More honors awaited me at the close of the exercises. As I
stepped from my dressing room there awaited me many prominent men and
women who came back of the stage to greet me and take my hand. Among
them were Rabbi Friedlander, Major Sherman, Alfred Wilkie, Judge
Gibson, Rev. Dr. Brown, members of the different committees, unknown
to me. About thirty minutes later, when I left for my carriage, I
found to my surprise that the sidewalk in front of the theater was
crowded with men, women and children, awaiting my coming. It was with
difficulty that I reached my carriage. I must needs take the hands of
these well-pleased people who wished to thank me. Through the efforts
of Mr. John T. Bell I entered the carriage and was driven to the Hotel
Touraine, where a banquet had been prepared. When I arrived the
committee and members of the chorus were seated at the tables. I was
escorted to the table at the end of the hall, decorated with
blossoms, flags and streamers and twelve uniformed soldiers standing
guard. During the banquet the band played patriotic airs and afterward
there were short speeches by prominent men. At the close of the
banquet the master of ceremonies asked the assemblage to rise and give
a tribute of three cheers for Mrs. Blake-Alverson, the patriotic
singer of Oakland. This was given with a will and the band played
America in which we all joined. With this song the celebration was
over and my career as a public singer for sixty-five years for the
people of California in the Golden State by the Golden Gate of the Far
West, the grandest state of all the galaxy of states, was ended.
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