Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-14
CLARA MORRIS.
A Pleasant Talk With the Great Artist
What She Has to Say About
the ROse-Etynge D%ificulty.

AAoiAln. MASo ulOIIlo DcgllS al gu
gagement in Louisville next Monday
night, and her presence in this city i,
for the purpose of rehearSing anC
drilling the company that is to support
her in her assumptions in the Fall!
City, said company being engaged at
the Grand Opera House this weeE
with Lawrence Barrett. A represent.
alive of the Enquirer yesterday called
upon the lady, at her rooms in th'
Grand Hotel, and found her in bed
propped up with pillows, writing .
business dispatch to a manager in the
East. After the compliments Of
the day had been passed, and ouI
youth had been presented tC
Miss Croly, a young actress, who
is the daughter of d. Croly, Of
the New York Graphic, and of his
charming wife, Jennie June, and is
under the chaperonage of Miss Nor
ris, the latter put aside her telegraph
blanks and her pencil, and began a
delightful conversation hat was at
times descriptive, then personal, and
again gosSipy. 1t was not a converse
ton to be repeated. though a verbatim
report of Miss Morris portions of it
would be as interesting as a novel, for,
whether describing a new play, detail
ing a Renaissance or playfully turn
ing over an old friend, Miss Morris
is ever as brilliant a cOnyersatiOnaliSt
as she is great as an actress. After
the conversation had run in general
channels for some time, our young
man inquired about Miss Morris
recent California engagements. He
was informed that they had been emf
nently satisfactory in a pecuniary as
we'll as artistic point Of view.
YOu had some little trouble with
Miss Rose Eytinge, did you not p
suggested cur scribe.
Not a particle with Miss Eytinge,"
was the repG, and then Miss Morris
intimSted that that was a subject on
which she intended to keep her lips
sealed for the present. However, after
4 time she consented to explain the
affair, which she did substantially as
follows: II never met Miss Eytinge
personally but once, and that was in
the green-room of a theater in New
York, and she was very cordial and
loving to me then indeed. Afterward.
however, / heard of her having said
many bitter and cruel things of me,
to which / never made any response
or reply, not deeming them worthy of
my notice. The Friday before | left
San Francisco | was busily engaged in
packing up and felt tired. In the
evening Mr.. Harriott, my husband,
asked me to go to the theater, saying
hat it would brighten me up. told
him that | did not think l would go.
as | had seen everything that was be-
ing played, when he replied: No,
you have not seen Miss Eytinge. Let's
90 and sec her. Hurry up, too, for it
is late, and by the time you have
dressed and got to the theater the first
act viii be over | said that | would
90 and see Miss Eytinge, and that as |
knew East Lynne perfectly | would
have no difficulty in following the
thread Of the story without having
see the opening act. 1t is part of
the unwritten Law of the profession
that an artist visiting the performance
Of another must present her with a
floral tribute or Offering. If possible.
and on my way to the theater | bought
a bouquet, not intending to throw it
to Miss Eytinge, but to send it around
to her. On arriving at the door of
the theater ] heard what | thought 70
be Lady lsabel's voice, but on enter
ing the house there was a long pause.
aud as | could not see the stage | said
to Freddie Some one must be doing
some fine acting to hold them so en-
tranced. As we stepped into the box
Mr.. Cyril Searle, who was in it. came
out, shaking hands with Mr.. Harriott
as he did SO. We were hardly seated
in the box when | heard a connection
in the parquette, and looking out |
saw two Of the attaches of the house
leading a man out of his seat. He
appeared to be somewhat under the
influence Of liquor, and remarked.
I'm all right, boys AS he was led
out of the house a few persons APP
plauded his election, but the applause
was far from being general. Our box
was on the prompt side of the
house, and as the partition between us
and the stage was a thin one we soon
became aware of the fact that there
was trouble behind the scenes. Pres
emily Mr.. John Wilson. as Sir Fran
els Levison,' led Miss Eytinge on the
stage and they seated themselves at a
table and resumed the play. As she
walked TO the table her back was to.
ward me, and she went on with the
performance some little while without
turning around. As Sir Francis =
left the stage she began her %soliloquy.
and turning saw me in the box. She
stammered q little in her lines. and
her c%0mplaeeBey was not restored by
the fact that Mr.. Wilson forgot his
hat on the table and was called back
for it by boy IN the gallery. The
play proceeded to the end of the act.
and then the confusion behind the
scenes began again. Suddenly the
curtain was pulled back at the side
and Miss Eytinge came before II and
began a speech to the audience. Her
hFst sentence did not produce a single
hand; % she changed her tactics
and told how shs was a creature of
impulse and wholly uumSebanieal, and
she claimed that her feelings hal boen
SO outraged BY the vile words Of the
man who had been elected from the
house that she was unable to complete
the play. She then retired behind
the curtain, and shortly after Mr..
Wilson came out and announced
that Miss Eytinge was sick, and that
she really could not play. Miss HoI.
brook, a young lady who played the
! 80. - 49,. = ~