The Washington herald., 1921-08-28

-gainst the cars as the engine
dragged US ahead slower and more
slowly still. Presently the waters
uegan to creep up the car steps as
We got In deeper. Soon they were
sceping in snake-Iike streams down
the car aisles to where we sat ter
rihed. The train moved forward
cautiously, but always the waters
Kept on coming in more quickly.
mounting higher and higher until
we had to get up on the seats as
the current streamed past US, Soon
the engine stopped stock still. The
waters had put its fires out and We
were stalled, helpless.
But Providence nad given us a
friend and a resourceful one
Though We did not know or even
think OF It, along the telegraph
wires within very sight of our
frightened eyes eager messages of
INQUIRY were speeding from Mr..
Leahy, who in far-away San. Fran
cisco was seeking to locate us and
bring US to safety. The hours
seemed long ones, perched on those
seats with muddy water creepin1
higher about US. while outside il
dashed along for miles and miles
into the distance. Then came long.
piercing whistles A high, giant
engine, whose fires the waters Of
Salton Sea could not reach. han
rescue.
States was contrary to, any prim
| donna traditions. Wagner sur
rounded his operatic heroines with
nre, ! came into this country
through engirdling waters. AS
complete reversal instead Of max
Ing my debut in New York, I made
It on the shores OF the Pacific, in
the City of the Golden Gate. And
what an exciting day II was! Never
shall I forget II. Giving to many
Vexatious delays our train did not
reach San Francisco until l2 noon
on June 9. 1905. That night was
to make my first appearance there
as Gilda In Verdrs "Rigoletto." The
opera costumes Of the entire COM
pany did not arrive with US; many
OF the chorus did not even have
their stage shoes. Additional mem
bers of chorus and orchestra had
oeen recruited locally. Consequent
ly opera costumes for many had to
be routed out of the Tivoli Theater
storage by Mr.. Leahy and rehearsals
held feverishly by Mr.. Polacco up TO
twenty minutes to o'clock that
night. This l heard later, for I had
been hurried at once to a hotel to
rest up for the performance.
U. s. Debut Best.
Many glor Gus debuts in many
lands are treasured in my memory.
but never shall / cease to hold very
dear in my heart my debut in the
United States. That night after nv
aria of Caro- Nome, ending with its
long, high trills, the scene was
stupendous. Vociferously demanded
by the great audience. / came back
on the stage to find people rushing
madly toward me, women tearing
m their corsage bouquets to throw
them to me, and men cheering until
the air throbbed and tingled. In
that moment all my so recent trials
were forgotten, all my agonies of
fear that 1 might not arrive In time
to sing. But one thought filled m
mind; had been gloriously well
coined by the American people who
had taken me to their great hearts.
And what splendid experiences 1
have lived through here since. and
everywhere, singing many times
clear across this vast land to New
York and back again to San Fran
cisco; singing from the great cities
of the far North to tie great cities
of the far South. with always the
same loving welcome and apprecia-
tion from audiences that have mad
my pathway bloom with roses. New
York has given. me glorious nights
in opera at the Mani attain; Chicago
has given me nights as glorious al
the Auditorium; so have Boston and
Philadelphia at their opera houses
so have all the important cities OF
the country. where my return again
and again in concert everywhere
has brought me a welcome that has
gone straight to my heart. This
was well worth almost swimming
here to get; it was well worth
more besides, for to have lived SO
into the affections of a great people
would make far greater hardships
in reaching them seem trivial.
Meanwhile. have also sung in
other countries between my seasons,
here. In Brazil, in England. In
France. in Italy. In London, at
Covent Garden in 1907 was re-
ceived as the successor of Adelina
Patti, not only by the public but by
the diva herself. who came at once
after the performance to my dress
ing room to say so. and who wrote
me a treasured letter repeating all
she had said, such a letter as only
one who Is supremelv great and su-
premely generous could write. At
her London hotel the following
Sunday she had me sing to her
again from "Traviata, telling me
once more that she wanted to hear
its music sung as she, herself, had
once sung 1t.
In that same London, SO eager
were they to hear me that peopl q
waited in line at the opera house
for twelve hours. Some grew faint
from fatigue, and Nj. Higgins, di-
rector Of the Covent Garden Opera,
generously provided for their. COM
fort by sending out sandwiches and
hot coffee. As / have driven up to
the stage entrance early in the
evening to dress for the perform
ance I have seen those throngs
there waiting for me; their greet
ing cheers still linger in my ears,
ana I bless them In remembrance.
Roses, roses, always roses! And
humbly I thank my Heavenly
Father.
In-all the years succeeding, ev-1
,erywhere It was triumph of roses,
and one of the most beautiful of
them all was the Christmas Eve Of
1910 in San Francisco sang that
night In the open air to An audi