There were national dignitaries on a visit to the coast, state
dignitaries from Sacramento, city dignitaries and nature's noblemen
from all over the country at large. The amiable and heavily bearded
countenance of Governor Irwin was conspicuous in one of the boxes. The
buxom and benign countenance of Mayor Bryant, his person clad in a
rigorously accurate full dress costume, was not less noticeable. But
the ladies! Oh, there began the tempest of the soul of any man who
tried to pick out any one who was more pre-eminently attractive than
the other. The eye could travel on forever through the boxes from east
to west, from Mission street to Market, from the main floor to the
roof, and every prospect was pleasing and man was utterly outvied. At
half past two the tall and graceful conductor, Carl Zerrahn, arrayed
in a black frock coat and a pair of lavender colored trousers, stepped
lightly down the gorgeous hill of choristers to the front of the
orchestra, made a profound bow to the audience, then turned and raised
his baton to the chorus. Instantly the 1,800 rose to their feet with a
motion so well timed that it seemed as if the whole south end of the
pavilion was rising. As 1,800 scarlet-covered chorus books were
hoisted into view, the whole amphitheater seemed aflame as if for an
exaggerated incantation scene of Fra Diavolo. Then there was another
motion of the baton, with the precision of a machine fifty bows
scraped upwards over fifty violins and 150 other instruments, and
1,800 voices burst forth in melody.
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