The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-18
SHE SANG FOR THE QUEEN.
NINE. ANNIE GREY TELLS OF HER
AUDIENCE WITH VICTORIA.
Her Majesty Was Well Pleased With
the Scotch Lassie's Interpretation
of the Songs of Her Native Land.


which is about 10 be received at fashion
| able houses at Lenox and later in New
York. This latest foreign diversion Is
woman troubadour, who revivihes in song
and story Scotands golden age-the lays
| and legends inseparable from Walter Scott
and Robert Burns
zone must spend the vacation some
where" said Nine Annie Grey, in re-
counting to Tribune reporter her inter-
esiing career as a troubadour in the Brit
ish Isles. Come to America, see the
| country, meet the people was suggested,
! and so I came. 1 expected to return before
this, but Scotch songs seem to have struck
a responsive chord wherever they have
been heard, and my engagements in Eng
land, which were made up to March, have
all been cancelled, and I hope to talk and
sing my way into the hearts of the Amer
lean people, especially the women. Such
wonderful women I never met anywhere.
My mother and I marvel at their energy,
intelligence and enterprise"
At Saratoga Nine. Gray gave one of her
unique entertainments for a Red Cross
benefit.
"Scotland's heart and soul have been
with America in this war" she said. "All
the officers, every person of distinction in
the American army and navy are as well
known TO us as to Americans. The war
worked an innovation unheard of in Scot
land before. We observe, you know, the
Sabbath most rigidly; rarely cook ride DO
| any servile work on that day. But Glas-
cow stood aghast the Sunday America
won her great victory. Its leading news
paper issued four extra editions. Never
before was a Scotch Sabbath so desc
Grated"
Nine. Grey was trained for oratorio and
grand opera at the Royal Academy of
London. She inherits her musical gifts
from her mother, a highly accomplished
pianists and violinist. Her mother is her
| accompanist in her song-lecture recitals.
what turned you from the opera to the
song-lecture feld?'' was asked this viva
cious little woman whose bonny presence
smacks of native heather
Prof. John Stuart Blackie," was the
reply. ION my return to Scotland shortly
after 1 had won the gold medal at the
Royal Academy, I met the professor, who
was giving his 4 famous lectures on the
Scottish bards. At his request l Travelled
with him and illustrated his lectures by
singing the old songs.
Abandon oratorio and opera he urg-
ed.a There are hundreds who can sing it
as well as, If not better than you, but
there is no one living who surpasses you
In interpreting the soul of our old Scot
fish lays.
Before his death-he was then an old
man, past eighty+-he called me 10 him
and said he wanted me to continue his
work. 1 prepared the manuscript of my
first lecture entitled The Lays. Lifts and
LEGENDS OF Scotland and submitted it to
| him. Since then / have added Sir Walter
| scott and Robert Burns and have gone
/ deeper into their history think. than did
| Prof. Blackie. All the songs | sing have
been arranged by myself and my mother.
Ihey cannot be bought. Before coming
10 America L was always accompanied by
! the piano. Now these old songs of the
| troubadours, which antedate the bagpipe
| were always sung to the harp WHY NOT
| get harp, thought and let Scotch low
! ers in America hear them as did their
| remote ancestry. L had a harp made. a
| perfect fac-simile of the ancient Scotch
| harp in the collection of the Duke of
Argyll. II was tuned in E fiat. All
| chimes are tuned in f fiat O am told
| that the musical Instruments found in the
| pyramids are also tuned in the same key
can't everything in e fat 1 said
| to the harpmakeT who ingeniously in
serted series of stops by which it can
be tuned to any key. While he was maxi
| ing It l practised on an Irish harp. 1t
! VIII be surprise to England and Scot
land when they hear the harp. but Amer
| lea gets the first strains of the ancient
! instrument.
Nine. Grey has a picturesque wardrobe
| OF the typical Highland dress Five years
| ago she sang to Queen Victoria This
| priced experience is not without interest
| 70 Jeffersonian Democracy familiar with
! White House informalities.
1t was altogether unusual, 1 am told
! fn- 1fs
| received at Balmoral" said Nine Grey
1t came about in this way: I was Wis
lung at the country seat of the Earl of
| HaddIngton. One wet day which kept ev-
! erybody indoors, the Dowager Duchess of
| RoXpurgh drove over in her carriage The
Earl asked me to sing some Scottish songs
! for the dowager She was much pleas
| ed.
How they would interest her maies-
| W she said. Wouldn't you like to sing
for the Queen?
"Of course, I assured her nothing would
| give me greater pleasure, and said that
l would go to any part of the kingdom
| her majesty.
! Six weeks later I received a cordial
! letter from the dowager, who was one of
| the queens bridesmaids, and one of her
| closest friends, saying her majesty would
! De pleased to receive me. An official in
| NhdtloH IolloWed. The Queen was at the
time at Balmoral Castle. Nov. 10 was the
! date named. That night at 10 o'clock I
| drove with my mother to the castle. Two
| Understanding received US in palatiaI
| bedroom. A wood fire cracked, and a ia
| BILE was laden with observation-disclosures
| champagne and every delicacy imaginable.
l was critically inspected by the ladies'
in-waiting. Thanks to frequent consulta-
| tons with Lady Haddington and other
| members of the nobility with whom, 7 v,as
acquainted, my toilet conformed to the
requirements. If there had been the
| slightest deviation the ladies would have
rectified 1t before my entrance to the
drawing room. The corsage must be dec
| ollete. Had mine been too low the ladies'
would have covered 1t; too high, they
would have lowered 1t. That is their busi-
ness. Her majesty objects to suede gloves.
| Only glaze kid is tolerated. She dislikes
artificial flowers in the hair or on the
gown. Happily, my couture and train
were loaded with white plumes, which she
I N1wr I