y
"Joe" Maguire
Frank Gilder
Walter C. Campbell
Mrs. Augusta Lowell-Garthwaite
H.S. Stedman
Mrs. Mollie Melvin-Dewing

ASSOCIATED MUSICIANS AND SINGERS

In the Seventies and to Date]

CHAPTER SEVEN

LADY OF LYONS GIVEN AT SANTA CRUZ. FLAG-RAISING AT GILROY HOT SPRINGS.
VISALIA CONCERTS

In 1868, while I was living in Santa Cruz, that city was without any
fire-fighting apparatus. The matter had often been discussed, but
nothing had come of it. Mrs. Alfred Baldwin, who was prominent there
as a school teacher, and her husband, a boot and shoe merchant,
conceived the plan of starting a nucleus for a fire engine. I being
her neighbor, Mrs. Baldwin naturally talked the matter over with me.
Santa Cruz then had some excellent talent to call upon, so we planned
to raise the money for an engine if possible. During these days Mrs
Elmira Baldwin came from San Francisco to spend the summer with her
sister-in-law, Mrs. Baldwin. She was a beautiful woman and talented,
and capable of taking a part in anything. We also had a friend of Mr.
Baldwin's who was a splendid actor in comedy or tragedy, Mr. I.B.
Binney. He was enlisted in the good cause, and through his efforts and
Mrs. A. Baldwin's we were enabled to collect all the talent necessary.
After the performers were secured, the next question was the form of
entertainment. Of course, Mr. Binney was consulted in the matter and
we decided to give the "Lady of Lyons," Bulwer's popular and beautiful
play. I had always sung my way into public favor, and had never tried
the drama. When the part of Widow Melnotte fell to me, I was
surprised, to say the least. I was only thirty-eight years old, and
the mother of Melnotte was fifty, but after much persuasion I
undertook the role. For a month we had a great deal of fun at the
rehearsals. It is true I had my home to care for, and it was also
fruit-canning season, and I was busy at something all the time, but at
my work my part was pinned before me and I was reciting aloud all day
long. Had any one come in unannounced he would have thought I had gone
stark mad. Sometimes I'd stand in the middle of the kitchen, dishcloth
in hand, admonishing Claude not to love Pauline too much, as he was
but a gardener's son, etc. At last the rehearsals were finished and
Thursday evening, August 27, 1868, at Otto's Hall, the only suitable
hall in town at that time, the play was given. Santa Cruz was crowded
with visitors and the tickets were sol