The Washington herald., 1921-08-28

@@A@ SSAN hau ~ AhoA Nhdh nine
months OF vocal lessons in my life.
But came of a musical family; from
babyhood / had lived and breathed
music The operas / had learned as
other babies learn the alphabet.
And SO ! felt that fine morning.
when 1 offered my youthful serv-
ices to the surprised conductor, that
l was doing the most natural of
things. His surprise ceased, how
ever, after, on his request. l sang
to him, and ] m de my debut in
"Africana" as result. That debut
night meant the beginning of my
path of roses, roses blossoming In
the enthusiasm and love of my au-
diences all over this big world of
ours, and for which am so su-
premely, devoutly thankful.
Another country sang In, too,
before reached these United States.
and that was Mexico. 1t was a per-
formance of Lucia" and at the
City of Mexico. which sent me here
and into the adventure to which I
have alluded, for on that Lucia"
afternoon the famous manager.
William H. Leahy, OF San Francisco,
heard me sing. 1t was all very Gu
rious, or perhaps / should call It
fate, and glorious fate at that.
Called to San Francisco.
Mr.. Leahy had been ordered by
his San Francisco doctor to take
an absolute rest. To get it he went
to the far-off City o. Mexico. Ar
riving at the station there his
friend, Giergio Polacco, the noted
conductor, met and welcomed him
"Wa
FOR have a Lucia matinee at 2
clock" At this the professional
spirit of Mr.. Leahy awakened and
he also went to the theater. After
the first act he came to my dress
Ing room fired with enthusiasm; all
the doctors orders quite forgotten.
and only one supreme idea in his
mind; / must go back with him at
once to San Francisco and make my
debut there in opera at the Tivoli
Cheater, of which he was manager.
To have agreed to that would
have meant TO leave my colleagues
helpless for they could not have
successfully continued their season
In Mexico City without me, and 1t
would have meant their stranding
in a far-off land. Though in my
heart l longed to go to that great
country of which 1 had heard so
much, with deep regret l told him
OF my decision to remain with those
who needed me, and that this was
hnal.
Little did 1 know then of that
splendid American spirit of which
Mr.. Leahy is to me the very en-
bodiment. 81 will take you and
al your friends" he answere
promptly.
DO you mean the whole COM
pany?' 1 asked. astounded "Ex-
actly," was his calm reply. wheu
! got my breath again we talke |
over details which were very soon
arranged.
Then came the great adventure.
Mr.. Leahy had returned ahead T.
San Francisco to blaze a trail for
us. The company and 1 set out
alone to follow him. 1t was in the
early summer of 1905 And Just at
that important moment the Rio
Grande River burst its banks in the
midst of terrific transforms, food
ing vast stretch of country. One
valley section became not merely a
lake. but the Salton Sea as 1t was
called, where mile after mile tn,
water surged and eddied. Already
we had started and our route car
ried US straight into that Salton
Sea.
Coaches Inundated.
We had gone along slowly for
some time in the awful downpour
when we came to a series of what
looked like broad lakes; presently
we steamed into surging, splashing
waters. A great sweep of countrI
in the distance looked like a coas
line; about US on every hand was