding Presents,
| Nine. Nellie Melba has been playing
the gracious role Of good fairy to pain
OF impecunious young lovers and brought
the pretty drama to a triumphant close
yesterday afternoon. Like all orthodox
fairy tales, it ended with wedding
that of Miss Louie Bennett and Mr.. Ken
yon Mason. This is the story.
Miss Bennett is a clever young English
| woman. who has been companion and
secretary to Melba for three or four years.
Miss Bennett was devoted to the lady OF
the golden voice, and her devotion WAS
| thoroughly appreciated.
When Melba came back to America last
autumn she was accompanied by some
what disconsolate tile maiden, who had
left her heart behind with blonde
young Englishman with his fortune IN
made. though in the past he had had a
good start in the London Stock Ex-
change. There was no near prospect OF
wedding, and the lovers found it very
hard to part.
Melba's sympathies were with them
from the first, and before long she de-
vised surprise for Miss Bennett. She
invited MIR. Mason to come over to Amer
lea to spend the holidays with his sweet
heart, and his arrival was timed to meet
elba's party on the return from her con-
cert tour on Dec 81.
Eight days ago, when they were to
have said farewell, Melba announced
that she would have no
farewell Mr.. Mason could
stop week longer. and then carry home
his bride. She would give Miss Bennett
a wedding. and ''attend to all the rest. "
This turns out to have meant the trous-
seau, the breakfast to fifty guests, and
Melba's CHECK for 81, GOO.
Meiba doesn't do things by halves, and
the wedding she gave her protegee was
charming IN every respect. The cere-
mony, as it was marriage mixte,
could not be celebrated in q Catholic
church, but was performed in the draw
ing room of the archiepiscopal residence,
and the Archbishop gave the benediction
to the young couple.
liners Wero pIesont ouly Mine. Melpa,
her brother and sister, Mr.. and Miss
Mitchell, Mr.. Tom Kelly, and Mr.. Il.
Adamowski, who officiattd as best man.
The bride wore white satin with duchess
lace and Grange blossoms, and an encom-
passing cloud Of tulle veil. Melba was
radiant in wonderful frock of pink
heliotrope and pale blue with turquoise
and diamond ornaments, and d black
picture hat with dropping plumes.
Nbo huno Ivf1 hi OF
l o'clock, was served in private suite in
the new part of the Hotel Savoy. The
rooms are done in white and gold and
pale green, and the same scheme was fol-
lowed in the floral decorations. In an
anteroom was constructed a bower of
palms and white roses beneath mar
riage bell, where Mr.. and Mrs. Mason
received the congratulations OF their
friends. The table in the adjoining room
was circular, enclosing an sxpanse of
foliage rising only few inches above the
level, not to obstruct ths view across.
Its green depths were family lit here and
there By the glow of tiny incandescent
lamps, hardly more than the CLEAN Of
FREELY, but very pretty in effect.
The table appointments were all white
and gold, silver and crystal The menus
were marriage bells, with small
medallion portraits of the bride ana groom
ON one side and their initials in monogram
upon the reverse. The same monogram
was wrought in rose carnations in the
horseshoe which was suspended over the
BRIDES place. 1t was the only touch Of
color in the decorations. The White
Hungarian band from London played
softly out of sight during the whole time.
When the guests took their places the
Archbishop was upon Nine. Melba's
right and Mr.. Henry E. Abbey upon
her left The principal artists of the
Italian opera company were there, other
friends of Nine. Melba, among whom
were DR.. and Mrs. Curtis, Mr.. aud Mrs.
Eugene Kelly. Mr.. Tom x MIR.
and Mrs. Reginald de &c II
Charles e. Ellis, Nd. Munzig, 8 ar
lotUa D svignes, Mrs. Abbey, nd
Mrs. Maurice Grau, Mr.. L. Al. ri.
Mr.. and Mrs. Bern he inner, Ms. ! ego
and Father Connolly, the Secretary of
the Archbishop. The Archbishop pro
posed the health of the happy pair and
of Nine. Melba, who had bean their good
angel.
Mr.. Kenyon Mason rose and nearly de-
stroyed Melba's composure by his evi-
IDENTIFY heartfelt words about her goodness
to him and to CHS girl" 1t was a
frank, earnest, boyish speech, and he
finished by saying that after all the
truest thing he could say about Nine.
Melba was that "she's such good pal
and he began to sing, For she's jolly
good fellow" in which all the guests i'm
mediately joined, standing.
The BRIDES going away costume was
of blue cloth with white satin trimmings,
and blue nat with white lace and blue
wings.
A great number Of handsome and val
liable presents were sent. among which
are two silver tea services, one from the
DE Reszkes, a superb silver soup tureen
III silver from Maurel, a massive
silver jewel case from Mr.. George Haven,
a diamond bracelet from Mr.. and Mrs.
Eugene Kelly. silver coffee service from
from Mr.. and Mrs. Grau, and pair Of
silver ssntree dishes from EMF. Ellis.
Mr.. aud Mrs. Abbey's present ia
suite of rooms on the promenade deck of
the steamship Paris. upon which Mr..
and Mrs Mason are to sail this morning.
N. Y. Sun.