Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) THE MAPLESON MEMOIRS VOL. II. [Illustration: J H MAPLESON] THE MAPLESON MEMOIRS 1848-1888 IN TWO VOLUMES WITH PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR VOL II CHICAGO, NEW YORK, AND SAN FRANCISCO: BELFORD, CLARKE & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1888 [_All rights reserved_]. COPYRIGHT, 1888, BY JAMES H. MAPLESON TROW'S PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY, NEW YORK. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. My Connection Severed--Musical Protective Union--American Orchestras--Rival Opera-Houses--Operatic Trial by Jury --St. Cecilia's Day--The Feast of Father Flattery pp. 1-21 CHAPTER II. Patti and her Shoes--Patti Seized for Debt--Flight of Gerster --Conflict at Chicago--Bouquets out of Season--Cincinnati Floods--Abbey's Collapse--Resolve to go West pp. 22-39 CHAPTER III. Gerster Refuses; Patti Volunteers--Arrival at Cheyenne --Patti Dines the Prophet--Threats of an Interviewer--Arrival at San Francisco pp. 40-49 CHAPTER IV. The Patti Epidemic--Gerster Furore--Tickets 400% Premium --My Arrest--Capture of "Scalpers"--Death of my First "Basso"--"That Patti Kiss" pp. 50-69 CHAPTER V. Luncheon on H.M.S. _Triumph_--Opera Auction--Concert at Mormon Tabernacle--Return to New York--Return to Europe--Sheriffs in the Academy--I Depart in Peace pp. 70-83 CHAPTER VI. Royal Italian Opera Liquidates--Getting Patti off the Ship--Henry Ward Beecher's Cider--Patti's Silver Wedding--A Patti Programme of 1855--A Black Concert pp. 84-100 CHAPTER VII. Panic at New Orleans--Thermometer Falls 105 Degrees--Banquet at Chicago--The "Count di Luna" at Market--Coffee John--An American George Robins--My Under-taker pp. 101-117 CHAPTER VIII. Patti and Scalchi--Nevada's _Début_--A Chinese Swing--A Visit from Above--Rescued Treasure--Great Chicago Festival--American Hospitality pp. 118-139 CHAPTER IX. "Count di Luna" Introduced to "Leonora"--A Patti Contract --The Sting of the Engagement--A Tenor's Suite--A Presentation of Jewellery--My "Don Giovanni"--A Profitable Tour pp. 140-154 CHAPTER X. My Covent Garden Season--Patti's London Silver Wedding--Return to New York--Difficulties Begin--Rival Rehearsals--Grand Opera and Operetta pp. 155-167 CHAPTER XI. House Divided against Itself--Rev. H. Haweis on Wagner--H.R.H. and Wotan--Elle a déchiré mon gilet--Arditi's Remains--Return to San Francisco pp. 168-184 CHAPTER XII.