Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-18
REMARKABLE CAREER.

Wonderful History of a Theatrical Man
ager-"One Man in His Life Plays
Many Parts'-The Author of Clara
Morris Fame Exhibiting Microscopes
in the Streets.
Ten cents entities you to a look all
around and one Of the valuable little
pocket spy glasses. Who looks next -
Words 10 the above effect. coming from
the centre Of a crowd gathered around a
queer shaped instrument, have fallen upon
the ears of pedestrians at the corner OF
BroughtOn and the cross streets for several
weeks past. They proceeded alternately
from the lips Of a half-grown boy, crowned
with half slouched, half peaked hat. and
an old man. bent nearly double with
paralysis. The old gentleman leans over
an arm Of his singular six-eye microscope,
his silk hat nearly touching the machine,
and one arm dangling half way 10 the
ground. while he mutters unintelligibly
about the wonderful animals TO be seen in
a drop Of water. the intricate mechanism
Of humming birds feather and the ele-
phantine proportions Of an insect when
viewed through the microscopes.
The old man has history. some
years ago there was company Of children
performers thirty-fiye in number. They
gave fine entertainment. consisting OF
acting, yocalism and dancing. They were
very popular, and gave their perform
ances in the best theatres in the country
The company was managed by Mr.. Henage
Carter. who went TO California, and for a
time was very successful, but a fire burnt
up all the wardrobe. sickness and death
followed, and the company was dis
banded. Poverty overlook the manager,
and he is now keeping the wolf from the
door BY the aid Of the magnifying ma
chine. which be exhibits in the streets
from city to city. Poor Carter was
formerly manager Of the Carter ZouaEe
Troupe. which included the eminent sol
Smith Russell. the Berger Family. and
other celebrities.
In IS4s. in Cleveland. Ohio. he received
the first dollar he earned in the United
States. In 1863 he was married. The
oldest boy lost a leg by the cars five years
ago. and the youngest one, with the pic
Gallo. four months ago in Nashville, pitch
ed headlOng over a stair rail and struck
( TWENTY-FIVE feet below. The aged micro
scope dealer has cleared as high as 81 ,O0C
: per week, but 81 a night pleases him just
now. which emphasizes the remark Of W.
/ Shakespeare that Zone man in his time
/ plays many parts" He organized the
I first female brass band in the
! United States and had the
( Berger Family taught that specially. In
$50 the New York Clipper published Car
tcr's portrait. together with long artI-
Gle descriptive Of his talents. Since his
second downfall in business the old man
has twice arisen, but the Fates and his
paralytic shock were too strong 10 sue
cessfully combat.
After executing vocal duet or an
instrumental air, the younger of the
?
addressing the bystanderS, say: Gentle
men. my father is anxious to send us
where we can increase our musical capa-
biiities. Now. if any of you want to con-
tribute a nickel you will get twenty-five OF
these songs, or seyenty-fye for ten cents.
Durin" the concert the old gentleman
maintains his stoOplng posture, occasion
ally throwing in word in an indistinct
tone of voice. Taken all in all, the three
form strange group, and even to those
who are not acquainted with the old mans
checkered and unfortunate career. excite
feelings of profound pity.
In conversation with the old man a few
davs ago he said to a reporter:
1T may be a surprise TO you, as it Ger
tainly was to me. to learn that / was the
individual cause of the famous actress
Clara Morris going upon the stage. 1t
occurred as follows: In 1862. in the early
days of my young girl troupe, we went to
Cleveland, with some variety people, to
open a theatre. In the same house where
we boarded were two young girls, about
fifteen years old, and their respective
mothers. The girls got acquainted with
mine, and ultimately wished 10 see
mine perform. but as no females APP
peared in the front Of the house my girls
begged me to let the two young girls at
the boarding house 20 behind the stage
to witness the performance. / complied
with the request, and the two misses be-
came infatuated and wanted to go on the
stage. One mother said no. and the
other yes The girl whose mother said
yes went upon the stage and became the
noted Clara Morris. The other girl my
informant is the wife Of a master black
smith, the mother Of a troupe Of children,
and resides in California;