Next morning we left for Salem. The trip was beautiful in the extreme.
The scenery was wonderful, rocks covered with moss of every shade made
a picture gorgeous to behold. Arrived in Salem at eleven o'clock in
the morning and drove to the Chemeketa Hotel, the largest one in
Oregon. We are billed for two nights, then we separate and start for
home. The concerts were well patronized and by the best people. Those
who generally go wanted circus pieces, therefore the grouch and thin
houses. Any one who knew Dick Kohler soon found out that nothing of
the cheap sort goes where he is the leader. We started out on a
venture on the 24th of February and separated on the 24th of March. I
was the only woman in the company and a queen could not have received
better attention than I from each member of the troupe. Wherever we
remained Mr. Kohler reminded the people I should have the best.
Sometimes we fared badly along the Sound and at the coaling camps the
fare was rough and the accommodations uncomfortable. Such occurrences
come to all who travel and we were the best natured company, ready for
good, bad or otherwise. We were four nights in Victoria, B.C., two
nights in Nanaimo, one night in Victoria on our return, two nights in
Seattle, one night in Steillacoom, one in Olympia, one in Tacoma,
Portland three nights and matinee, Oregon City one night, Salem two
nights--nineteen performances.
After all expenses and salaries, Mr. Kohler returned to San Francisco
with fifteen hundred dollars clear gain in four weeks. We left
Portland for home on the steamer Ajax. But friends in Portland
entertained us the last day and in parting came to the steamer and
brought papers and magazines to read during the voyage. But as for me,
I had no use for anything but the bed. I am not a good sailor. The
26th the snow came down so fast the pilot could not see to take us
out. After several hours there was a lull long enough for us to reach
the steamer. It was rough crossing the mouth of the Columbia river,
the rain and hail followed us for two days out. At last we came in
sight of the Golden Gate, and we were home once more. After a pleasant
trip, a welcome reception in every city and town in which we sang, our
salaries in our pockets and wiser for our experience as entertainers,
we were ready to take up the usual routine of our lives and continue
to the successful end when traveling days are done for us all. If we
had a regret it was at the hour of parting of our goodly company. The
good-byes were said on the 24th of March, 1876, and three of the
company never met again. To my knowledge all have passed away but
Walter C. Campbell and the writer, Margaret Blake-Alverson.