_4._ First appearance in the regular season of Miss Kellogg in _Traviata_. Prince of Wales came down end of 2nd act and congratulated her warmly. Also brought the warmest congratulations from the Princess--splendid--called out three times--received 8 bouquets. Forgot powder--sent Annie home--too late--hurried, daubed, nervous, out of breath. Couldn't get champagne opened quick enough--rushed and tore--delayed orchestra 5 minutes--got on all right--at last--went off splendidly. Miss Jarrett, Mr. Jarrett, Arditi, Mr. Bennett of the Press [critic of _The Daily Telegraph_] came and congratulated Louise. The Prince of Wales was very kind--said he remembered the hospitality of the Americans to him years agone. [Louise] Had a new ball room dress--all white with red camilias. This somewhat incoherent record as jotted down by my mother is sketchy but true in spirit. Never in my life, before or since, was I ever so nervous as at our opening performance in London of _Traviata_; no, not even had my American _début_ tried me so sorely. Everything in the world went wrong that could go wrong on this occasion. I forgot my powder and the skirt of my dress, and Annie, my maid, had to rush home in a cab to get them. I tore my costume while making my first entrance and had to play the entire act with a streamer of silk dangling at my feet. I went on half made up, daubed, nervous, out of breath. _Never_ was I in such a state of nerves. But to my astonishment I made a very big success. There was a burst of applause after the first act and I could hardly believe my ears. It struck me as most extraordinary that what I considered so unsatisfactory should please the house. Several of the artists singing with me came to me during the evening much upset. "Don't you know why everything on the stage has been going so badly to-night?" they said. "We've a _jettatura_ in front!" Madame Erminie Rudersdorf, the mother of Richard Mansfield, was in one of the boxes; and she was generally believed to have the Evil Eye. The Italian singers took it very seriously indeed and made horns all through the opera (that is, kept their fingers crossed) to ward off the satanic influence! Madame Rudersdorf was a tall, heavy, and swarthy Russian with ominously brilliant eyes; and one of the most commanding personalities I ever came in contact with. Although she had a dangerously bad temper, I never saw any evidences of it, nor of the _jettatura_ either. She came that night and congratulated me:--and it meant something from her.