Dead tired, hungry, without even a chance to wash our hands or brush our hair, and wearing clothes in which we had travelled, we unpacked our instruments and music, and went through the entire programme, doing our best to play and sing for the pleasure of the large audience. In the midst of our first piece we heard the rattle of carriages which had been sent to the boat to transfer us quickly to the opera house. The drivers brought up word, “ Not aboard,” and then learned we had come overland and were performing on the stage. When starting from Winona we could not telegraph, as the wires were down.

That was a day not easily forgotten,—no food from five o’clock in the morning till eleven at night, and bitter cold weather. But people can do wonders when duty forces them on.