National Republican., 1873-04-28
CLARA LOUISE KELLOGG.
An HOUR WITH A PRIMA DONNA.

A CIImp.e at Miss Keiioaa's BabyhoOd
Lire-Her birth at Sumter mn, south
Caroiipu-Her Old Negro "aIamma''--
Plantation Hymns-The First Time she
ssnG-Hcr Early Musicai Efe-Ipter-
e.tiaG iui.cescss-Letter-, Invita-
tisns and Bsuauets.
During the day succeeding triumph Of lyric
art which had nlled wails opera-house with en-
thustastlc applause, and which, wrought by the |
gifts Of an American woman OF pure blood, was
felt 10 be something national in Its character,we
sought the parlor Of the psima donna who the |
| night preceding had seemed the embodiment OF |
the intense and tragic soul Of vertli's music aud
had stepped 80 near "that pure boundary line |
where mind ard natter sense and spirit, wave
their foating and indistingulshable banners"
that all fair familiar praJnRsi, which In other
roie' lends charm and grace, was merged and
yelled In an assumption which gave to the sense
Of sight a well a. that Of sound the reality Of
being representing the highest sentiment and
loftest strains Of the soulful composition.
A one who had long perceived the gifts which
render Clara Louise Kellogg one Of the most In
splratlonal singers the operatlc world ever knew,
and had long prophesled the elevation Of Amer
lean art in her trlumphs, we felt proud con-
graduation n we saw the unweared freshness
the traces Of that unaging youthfutaess which
Leigh Hunt calls "the gilt OF Heaven to poet and
! child" and Coleridge says "is one OF the marks
i distinguishing genius from TALENT" 30 some
: where Plato says, "there was never an old per-
! son In Greece" and such, we thought, might
4 have looked some lmproylsatora, through whose
, voice Athens gods breathed poetry aud song.
: Yet all the realities Of open days life and all
= : the var-colored phaAes and chan ges Of nun
d around her a. she sat with her all-devoted
mother and busy amanuensis, the recipient Of
q congratulatory calls, notes Of admiration, suits
= for personal interviews, ASd Of those letters
e ringing the changes OF "humanltyS sad music;"
letters from the poor and distressed. asking aims
y = Of the kind splut which looks out OF her deep,
h far-searching eyes, aud letters from the poor
d and aspiring. who are humble and distant
; worshpera now at the altar Of the most divine Of
7 arts, where she stands an accepted prlestess.
e To Us, then, ia 10 wonder that the musical
'e critic OF the Cincinnati Enquirer says Of her;
% "And then, let MS lovingly remember u, Miss
~ Kellogg u, IN every tlsane nu American gll. she
e fset tom m ' her inv sSow.Sblte band nd kab
le foot. She Ia this In her dress, her manner aud
o. her Independence Of character The barriers
stance, have fallen in the New World, for the
purity OF an American girls heart protects heI
:, n .uiliclen,l,. clara Louise Kelloss Is in ever
y German, the Celt, TIE Franc or the Russian
is outdo us In loving loyalty to our most gifted
f' 81 n0fe s'r ses% SS' Ssrren
Us Pl,ns her jewels until the crown-5rilllants ol
.. kings pale taeir fainter nrea."
ne young lady In North Carolina. II attracted tn,
n attention ofthe dipa, and while she was engaget
,n IN debating % her amanuensl. some special an
conversation with her mother, which our read
ers will peruse with great delight:
show decided Indication that she possessed nor
than ordinary talent for music Z"
Mt. kellogg replied; IT VIII seem % almost IN
she sang tune correctly"
tic "rhaf seems ImpoSsibie," We ventured to say
ge you Inc circumstances. We were resiiing 4
er- 5umter Hill, y. O.; had been for three years.
The had an old negro mamma over eighty years o
The Louise. In those parts there were no cradle
g." or rocking chairs, so old mamma used 10 la
sh her across her arms thls way, Cutting the acio
IN backward would sing one OF the ol
hymn tunes. familiar TO all southern pee
'et- ever and these all day long were poured Int
ALL the open ears of her little charge. Our las
at summer there was very hot one, and our bah
eut and fearing We might lose her, made US resoly
on TO sell out everything bid goodbye % our 5outi
NJ ca. Suss%Tse sS "as ns%sa .,eT seo ouT w a
physicians wife, DR.. withenpoon, OF sumtC
eaS- HILL and he was among the tlndest AMI best
,ete months old when we left. We went home TO N
ling mothers In Birmingham, Connecticut.
heir had been thore not more than week when OF
axe day while Clara was sitting the door anu usu
nee herself with her ratteboI and playthngs, 81
suddenly commenced singing one OF the airs tn
the old mamma used to sing to her, and sang
"Wby. Ms. Kellogg. this Is Yery lntersstln
An II gives US glimpse % the babyhood Of Amt
lblic "weiI. Of course, / was frightened. and
,een screamed Sut fo. my mother e come is a
listen .ss to n M ssa seP and sn sss
rec- WAs only nine months old; but thank Heaye
med she did not die, and from that hour to ihlA s
s !, Se slow 90 YOU .secuni for her recollection
the tune, aud what wasit;
NTH az account for 1t in ths way. She missed I
eiye care OF her old nurse. The tune was an Q
take plantation hymn, commencng-
..re 'Bim-by wen go an meet him,
ana ec could sn@ sS
oul among the recollectiona Of her early home"
the "How did she progressf"
NTH piano, Ss when she went 70 WORK at once, and
EinE four she played q dozen or more tunes by e
etea but all the harmony OF every note was perfec
pei sight of the piano and touch any one Of ita h
81 OF and she would instantly tell which one It WI
Suss Or ths he s. oSo Of so hres @ bsSs
-, ~ going up or down, as the case might be. II
!, ,ou orchtstra was raised OF lowered half tone
oeen up to K, aud only reach ID, Ethout quick
~, lection on her part. and ever since i've years
outs she has read muAio.n
ring In the meantime the letter hal been answel
~ q and mailed to the young lady In North CArolii
htn aud dozen more received. Some were inyi
pan. tons To dine, some were accompanying pleasl
tne words with bouquets OF choice flowers, and sol
: su- were from that class who rush In where AnE
wenn w fear 70 tread" all Of which received happy tire
Notk ment.
Mas Kellogg resumed her winning and m
x an m Interesting conversation, telling US OF
. InIul experiences In Europe, OF her visit 70
2 eaay Pope, relating anecdotes Of eminent pr
2 q m doanS, OF . "mAniac lover" &c. Nolic
= IN 4 banjo In her room she was asked
;%nihs % she played on that-'0h, yesi" she said,
nneI cannot i've on the strawberries and cream
tIev' music alwAys-the banjo helps 70 keep me lev,
! Ap.- ~, When parting the thought could not be
us- pressed that the monument she Ia earning II
y, 10 that which Horatius Fiaceus makes for one
Pio- the muses. who inspires her claim for herself
any monument which "no destroy storm, nor
nent lmpotent north wind, nor innumerable series
,s years. nor the Night OF time will be able 10 c
a iuea sumo" Not all Of her viii ever die.
,,o RK4EMnER that time Is money, AMI II
.no WOull have the former correct. AMI Aaye