Walter and Mrs. Marriner-Campbell were
among the friends of long ago. Others were Messrs. Julius Oettl, J.H.
Stedman, Fred Katzenbach, Harry Hunt, Q.A. Chase, William Bellrose,
Zeno Mauvais, H.A. Redfield, John W. Metcalf, Clark Wise, S.J. Bruce
of Kohler & Chase, who honored 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.
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