Diary of Choir Concert Tour: The Last Concert, June 22, 1930

(Note from Spice Drawer Mouse:  After the train travel and welcomings and performances in Finland, the last concert arrives.)

We were taken to a school house that afternoon to dress. We also left 2724 North Hobo Avenue for good, as we weren't to have our special car any more. We had a great time while dressing--scribbling on the blackboard, laughing, joking, etc. We splashed in cold water, as we couldn't get any hot. I doubt if we were even clean!

Our last concert was at 3 o'clock in the afternoon - outdoors. We had the largest crowd ever, as people had come a long way to hear us and it was the last concert. However, it was so windy and cold that I don't think they could hear us very well. The wind blew our voices the wrong way. It also blew our dresses the wrong way. Mr. Carlson had to hold my music while Blanche sang, and Arvid held it while we sang our American songs.

Concert at Gamlakarlaby

After the concert, we all walked to the school house and changed our clothes. We also had a long business meeting which lasted until nearly eight o'clock. Finally everything was settled and we went out for dinner. After dinner we returned again to the hall, where a band concert was in progress. Later a program and dance was held in the hall. There were a couple of comedians on the program and they surely were funny. To the tune of "How do you do, Andy Gump" they put all our names into a song, singing, "Hur star det till, Mr. Carlson, hur star det till," etc. We laughed until we just about squealed.

After dancing a while, the whole bunch of us went down to the station to see Mr. and Mrs. Carlson and Mrs. Lovegreen off. They left for Tornio at 1:15 A.M. Afterwards we walked around the sleeping town and tried to find a place were we could get a cup of coffee. The places were all closed, and after pounding on several doors in vain we gave it up as a bad job and returned to the station and settled ourselves on the hard benches for a long wait until 4 A.M., when our train was to leave. However, we did get our coffee, and Mr. and Mrs. Pura had a hotel room across the street from the station, and they invited us all over there. They also loaned up their beds, and as many of us as could piled on the beds and tried to get a little sleep. It was quite impossible though! Finally four o'clock came and we who were going to Malax climbed into the train, after saying goodbye to those we were leaving behind. Immediately after the train left the station we settled down for a nice long sleep. We changed trains at Seinajoki, but I don't even seem to remember that.