as understood that the same pageant would be
repeated each night so the people came early to witness the procession
of this immense number of participants winding slowly along until they
reached the stage. When the Pecksniffs arrived on the stage a shout
rent the air each night and we were obliged to remain in the spot
light until the cheering had subsided. It was ten days of notoriety
wholly unexpected by the Pecksniffs. We were only carrying out our
idea of these characters and had become the chief attraction of the
motley procession. While some of the characters had individual
pictures of themselves taken, there should have been large groups
photographed as a permanent reminder of the carnival. It would take
volumes to describe the separate costumes of these well represented
characters. There was but one incident which marred the happiness of
the revelers in the booths, the death of Mr. Biddle Bishop, the Don
Antonio of the Cervantes booth, who was drowned in the Alameda baths.
By his affable manners and intelligence he had endeared himself to all
of his associates who felt as though they were themselves bereaved.
Out of respect to his sudden death the Cervantes booth was closed for
one night. He was also one of the young deacons of Calvary Church and
was a well beloved pupil of mine with a fine baritone voice which was
fast developing and he would have been classed among the singers of
his time. I know of no one more worthy to meet his Maker for he was an
exemplary young man, full of Christian love and charity toward all.
The funeral services were held in Calvary Church, Rev. John Hemphill,
the pastor, spoke eloquently of his late parishioner. The music was
rendered by a female trio club composed of Miss Susie Sroufe, soprano;
Miss Dolly Sroufe, second soprano; Mrs. Blake-Alverson, contralto, and
Professor Scott, organist. His body was sent to his home in
Philadelphia for burial.

[Illustration: Charity Pecksniff in tableaux

Charity Pecksniff
Mrs. Blake-Alverson

Pecksniff
H.G. Sturtevant

Henry Van Winkle
Cervantes Booth

Mercy Pecksniff
Alice Van Winkle

Dolly Sroufe
Italian Booth

AUTHORS' CARNIVAL, SAN FRANCISCO, 1880]

In looking over the list of those who took part in the Authors'
Carnival only five of the number who made up the Chuzzlewit booth are
living, to my knowledge. The Dickens books booths were larger than the
other books. The tableaux required room to give the proper effect. The
carn