The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-29
Media at Home.
Lone ou's Tour Hundred Attend Her Teas
Kings and Princes fave Sent Ihelr
Photoyraphs to Her.

In Melba's town house the drawing
room and mushroom. which constitute.
together with the boudoir. one suite, are
always cheerful with flowers and palms
Plenty of light is let in through an UNI
usually liberal supply of window space,
and the glow is heightened by yellow
MORE hangings and the cream white OF
the walls that are reproductions or those
in the palace at Versailles. Madame
Media has searched through antiquity
shops to some purpose. for the flood OF
light is neutraliZed by the tones of old
hrocades that cover the Louis Nv cfst'rs
and couchcs Imagine the drawing-room
and mllSic-room banked with flowers,
the gilt sconces and crystal chandeliers
alight on the occasion of an evening par
ty when the musical programme IS given
by the hostess and q group OF ceieDr.eieS
whose presence at one time behind the
foot-lights would mean struggle LOT
life at the box-offce.
Tho grand piano of a great singer is
generally the shrine that holds her most
treasured possessions. Here Madame
Melba has placed the decorations given
to her by the King of Belgium, the KING
Of Sweden, the medals from the Donl-
zetti festival at Bergamo, from Brussels.
from the Paris Conservatory and from
Australia. Back OF these are autograph
the charming Juliette of my hope of
Verdi: of Madame Narchesi. and of Puc-
cini the composer OF la Boheme.' 9th
err autograph portraits are there, KIND
of royal gallery including that OF hins
Edward VII, of Queen Alexandra. OF
the Duke of Clarence. of the Duke or
Cornwall and York. of the Duke OF CAM
bridge. of the King of Sweden and OF the
King of Saxony. They arc souvenirs OF
no GIC
for these great personagcs- Her own
portrait and bust are evidences OF inter
est in two of her countrymen me bust
in the mushroom was made by bertrain
Mackennal, and the portrait was painted
nv R,,5ert Bonney. whose two pictures IN
the Paris salon this year have received
favorable mention.
For painters Madame hlelba mas nluch
admiration, and for writers kind OF
reverence. One somehow never associates
books with great singers, in their jour
nevinrs the costumes leave so little
snace for works OF literature in their
trunks. Madame Meiba's favorite books
NAV hc seen at her home on little tanie
nv the fireplace. There is an easy chalr
near it, and the pages OF Rosetti, ohei-
lev. Keats and Fitzgerald omar sho"
that they have been read.
Five O'Clock is an institution at Great
II
gathered a erour Of people whose names
are as familiar on one side OF the ocean
as the other Lord Kitchener is stanch
a6uirer of Madame Media. for all his
ren,,ted aoathy toward the civilizng sex.
Lord Charles Beresford is Il visitor; LORD
and Lady Cadogan. when they are home
from ireland: Mr. Alfred de Rothschiid.
the Duchess o. Wellington, the Duchess
of Sutherland Lady De Grey, regarded
as the closest friend of Queen Alexan-
dra and the manstay OF the covent Car
den opera: Joachim. the violinist-these
and many others-cail to drink cup of
tea at the hour when all London iikes
to remind itself CT the happy fact tnae
If has frien6s to be looked III upon
Lying neglected in cabinet IN the
library is a Visitors Book. that Ma
dame Melba once kept It is a register
Of international celebrities. No longer
in notice, the volume hints to one that
ct some past day collecting the auto
grains OF the great OF the cath became
a bore."-William Armstrong. in Ainsiee
Magazine.