The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-22
MELBA REBUKES
 THE AUSTRALIANS Story of the Prima DOnna'S
 Early Life WAS CUT OFF BY FATHER Marriage to Charles Armstrong Proved to be an Unhappy Match.
 Was Raised to Love Outdoor Life.
WAS CUT OFF BY FATHER

inc Atlantic to display their art O before American opera-goers thls winter. none received a warmer welcome than that reigning queen of florid song, Nellie Melba.
 Rut if in the great throng that greet ed her appearance at the Metropolitan opera house in December, there was an Australian who had not heard Mme Mel ba sing since a series of memoraple events about three years ago, he prob- ably regarded her with feelings some what different from those of the rest or the audience. In her acknowledgment oe the applause of her New York admirers he saw something that all Australians failed to see at a time when the whole Australian commonwealth united to do her honor.
 Mime. Melba's last return to her native country was memorable because 1t was the occasion of perhaps the greatest dis play of enthusiasm that ever greeted singer, and also because it afforded Mime. Melba an opportunity to administer to the people of the island-continent se- ries of the most stinging rebukes. The story is such an interesting one that 1t is strange that it has never been told in those countries where Mme. Melba Is now continually adding to her triumphs.
 Melbas maiden name was Nellie Mitch ell Her father David Mitchell now about seventy-six years of age, is rated as one of the wealthest men in the Aus tralian commonwealth. He Is native of Scotland All his life he has been noted ,fo aAiA xkyall a his rigid Presbyterianism.
 The Mitchell homestead is Cave Hill, Lilydale in the Gippsland district of Victoria. MT. Mitchell settled there shortly after the birth of his daughter Nellie, who first saw the light in Mel bourne. He has several other daugh- ter5 and sons. Mrs. Mitchell died while her children were quite young.
 Nellie Mltchelps girlhood was spent at Cave Hill. The estate numbered several thousand acres, and on It's pastures grazed its masters herds of cattle and flocks of sheep Despite his wealth, "Old Dave" as MT. Mitchell was famliarly called. lived simply with his five children in the big farm mansion that was their home. He tried to make the minds of his sons and daughters conform to the strictness of his Presbyterianism, but the children. who had much of his own strength of purpose, were inclined to think more of earth than of heaven. This was especially true of Nellie. Fond of horses. of dogs. and of the wild animals and birds which she brought out of the bush and tanned, Nellie Mitch ell soon became known as the most re- markable young woman In the section on a blooded steed with her long hair flying loose in the breeze, she was seen daily riding into the bush, watching her fathers men at their work or taking fences just to test the mettle of her horse. When her Presbyterian father pro- tested against conduct that he declared to be unmaidenly. she listened respect fully. As soon as he had finished, she was off again.
 But the time came when Nellie Mitchell had to bid farewell to her pets, and to become a pupil in the Presbyterian La dies college in East Melbourne. From this she was expelled a year later as a result of an act of girlsh mischief. Mean while, however the marvellous natural | beauty of her voice had been recognized by music lovers in Melbourne. and her services were in demand at church and social entertainments. It does not appear l that there was any local musician suffi- l ciently discriminating to see in the young concert singer future queen of song. After leaving school, Nellie Mitchell mingled more or less in the society of Melbourne. She had many admirers. and | eventually she was betrothed to a young man named Armstrong. They were mar ried shortly afteI>~ard, and Mrs. Arm
 strong had one son. who is now young 1 man of twenty-one or twenty-two
 The marriage did not prove a happy | one. Charles Armstrong was almost as | devout a Presbyterian as was David Mitchell himself. His wife. warm-blood- l ed and full of the joyousness of life, was 1 the same "Old Dave's Nell' that she had i been when she played pranks on her
 fathers worllmen and galloped with fly
 ing hair through the Gippsland bush. 1 The culture which she had acquired, the 1 position in Melbourne society which she | had won, her pride of motherhood, and
 her love for music, had no effect upon 1 the buoyancy of her spirits. Her world
 was a place for freedom, laughter and
 song.
 Armstrong's unconventional mode of life. | Finally. there came a breach between l the young woman and her husband. The l sympathies of her father and of society
 were with Charles Armstrong. The daugh-
 ter of the Gippsland millionaire faced the
 world alone.
 1 At scores of concerts in Melbourne her 1 beautiful voice had been raised in aid of | charity. She knew that 1t must support