Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-09-01
QUAINT CLARA MORRIS.
Tho Eccontric Nemosalse OF n
Famous American Actress.

LspeeIal waahIngton Letter.l


Everybody who has visited tho cap
itol building within the last thirty years
has seen Clara Morris. To see her once
is TO remember her for all time; foI
her eccentric dress and quaint manner
isms leave an impression not easily
erased from the mind of any one of the
multitude of sight-seers who pass
through Washington.
OF her first appearance at the capitol
Capt Bassett, the venerable attache OF
the senate, has this to say: "Clara Nor
ris came here from New Orleans one
day in 1862, when the senate was IN
session. She took q seat in the ladies'
gallery, and had my attention called
to her rather forcibly. She was not
fairly seated in the gallery before she
unfolded largo American flag and be-
gan waving it in honor, us she said, OF
Henry Clay. l was sitting in my usual
scat TO tho left of the vice president,
when Hannibal Hamlin, then vice pres.
ident of the United States, turned to
me and said: Captain, what is the mat
ter with that woman? win you please
60 and see?'
81 started at omee for the gallery and
met her coming down the marble steps.
/ asked her for an explanation of her
strange conduct, and she said she waved
the flag in honor Of Henry Clay, aud
asked me by what authority | ques
toned her l told her l came from the
vice president; and she then asked an
audience with the presiding officer.
returned to the senate chamber and
told Mr.. Hamlin what she had said, al
though | had no idea that he would
leave his desk to sec this very peculiar
person. However, he was very good
natured about it, and calling one Of the
senators to take his place in the chair
for few minutes, went out into his
room to see her. All of what happened
there do rot know, but do know that
he was presented with the flag by Clara
Morris and accepted it in the same spirit
in which it was offered He kept the
flag and carried it home with him, and
often afterwards told me that he put
that flag out over his house on every
public occasion. His widow still retains
it as an historical relic"
OF the past of this peculiar woman,
who made her appearance in Washing
ton in such a dramatic manner, little is
shrouded in mystery. 1t is known that
she is Of French extraction, and that
she came to this city from New Orleans
during the civil war, drawing public at
tention TO herself in the manner above
described, and that is all that is known
of her prior to the year 1862. Her life
in Washington since that time forms an
interesting narrative.
Not long after her advent here, she
secured through the friendship and in
fuence of Hannibal Hamlin q little re-
cess in a corridor running parallel with
the main entrance to the senate cham
Der. With complacency and self
assurance which has marked her ever
since, she introduced herself to the SEN
ate carpenter and induced him to make |
her small pine table from some of his |
spare boards, This she placed in the |
recess, and upon it laid out stock OF |
articles calculated to tempt the unwary |
visitor into purchasing. She had little |
inexpensive trinlSets, guide books of |
pictures of the capitol and |
other public buildings, and different
sorts of figures modelled out Of mace
rated United States paper money. Very
soon Clara Morris, as she called herself |
and came TO be called, became a famil-
lar figure around the capitol From the
first, business at her little stand was
active and constantly on the increase.
In time, as her sales grew larger, she
added to her stock in trade and finally
opened q lunch stand in connection
with her other articles Of mer-
rhandise. This last move proved
drawing card, and soon Clara's stand
became favorite resort for the en-
ployes of the senate, who assembled
there every noon hour and ate her home
made pies, washing them down with
pure country milk. Occasionally
United States senator, less dignified
than his colleagues or perhaps more
inclined, would number him
self among her patrons and take his
place at the lunch counter quite like an
ordinary mortal
Having once catered to such distin-
guished persons it is not strange that
Clara Morris should suddenly discover
Li1O hSi dSSSiiAAioNu eioA9 NNAN AAAoN1-
luate to the exigencies Of her business.
So she cast around for a larger site and
the assistance of various sen
ltors to aid her in her plan. In addi-
ton to her other qualities of thrift and
enterprise she was endowed with
wonderful memory, and had not been
around the capitol for more than a week
before she knew the face and name OF
every senator. She also made it her
business to know all the officers and
employees. Not a man connected with
he senate end Of the building could
BASS her stand but he was saluted with
. polite Good morning, sir" or Mr.