ities; but to none of these do they owe so
much as to a highly commendatory letter from the late Rev. Horace
Bushnell of Hartford, Conn. Such testimony from one so eminent, and of
critical abilities so great, could not fail to arrest public attention
in their behalf.

While travelling, the Luca family suffered greatly from the effects of
a cruel caste spirit then so much prevailing,--being often debarred
from hotels, and often denied decent accommodation in public
conveyances. But this barbarous treatment of those whose fine musical
qualities and genteel appearance and deportment--albeit they were of
dark complexions--gave them title to enter the very best places
aroused the sympathy and indignation of many persons. And so, amidst
all their disadvantages, the success and reputation of our artists
steadily increased, and the critics accorded them high rank as
musicians; Mason, Gottschalk, and others among the finest pianists of
the country, receiving Cleveland Luca, the pianist, as an equal.

In the year 1854 the family experienced a sad shock in the death of
Simeon G. Luca.

As before intimated, he was a vocalist and violinist of remarkable
powers; and professionally, as well as otherwise, his loss to the
troupe was a great one.

The vacancy occasioned by his death was filled by the engagement of
Miss Jennie Allen of New York. She proved to be a very valuable
acquisition to the troupe; for she possessed a rich contralto voice,
sang with excellent method, had a graceful, winning stage appearance,
and was well known in New York as a very fine pianist.

The quartet thus arranged then (in 1857) began to travel more
extensively, giving performances in the States of New York,
Pennsylvania, and Ohio, where their success artistically and
financially exceeded any thing before within their experience. Had
they so chosen, they might have visited all the free States with
assurance of good fortune. Wherever they went, the bitter
color-prejudice, the chilling doubtings, or the cold indifference,
displayed by those who had not heard these talented musicians, were
rapidly dispelled when on the stage they beheld their easy, graceful
appearance, and heard the delightful sounds of harmony that proceeded
from the voices and instruments of this accomplished quartet. The
writer well remembers the emotions of delight and pride that filled
his own breast when at this period, in Ohio, he witnessed for the
first time their performances. A