24, 1862. He resided in Guadalajara eight
years, then moved to Mazatlan and lived there three years. Later he
came to San Francisco and taught the harp there for seventeen years. I
had always enjoyed his excellent playing in the different theaters of
San Francisco but it was not until I returned to San Francisco in 1888
that I fully appreciated his wonderful art in playing the Spanish
harp. I took up my residence on Geary street in a lower flat and
across the court in the upper flat was the professor's studio. We
became mutual friends, being in the same line of work and I had the
advantage of listening to his best efforts at his own practice hour
night after night, if he had no other engagement. How I longed to try
my voice with this beautiful music and be accompanied by a master. At
last my opportunity arrived when he asked me to come and sing for him.
He had fine songs for my voice. I gladly accepted his gracious
compliment and it truly was an hour of musical delight. It was not my
last pleasure for we had many such hours and his charming wife was an
appreciative listener and would enthusiastically applaud our efforts.
Those were happy hours but they too soon came to an end for he had
built a home in Alameda for his old age. Later I came to Oakland and
we have never met since. He was actively employed for several years
after that period but has retired and lives in Alameda. I read an
account of his fiftieth wedding anniversary on June 24, 1912, which
was celebrated with a high mass of thanks at St. Joseph's Church in
Alameda. In his profession he had many of our best known women for his
pupils, among them Miss Beatrice Tobin who is now Madam Duval of
Paris, Miss Theresa Fair now Mrs. Oelrichs of New York; Mrs.
Fitzsimmons, Miss Jenny Dunphy, Miss Gertrude Carroll.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

WITH MY PUPILS

WILLIAM H. KEITH

Mr. Keith was born in the sixties in San Francisco. As a young man he
held for several years the position of manager of the art department
of Shreve's, corner of Montgomery and Sutter streets. He began his
voice lessons with Moretti. After a period he [Transcriber's Note:
missing word supplied] discontinued and began his studies with Madam
Blake-Alverson. After studying with her some time, he decided to adopt
music as his profession. He went to Paris in 1890 where, upon the
advice of Jean de Reszke, he studied several years with Sbriglia and
then prepared himself for opera under Giraudet o