National Republican., 1882-12-27
AN ACTRESS LIFE.
A Visit to the Home Of Clara Morris at
Riverdale.
The Rough and Rugged Path She Trod
to Fame and Fortune.
A Marvellous Woman Who Doesn't Particularly Ad-
mire a Looking g-Glass.
Something About Her Early Struggles and
Later Triumphs.

Arriving in New 1ork in the leafy month
of June, tho month globed in by fragrant
flowers and luscious fruits, we found tele-
gram awaiting, bidding us come without de-
lay TO Riversdale on the Hudson. To visit
Clara Morris had long been desire, and we
lost no time in speeding to the woman of whom
Americans are so proud, justly considering
her the greatest living exponent of the emo
tional drama. At the station a liveried SER
want met us, and we were soon mounted in
the well appointed "drag" bowling rapidly
along the road leading to what had so long
ior us been
CHATEAU EN- EsPAGNE.
The house is we'll placed on the edge of
smooth-shaven lawn, its green sward un-
broken save by the long shadows thrown by
a bordering of stately trees. 1t is of gray
stone, rejoicing in turrets and towers, lighted
by mullioned windows and wearing over all
graceful mantle of ivy, trained to go only in
needed places, and not left to grow at will.
In the doorway, waiting to greet us, was Mrs.
Morris, the mother of her gifted daughter.
She is woman past middle life with a be-
nevolent face, in which tits easy to trace the
features of Clara Morris. She has education,
is gracious and gentle, and leads life
crowned with every pleasure her child can
give. She led the way down long hall, rich
in portieres and engravings, brackets and
antlers cabinets, and an old chest grown black
with age, so covered with carving that
not one inch of undecorated wood is visible,
and up stairway, hidden from sight by
cashmere and gold drapery, at the head of
which, with joyous, cherry words Of welcome
greeting
THE QUEEN OF THE CAMELIAs
.ame to greet usher tall slight form at its
best, in rose-colored, lace trimmed wrapper.
You are so familiar with her personal appear
ance that it seems needless to tell that she has
a little, willowy figure topped off by we'll
shaped, admirably poised head, covered with
curly, golden hair, in which is CLINT of red.
Her forehead is broad and low; her nose aqui-
line, with delicately arched nostrils; her mouth
generous; her eyes-ah those eyes! to-day
blue, tomorrow gray, and at night you would
swear them brown-they are heavily fringed
with long, curling lashes, and arc capable of
expressing every emotion swaying her heart; !;
her carriage is graceful, and there is win
ming winsomeness in her manner.
She is a self made woman. AT the age of 8
she and her mother, between herself and whom
there has ever been the deepest love. were
living with farmers family in Pennsylvania,
earning by daily toll the right to shelter and
to food. Among the summer boarders came
an actor and actress man and wife, with their
baby, to whose care the little girl was devoted
The child won the couple by her quiet prim-
ness, and when autumn drove them to their
home and winter work Clara Morris and her
mother accompanied them in their employ.
At 10 she had all unaided conquered the al
phabet and could read little; at II the kind
hearted actor secured her some light work
connected with the costuming rooms" and
at Is she went the stage in
the ballet of Christmas spec
tacular performance light as thistle down
she made a hit" and was engaged at tritle
per week, the trife SO small that the pur-
chase of silk flesh-colored tights " was be-
yond its power; she bought white cotton ones,
and dyed them in pokeberry juice the effect
was not satisfactory but startling and econom-
iCal as she could redye every few days. From
such beginning whose greatest glory was
the honesty and truth and ambition of the
young girl, came the actress of whom we
Americans are so proud-proud, because she
conquered poverty, Ignorance, cruelty, preju-
dice, persecution to grow to what she now is.
She had no child-life. No childish sorrows
and equally no childlike joys. All was the
stern bitter suffering that belongs to and
should only come to the matured heart. In
her superb home, crowded with tributes paid
by ardent admirers, men and women, by low
ing friends, young and old, the article which
holds
THE PLACE OF HONOR
is, what think you? The Murillo, the Dres-
den the artificial inartistic mementoes of the
prodigal times Of Louis Quinze the vase from
the mysterious east, the clock which meas
ured time for Babe Charlie" and licked
the great Cromwell to his death, the eXquis-
lite oemolu ornaments once the pride of La
Belle Valleere as the gift of royal lover
No! no! no! No one Of these, but mounted
on blue velvet pedestal, raised well in sight
and out OF reach, "a little edge worn, rusty sad
iron, presented by the first friend her aching
heart ever knew, and dearer to her childish
love in those cheerless sorrowful days than
any treasure that has come or will come in
these by affluence crowned hours. She took
it from its azure perch, and lovingly ca
ressed it with the slender hands once so
tired by toll; her eyes filled with tears
as she turned to a lady standing near and
said
"'Tis to her am ! indebted for the first joy
my life ever knew"
And twas even so, in this guest we found
the one whose affection went forth to the
child, and whose encouragement nurtured an
ambition which else might have died in its
birth. Each year she is a welcome, hOnored
visitor in the luxurious home Of the success
full actress.
Not satisfied with conquering English, the
first use Clara Norris made of her insured
income was to engage mashers, go through Il
course of literature of language of music, of
art study. She plays with soulful tune. She
speaks French and German as she does Eng
lish. She is well up in literature, and her
sketches are gems. Her home gives every
evidences that no upholsterers art has furn-
ished, but that a wOman's refined taste has
adorned it. Miss Morris has been abroad
several times, and her letters from Scotland
are the best of their kind,
Lunch was served in luXuriously ap-
pointed dining room and it was difficult to
keep the mind convinced that Clara Morris,
presiding at the coffee urn-her face flushed
by the excitement of the anecdote she was
narrating, and her eyes keeping rhythmic
expression with the various phases of the
story, and her laugh ringing out at each salient
point-waS
CAMILLE,
Miss Mutton, Alike, over whose sorrows we
had wept, and whose every fault our SYM
pathy condoned. After lunch we went to her
den in the gable end of the house, into which
none are admitted unless by special invita-
ton. On the broad landing running back
under the hip Of the roof are her singing
pets, and at the sound of her voice the Wild
est huttering of wings and the merriest
roundeay of melody came from each of the
"feathered darlings." From cage to cage she
went, giving to each the tidbit best suited
and silencing their joy by gratifying
their appetite She led the way to
the den-a square room-walls COW
cred with futings of silver-gray cretonne
and hung with choice bits in water colors-
a Dutch tiled stove, an arm chair two or
three easy chairs, an immense center and
work table, with low bookcases running the
entire circuit of the apartment, and filled
with editions of all known playwrights, make
mp the furnishing of the den, which is lighted