hey were revoked and a host of carpenters swarmed into the
building and began to remodel it for the great Festival. Railroads,
Hotels, and Telegraph companies were ready to obey her every wish in
regard to the reception of the great company to be assembled. The State
arsenal opened at her command and a whole park of artillery was ready to
speak at the wave of her baton. An organ was built to order, and a drum
more portentous than the Gilmore affair was manufactured. The firemen
met to pound the anvils in the "anvil chorus" and Camilla herself
drilled them in the work. And at the head of it all was the one woman,
mistress of the whole kingdom, and with the resources of a State at
command. As if this was not enough she personally assumed the entire
expense and was responsible for the whole vast sum of thousands and
thousands of dollars that the festival involved. Had it been a failure
the Mercantile Association would not have lost a dollar. Every bill was
in her own name, be it for organ, contractors, printing music books or
agents' fares by rail or boat.

The event exceeded expectation and was one of the most marked musical
successes ever recorded. On Washington's birth-day, February 22d, 1870,
ten thousand people filled the Mechanics' Pavilion to listen to Camilla
Urso's concert. A chorus of twelve hundred composed the choir, and an
orchestra of two hundred good musicians furnished the accompaniment for
the choral members.

The programme was popular in its character and each piece was given with
unexpected effect. The concert was opened at half past two by the
performance of Von Weber's Jubilee Overture by the orchestra under the
direction of Mr. Harold, the conductor of the festival. This was
followed by a chorus for men's voices by the united singing societies of
the State. Next the orchestra and military bands gave a selection of
national airs and at the end the chorus and the entire audience rose and
sang "My country 'tis of Thee." The chorus, organ and orchestra then
united to give the chorus "Night shades no longer," from Moses in Egypt,
which was given in a skillful and effective manner. A chorus of men's
voices from "Eurianthe" with horn obligato was next performed and then
came the Anvil Chorus, with chorus, bands, orchestra, organ, battery and
all the bells in the city united for accompaniment.

It was an event in its way and the irrepressible enthusiasm peculiar to
the Californians found vent in cheers and