ing expenditure of energy and vital force was the cause of this
man's withdrawal from the activity of an hitherto busy life, during
which he made and kept many friends. The incorporation of the firm
under the name of the Zeno Mauvais Co. was the next change made in the
affairs of this house. Mrs. Mae Mauvais was elected president and
during the next five years her brother, R.L. Eames, occupied the
position of manager. At this time a change being deemed expedient, Mr.
H.S. Stedman, who had been connected with the house since 1883, was
elected as manager and secretary, continuing as such until the
conflagration of 1906 destroyed the entire stock together with all the
books of the concern.

Under the new management the firm renewed its effort to expand and
took the two upper floors of the building in addition to the one
previously occupied. A very successful feature was the division of the
lower floor into rooms for the display and sale of different kinds of
small goods, each having a room of its own. This was a new thing on
the coast and was fully appreciated by the large number of patrons who
took advantage of the opportunity to try instruments in comparative
seclusion. In 1904 the largest holder of stock, Mr. Roy Mauvais, who
was actively engaged in looking after the interests of the firm
desired to concentrate his energies in furthering other lines of
business in which he had engaged, and found more congenial. At this
time an offer from the Wiley B. Allen Co. to purchase the entire stock
of pianos, organs and piano players was accepted, and in accordance
with the conditions of the sale the stock of small goods, sheet music
and books was moved to 933 Market street, in the room adjoining the
piano warerooms of the Allen Company and there handled under the name
of the Zeno Mauvais Music Co. until the fire of April, 1906,
obliterated all traces of it. It was not considered advisable by the
stockholders to re-establish the business after this unfortunate
occurrence and so one of the best and most favorably known music
houses of the Pacific Coast ceased to exist.

[Illustration:

C.C. Clay
Leander S. Sherman

MUSIC HOUSE OF SHERMAN, CLAY & CO.

San Francisco]

I will close my chapter with the story of the Zeno Mauvais Company. My
story deals only with early history, for it would not be possible for
me to give any accurate account of the business except from 1851 to
1877. I moved away from San Francisco twice and as