Alexander C., jun., who in after-years became so noticeable as a tenor-singer and violinist, was at first the dullest of the boys. Simeon G. possessed a tenor voice of extraordinary compass, singing high C with the greatest ease. He sang the choicest music from the various operas to astonished and delighted audiences. He was also a solo violinist of rare powers; often thrilling his audiences by the smooth, sweet, and expressive strains evolved from his instrument. Cleveland O. Luca, the justly celebrated, the wonderful pianist, began to exhibit extraordinary talent at the early age of seven years. It was not, however, the intention of his parents to have him begin to study so early. Indeed, little did they think that the fire of musical genius burned so brightly in the soul of their young boy. But Cleveland, or "Cleve" as he was then called, was not to be restrained. Going often into the room where his aunt was playing on the piano-forte, he listened eagerly and delightedly, his little soul stirred and filled by the sweet sounds of harmony; and, after she had left the instrument, he would go and play the selections even better than his aunt. Of course such striking evidences of genius filled the breasts of his parents with delightful surprise; and it was soon decided to place the gifted boy under the care of a competent instructor. He rapidly developed those remarkable powers for ready reading, facility and brilliancy in execution, that afterwards made him so wonderful and so noted. When but ten years old, he had become a performer of such excellence as to attract the notice and to receive the unequivocal praise of such good judges as Strakosch, Dodworth, W.V. Wallace, and other noted musicians of New York. When it was resolved to form as public performers the "Luca family," the decided musical powers possessed by young Cleveland made his services indispensable, and he was of course taken as a member. As the "wonderful boy pianist," he everywhere created quite a _furore_. The ladies in the audiences were especially delighted with him; and forgetting often, in their enthusiasm, that he was black, it seemed that they would certainly carry him away. Never satisfied to rest alone upon his fine natural endowments, our young artist pushed his studies, entering the classical, the technical domain of the great master-composers, and playing with easy, graceful, magnetic touch, and delightfully winning expression, any of their works. As a reader at sight of compositions the most difficult, it is doubtful whether he had an equal in this country.