The grand Authors' Carnival given for the Associated Charities of San
Francisco, October 18 to October 28, 1880, can well be classed as the
crowning effort of anything attempted upon so large a scale. If there
are still living in San Francisco auditors of the wonderful
performance given by the 2000 participants who were enlisted in the
great work they will corroborate my statement. The wealthy women who
managed these homes financially, were also the officers of them and
had called for aid. It was so beautiful to see the spirit of these
people in completing the arrangements for this carnival. Meetings were
held weekly until their plans had matured and it was agreed
unanimously that the Booths of All Nations should be featured with the
principal works of the world's greatest writers. Charles Crocker was
chosen as treasurer. The books were selected and the booths received
their names from the author of the books. The book that fell to our
lot of actors was Martin Chuzzlewit, by Charles Dickens. At first our
committee was inclined to refuse to act these queer characters, but we
had given our word to help and we could not go back on that. I asked
Mrs. Grove to let me take the book to see what could be done at this
late hour. All the other booths had begun their rehearsals. It was
fortunate for me that I had traveled much and seen so many odd
characters. As I read carefully I was convinced we could excel in this
very book. I went to the library and got a Dickens book illustrated by
Cruikshank. We called a meeting and found we needed thirty-two
persons. At this meeting I showed the possibilities of these seemingly
ugly characters. Parts were assigned and arrangements made for
rehearsals.
The women of the general committee on booths were more than exultant
to think we were willing to take this rejected book. We were
determined to succeed. Our costumes were the art of perfection and we
were a motley crowd of characters from Sairy Gamp to Quilp, from the
Pecksniffs to Mark Tapley. Besides studying the proper characters we
were obliged to have a series of tableaux to represent the different
episodes in the lives of these people. Our book called for thirteen
tableaux:
1. The Chuzzlewit Family
2. Martin Jr. arrives at the Pecksniffs
3. Visiting Miss Pinch
4. Todgers Boarding House
5. Truth prevails and Virtue triumphs
6. Jonas entertains his cousins
7. Sairy Gamp (the nurse)
8. Sairy Gamp's corpse
9. There is nothing he don't know
10. Miss Pinch's pudding
11. Sairy Gamp proposes a toast
12. Pecksniff rebuked by Martin, Senior
13. The wedding scene
Characters for the booth were as follows:
Martin Chuzzlewit Sr. Walter H. Smith
Martin Chuzzlewit Jr. D.M. Van Vliet
Anthony Chuzzlewit Scott Elder
Jonas Chuzzlewit Geo. L. Underhill
George Chuzzlewit Percival J. Keeler
Strong minded woman Lucy A.M. Grove
Daughter No. 1 Miss Mary L. Brown
Daughter No. 2 Mrs. J. Byles
Daughter No. 3 Miss Lizzie Duncan
Mary Graham Mrs. Scott Elder
Pecksniff H.G. Sturtevant
Charity Pecksniff Mrs. M.B. Alverson
Mercy Pecksniff Alice Van Winkle
Mrs. Todgers Mrs. M.S. Williams
Deaf Cousin Mrs. C.C. Burr
Sairy Gamp Mrs. John Evans
Betsy Prigg Mrs. G.B. Holt
Mr. Spottletoe John Evans
Mrs. Spottletoe Mrs. William Hawley
Tom Pinch Miss Ruby Hawley
Mrs. Lupin Miss Addie McIntyre
Miss Pinch's pupil Miss Eva Reynolds
Mark Tapley Frank Harrold
Montague Tigg J.D. Brown
Chevy Slime S.T. Maguire
Jinkins C.W. Sturtavent
John Westlock A.F. Price
Chuffy Wm. A. Underhill
Bailey Geo. A. Mullen
Grand Nephew Wm. Romaine
Moadle Geo. L. Underhill
Mould Wm. A. Underhill
We worked hard for days perfecting our parts. Our first rehearsal was
a forerunner of our complete success. The critics were present at the
dress rehearsal and this is what appeared in the Carnival column of
the San Francisco "Chronicle" next day. "H.G. Sturtevant, assisted by
Mrs. Lucy Grove and Mrs. Blake-Alverson, is conducting the scenes
from Martin Chuzzlewit. Their full dress rehearsal was held last night
at 203 Post street. Tigg and Mark Tapley, the youthful Bailey, Charity
with upturned nose, the sanctimonious Mercy and her Pecksniffian airs
were all made up to perfection. The demure Ruth buttered her
pudding-pan and talked to gentle Tom as a genuine Miss Pinch should.
