ction of Mr. Elliot, of San Francisco. The
programme consisted of orchestral selections and choruses from the song
books used in the public schools, sung by the children. The Hall was
packed to its utmost limits and the concert was a perfect success, both
in the high character of the music given, and the excellent manner with
which it was rendered. We have Madam Urso's testimony that the singing
of the children was fully equal to the singing heard in the schools of
Boston and other Eastern cities. Madam Urso played a selection of
popular airs, including "Home, Sweet Home," and the national melodies,
to the great delight of the young chorus, and the immense audience
assembled to hear them. This children's concert was very successful and
to gratify the great number of people who wished to attend it was
repeated on the following Saturday.

On Thursday evening the seats were removed from the Pavilion and a grand
ball was given in compliment to Madam Urso. The next day, Friday, the
chorus and the orchestra volunteered and gave her a benefit concert.
Like the other concerts of the Festival it was a great success, and gave
fifteen thousand people an opportunity to listen to her playing, and to
testify to their admiration of her work in their behalf. With the
children's concert on Saturday afternoon the Festival week was brought
to a successful close. There was not an accident to mar the pleasure of
the occasion and the cause of music in California received an impulse
that may be felt to this day. The Mercantile Library received a gift of
$27,000 as the result after every bill had been paid and everything
promptly and thoroughly cleared up.

In looking at this singular episode in the life of Madam Urso we hardly
know which to admire the most, the business skill and energy that
carried it through to a financial success, the womanly qualities that
could win and hold the willing services of so many people in every walk
of life or the artistic culture and insight that arranged the programme
so as to at once please and instruct. The concerts were not too
classical to drive the people away nor were they wholly popular. In all
Madam Urso's art life it has always been her aim to lift up and instruct
her hearers. First allure the people with simple music that they can
understand and then give them something from the masters, something a
little above their comprehension; a taste of classical music. They would
receive a little of the pur