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Alverson, Margaret Blake, 1836-1923

"Sixty Years of California Song"

On August 21 and December 15,
they celebrated Veterans' Day, Lyon Post installation. On May 12,
1904, Captain Stillwell wanted the boys to have patriotic singing in
their armory opening, and asked me to sing for them Vive l'America.
This entertainment and Memorial Day, May 31, closed my work for this
year. 1905 began with the Lyon Corps and Post installation. On
Memorial Day I sang in the Congregational Church. As I sang The
Offering of Flowers I quietly placed a wreath of roses over the spear
of the flag, as it projected in front of me in the gallery over the
pulpit, and in an instant the audience rose to their feet in silent
appreciation for my tribute to the dead, comrades knowing my inability
to go to the cemetery for the services there. At the close of the
services, before I could leave my place in the gallery, many G.A.R.
officers and strangers paid their affectionate tributes of praise for
my services of song and honor to the dead. Once more I was urged to
sing at the Macdonough theater on the Fourth of July of that year, and
I received a most enthusiastic reception from the public. The banquet
of Lyon Corps for the post, July 11, and the memorial services of post
and corps for the annual deaths closed this year's services. I
supposed this would be my last public appearance, but in 1906 I was
needed at the installation as usual, and on the Fourth of July at the
Macdonough theater. In 1907 I sang at a special reception to veterans
and department officers of California and their wives.


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