of the musical season in the fall of 1863 Madam Urso was
engaged by Mr. P. S. Gilmore to play at his concerts in Boston. The
summer of apparent idleness had been well spent. Her study and practice
bore splendid fruit and her genius bloomed out into new and wonderful
music that seemed to exhale a perfume as ethereal and delicate as it was
peculiar and original. The woman's hand and heart lived in the music. To
all the brilliancy and technical skill of a man she added a feminine
lightness of touch, that in airy lightness, and grace, melting
tenderness and sweetness is past description. Her violin now seemed to
breathe and sigh. The tears would come to the listener's eyes he knew
not why. The tears were in the tones. The sorrow of her life exhaled in
chastened sweetness from the strings. Her heart ran out on her finger
tips and lived in her music.

It is not surprising that at one of these concerts the musicians of
Boston should have united in presenting a testimonial of respect and
admiration and personal regard to her as an artist and a woman. The
letter was signed by the musical people of note resident in Boston and
was accompanied by a handsome gold watch.

However interesting the details of these events may seem it is
impossible to dwell upon them all. We must take the more salient points
in Madam Urso's artist life, choosing such events as best illustrate her
character and best explain the secret of her success that we may learn
the true artistic lesson of her life and works. After traveling under
Mr. Gilmore's direction through all the principal towns of New England,
Madam Urso left his company and spent the summer months in traveling in
her private carriage with a small party of her own, and giving
occasional concerts by the way.

She reached New York late in the fall and at once organized a new
company, and visited Canada. This trip was a remarkably successful one,
and extended till January, 1865. She then appeared at the Philharmonic
concerts at New York and Brooklyn, and on reorganizing her company
visited Northern and Central New York. She was at Syracuse at the time
of the assassination of Lincoln and moved by the event composed an elegy
for the violin that was afterwards performed with great success at
Rochester.

The early summer of this year was spent among friends and in retirement
and was entirely devoted to incessant and long continued practice.
Practice upon her violin is the one thing that is never