Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-12-02

Interviews With Great stars
-Melba.
RY RALPH RlNaHAM.

smoking compartment Of one of
Mrs. Pullman vanished cars, WHINE
the dinning-car conductor, all dress
ed up in a G. A. n. uniform, strolled
through, announcing the first call
for dinner in the dining-car, second
car in the rear" Q
For several days previously / had
been doing towns where the bill Of
fare in the hotels thrice per day
were, How'll you have your eggs
cooked, Boss?" And / was hungry
enough to eat sleeping-car hair
brush. SO hied me to the rear and
into Mr.. Southern Railway Tayloe's
dining-car. clutched the menu
card and whispered to the chocolate
colored waiter: Everything, from
oysters clean down to the printers
name." He hummed softly: ''You
don't need no Moxie for your
nerve, " and disappeared to return
shortly with the best dollars worth
I've ever gotten on a train.
"Awfter me dinner" / felt bit
drowsy, and, going back to the Pull
man, l nailed the big chair in the
smoke-house, put my Douglasses on
the seat and started in to pulling on
the small end of a Capadura Madeira
Tarara cigar. In few minutes the
Captain" of the train came in and
informed that Madame Melba's pri-
vate "cyar" was on the rear end.
Immediately | thought Of how bully
it would be to land an exclusive
lung-to-lung interview with the
famous songbird; so l asked the con-
ductor if he would take my card to
the queen of song, with a request
for few minutes Conversation
ings."
He would.
So / sat down and smoked and
waited.
In short time the cap" return
ed, and was soon ushered into the
presence of the great diva. She was
seated on a divan Ia JEST.
For the benefit of the ladies / will
say that she was dressed beautifully !
in a pearl-gray toga that was cross
between a Ma Hubbard and rag
Ian overcoat. Her hands looked as
if she had been sleeping in a jewelry |
store. She wore a diamond sun
burst at her throat, a pearl necklace
around her waist, diamond tarara
on her head, but no other ornaments
She smiled sweetly and invited me
to have divan with her.
l did. |
After remarking what fine round
day it was. | said: Madame, you
only arrived recently from Europe,
did you not?"
eyes. did not" she answered
roguishly.
Were you i'll crossing the mois-
ture, queried.
ooh, very" she answered. cat
one time l thought should throw
up my American engagements.
''You must have been i'll, " said l,
alphabetically.
"How did you leave your SOM"
was my next question.
"On train" was her facetious
reply, and laughed aloud twice.
"Oh, he is a fine chap" she vol
unteered. "And he's quite Bully
var dear" q didn't know what
that was, but I'll bet it was some
thing nice.)
did you stop long enough in
New York to meet j. Pierpont Nor
gan or John w. Gates?"
mo; but / heard two German
Lflenus OF mine HlenJlon tnelr names
while there"
1907"
Eyes; they were saluting each |
other. and one said, Good Morgan,
and the other said, We Gates And |
/ laughed till the tears rolled down
my vest.
Then ! thought would show her
what / didn't know about music.
So, assuming a studious look, said:
"Do you sing LISTS Tend to the
Mockingbird?'"
She did not.
asked her if she sang any selec-
tons from Wagner's Sleeping
Car" or his Simple Life" She did
not.