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Alverson, Margaret Blake, 1836-1923

"Sixty Years of California Song"


[Illustration: 75th Birthday
73d Birthday
For Patriotic and Other Public Services
71st Birthday
72d Birthday
TROPHIES AND TRIBUTES PRESENTED TO MRS. BLAKE-ALVERSON]
What a lesson it was to me of what a person can do as a singer. I had
left a lasting impression upon these people and whenever they heard
these songs spoken of or sung they went back in memory with pleasure
to the singer who sang them long ago and they were pleased to know
they were to hear me once again, even so far from where they had heard
me before, and pleased to make themselves known in this pleasant way.
I was touched deeply by their kindness and I asked Mr. Kohler to allow
me to sing for them Annie Laurie and The Last Rose of Summer. He
recalled Mr. Wand, our accompanist, and I gave them these songs as a
compliment. Such episodes occur in a singer's life and we are reminded
that when work is well done we will always have appreciation, and just
reward, and leave a lasting example for good that others may follow
with safety. These songs were not showy or brilliant, but they were
songs that touched the heart, and left an impression for good. Our
California audiences are metropolitan and changing forever. People are
here one day and in a twelfth month somewhere else and in my time it
was still more changeable than now. No matter what your audience is it
is the singer's duty to please every listener as near as possible and
leave an impression.


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