Evening journal., 1903-06-26
FAMOUS SINGER
WORLD WONDER
Secret of Great Prima Donnas
Youth and Power told by
Well-Known Minister
STICKLER FOR OUTDOOR EXERCISE

All the world is wondering over the
announcement TINT Nine. Adelina Patti
Is to make another song tour, says the
Rev. Thomas b. Gregory In the New
York American and Journal.
The great prima donna was born In
1S43 and is therefore at the present
time sixty years old. 1t is tlns latter
fact that makes the world wonder.
That woman threescore years Of age,
a woman who had won her crown as
queen Of the opera before many of the
fathers and mothers Of today were
born, should be announced for sixty
concerts in this country the coming
fall is something that the public can
not quite comprehend.
1t Is a mystery to us. Must there not
be some mistake? Can It be possible
that the Patti we are to hear in the
coming fall Is the Patti who by her tai
ismanic voice charmed our gathers and
mothers more than a generation ago2
II is the same identical Patti. There
is no doubt about It. But can It be that
she can still sing? Undoubtedly she
can sing, very superbly, else. the best
judges of vocal music In the world
would not pay her 100000 for the tour
ST 500 a concert, $156 for each min
ute she is on the stage, $3.50 secondl
Yes, you may depend upon It that
Patti-Patu at sixty-can still sing and
sing like Patti. It is said that this
wonderful woman does not chow her
age by twenty-five years. Not behind
the footlights, but out In the honest
sunlight she looks, we are told, like a
woman Of thirty-five. What is the se-
cret Of her youth and power? 1t Is
what a great many people would like
TO know; II is what am now going to
tell the people. In the first place Pat
tl's fine mental and physical condition
Is the result Of PATHS own applied in
telligence and will power.
When she was a mere child, she said
10 herself, II Will be young as long as
I live" and she has bent every energy
and purpose Of her life toward the full
hllment of that resolution. The great
singer was born with good sense, and
having that she realized that her first
thought should be about her physical
health. Accordingly she has always
taken excellent care Of her body. She
has never been a drinker Of alcoholic
liquors. She has always been a plain
liver, preferrlng TO rich dishes the fare
that was wholesome rather than 'in.
vitlng" she has from her earliest
youth been Il great sticlSler for outdoor
exercise The winds have blown upon
hpr the sunshine has bathed her. She
knows what It is to be IN close and low
Ing touch with the dear old Nature
whence comes the ozone of life
In the meantime Patti did not over.
look the fact that she had mind and
that Il was the privilege Of that mind
10 think and to revel in the immortal
conceptions Of the intellectually great
OF all ages. Nine. Patti is an unusual
~ bright and intelligent woman, ant
there is scarcely a theme upon whicl
she cannot talk with charming inter
e est. Furthermore, this wonderful littl'
q woman has taken good care Of he
hcart-that is TO say, of the human af
e fcctional side Of her nature. She ha
never allowed herself to become SOU
y or cynical She has always been abl
D TO see a bit of blue In the darkest sky.
From Craig-y-Nos. the home of tn
great singer, comes this story: She wa
out walking one day and, feeling thirs
= ty, called at cottage by the waysid
to ask for a glass of milk. When sh
i had finished drinking the milk, sh
l. opened her purse to pay the cost, whel
n the peasant woman raised her hand j.
g gentle remonstrance, saying, "rhere J
+. nothing to pay for the milk, but wi
madam kindly sing to us one Of he
sweet songsY
n Patti entered the humble home an
sang IN her most superb style "Hom'
e. Sweet Home" The astonished and IL
- lighted cottagers listened in rapture
and rendered their distinguished visi
or warmest thanks. Then from an il
ner apartment came a feeble voice
please sing that again. 1t was s
a beauufulw
>. ",rhat is my daughter, who is dyin
OF consumption" said the cottage
NJ 'She Is so FOND OF singing"
~ Patti visited the sick girl, sang n
IA song to her aud gave her a sympi
n. thetlc word. The milk had been pal
for by melody for which the worl
would have gladly paid thousands {
dollars.
lie Such. then, is Adelina Patti. Is It an
n wonder that she is still young an
er beautiful and full of song?
s. PATHS perfect physical condition an
her undiminished fund Of animal spl
its were revealed in an odd mann
~ upon the occasion of her last LondC
,r- appearance in concert. While she w
IN. singing heavy and exacting aria fro
one Of the classic operas a wasp beg,
huzzing about her nose. Patti brush'
ne, the insect away several times witho
IS interrupting her vocal performanC
ew which only added to the wasp's evide
er. determination TO investigate the sour
re- OF such celestial sounds. The singer
ms gestures under the circumstances we
is so out Of keeping with the character