Jonas played his ace of hearts to the entertainment alike of himself
and friends. Sairy Gamp and the stolid Betsy drank tea and quarreled
with equal industry. The list of thirteen acts and tableaux to be
presented in this booth will illustrate every important episode in the
history of the Chuzzlewits from the arrival of Martin Junior at
Pecksniff's cottage to the period of the latter gentleman's rebuke and
downfall. The series will close with Charity Pecksniff's wedding, Mrs.
Blake-Alverson as Charity."
It would require too much space to present the criticisms of each
character of our booth as they appeared in the papers daily. It is
enough to say that after the carnival was over the committee of the
carnival in thanking us for our valuable services said that had there
been prizes given, the Pecksniffs should have received the first
prize. Each night as the procession started it began with our booth
and as we passed each booth they would join in the motley crowd of
characters until all the booths were in the procession. As we appeared
the people of the different booths would cry out, "Here they come,
here comes Charity Pecksniff," forgetting their own parts when they
saw the funny Pecksniffs leading off the procession. One evening a man
in the audience made a wager that he would make Charity Pecksniff
lower her elevated and scornful nose. As she passed he said: "There is
a twenty dollar gold piece at your feet, pick it up," but she refused
to betray her character and the ruse did not succeed.
One of the features of the carnival was the procession of each booth
to the center of the immense stage where the spot-light was turned on.
It was a most admirable detail. It looked like a long caravan of the
past sweeping onward through the vivid light of the present. The
intense light revealed the endless variety and marvellous beauty of
the costumes. It was understood that the same pageant would be
repeated each night so the people came early to witness the procession
of this immense number of participants winding slowly along until they
reached the stage. When the Pecksniffs arrived on the stage a shout
rent the air each night and we were obliged to remain in the spot
light until the cheering had subsided. It was ten days of notoriety
wholly unexpected by the Pecksniffs. We were only carrying out our
idea of these characters and had become the chief attraction of the
motley procession. While some of the characters had individual
pictures of themselves taken, there should have been large groups
photographed as a permanent reminder of the carnival. It would take
volumes to describe the separate costumes of these well represented
characters. There was but one incident which marred the happiness of
the revelers in the booths, the death of Mr. Biddle Bishop, the Don
Antonio of the Cervantes booth, who was drowned in the Alameda baths.
By his affable manners and intelligence he had endeared himself to all
of his associates who felt as though they were themselves bereaved.
Out of respect to his sudden death the Cervantes booth was closed for
one night. He was also one of the young deacons of Calvary Church and
was a well beloved pupil of mine with a fine baritone voice which was
fast developing and he would have been classed among the singers of
his time. I know of no one more worthy to meet his Maker for he was an
exemplary young man, full of Christian love and charity toward all.
The funeral services were held in Calvary Church, Rev. John Hemphill,
the pastor, spoke eloquently of his late parishioner. The music was
rendered by a female trio club composed of Miss Susie Sroufe, soprano;
Miss Dolly Sroufe, second soprano; Mrs. Blake-Alverson, contralto, and
Professor Scott, organist. His body was sent to his home in
Philadelphia for burial.
[Illustration: Charity Pecksniff in tableaux
Charity Pecksniff
Mrs. Blake-Alverson
Pecksniff
H.G. Sturtevant
Henry Van Winkle
Cervantes Booth
Mercy Pecksniff
Alice Van Winkle
Dolly Sroufe
Italian Booth