onored me by their presence.

I was so excited I had not missed many prominent pupils; but when
evening came I heard voices and footsteps and going quietly to the
door I discovered some three score of my pupils and their parents
arranging their programme _sotto voce_ in the hallway for the final
surprise of the day. It was a happy chance I was ready for them. The
bay window of the music-room was a lovely bower of flowers and verdure
and on a draped table was the huge cake with its sixty candles all
ablaze, one for each year. My appearance disturbed their preparation
for a moment only, then all was mirth and jollity.

After congratulations a programme was given followed by a banquet.
Many happy speeches of compliment were made and I gave them in return
a short sketch of my musical life. At the close of the recital we
reluctantly separated after greatly enjoying the unusual opportunity
of celebrating two golden jubilees of one life on the same day.

Words are inadequate to express my gratitude to all who were factors
in making this one of the greatest days I ever experienced. It seemed
that everybody was a friend. The newspapers vied with each other in
their write-ups of the occasion. The _Call_, _Tribune_, _Chronicle_,
_Enquirer_, _Saturday Night_, _Berkeley Gazette_, _Santa Cruz Surf_,
_Examiner_, _Benicia Era_, the Stockton and Sacramento papers all ran
full articles and pictures in my honor. At this late day I tender my
sincere thanks for favors and kindly criticisms, from time
immemorial.

[Illustration: Pen sketch of Mrs. Blake-Alverson by Richard
Partington, made on the occasion of the semi-centenary of her career
as a public singer, June 12, 1896. Mrs. Alverson at this time was
sixty years of age.]

CHAPTER TWELVE

CAMILLA URSO'S FESTIVAL, 1873. MADAME ANNA BISHOP. THE LORING CLUB.
ALFRED WILKIE, FRANK GILDER, D.P. HUGHES

One of the most difficult tasks in writing my memoirs is the choice of
the most important happenings in a busy life. There are so many things
to speak of it is hard to know where to begin. I cannot begin with a
more appropriate event than the Fourth of July celebration which took
place in 1869, with William Seward, Secretary of State, in one of the
boxes of the California theater.

Alex Austin, Esq., was president of the day and called the assemblage
to order.

The programme was as follows:

Prayer by Rev. H.D. Lathrop.

Music by the orchestra.

Reading of