courage her; not the feeblest cheer was heard, not until the eighth scene, when Elvira appears in her wedding robes. The beautiful opening polacca, Son virgin, seemed to inspire her. In spite of her trembling lips, she sang it with such sweetness, such tenderness, and such expression, that shouts of applause, deafening and unmistakable, burst forth, and flowers filled the stage, making a perfect garden about her. She felt that she had succeeded. Her popularity grew so much that when the three months' engagement came to an end, the manager urged her to accept his offer of appearing at Paris. But she knew that art is long, and that she had still much to learn, so she decided to go back to Milan, and continue her studies under Signor Ronconi. At a concert given by Regondi, she met the manager of La Scala, and he offered her an engagement which she gratefully accepted. La Scala was then looked upon as the first theatre in Europe, and to be heard there was a proud distinction for any singer. When Catherine Hayes appeared as the Linda di Chamouni of Donizetti, she was called before the curtain no less than twelve times, and her appearance the following night as Desdemona won for her the name of the "Pearl of the Theatre." At Verona her success was quite as dazzling, and at Venice "The Hayes," as she was called, created quite a furore, there were hurricanes of "bravas," which lasted for ten
