Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-09-01

Everybody who has visited tho cap-
Ilol building within tie last thirty years
hns seen Clara Morris. To SEQ her once
~ to remember. her for all time; for
her eccentric dress and quaint manner
isnls lcnve 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. Bassctt, the Venerable nttoche Of
tho senate. has this 10 say: 'Clara Nor
ria came here from New Orleans one
day In 1902, when the senate was In
session. She took a scat in tho ladies'
gallery, nnd had my attention called
TO her rather forcibly. She was not
fairly seated In tho gallery before she
unfoldcd largo American flag and &c
gan waving It In honor as she said, Of
Henry Clay. ! was sitting in my usual
scat TO the left Of the vice president,
when Hannibal Hamlin, then vice pres
idcnt Of the United States, turned to
me and said. Captain, what Is the mat
ter with that woman2. win you please
60 and seeT
81 started at once for the gallery ans
met her coming down the marble steps
i asked her for an explanation of her
strange conduct, and she said she waved
the flag in honor Of Henry Clay, and
nslscd me by what authority ] ques-
toned her. told her | came from the
vice president; and she then asked an
audience with tho presiding officer.
returned 10 the senate chamber and
told Mr.. Hamlin what she had snid, al
though had no idea that he would
leave his desk 10 see this very peculiar
person. However, he was very good
natured about it, and calling one Of the
senators 20 take his place in the chair
for few minutes, went out into his
room to see her. All Of what happened
there do not 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
Gag and carried IL home with him, and
often afterwards told mo that he put
that flag out over his house on every
public occasion. His widow still retains
Il as an historical relic"
OF the past of this peculiar woman,
who made her appearance in Washing
ton In such dramatic manner, little is
known; end her antecedents are
ohrouded in mystery. 1t is known that
she is of French extraction, and that
she came 10 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 1902. Her life
in Washington since that time forms an
Interesting narrative.
Not long after her advent here, she
secured through the friendship and in
fiuence of Hannibal Hamlin a little re-
cess in a corridor running parallel with
the main entrance 10 the senate cham
Der. With n complacency and self
assurance which has marked her ever
since, she introduced herself TO the SEN
ate carpenter and induced him TO make
her a small pine table from some of his
spare boards. This she placed in the
recess. and upon it laid out a stock of
articles calculated to tempt the unwary
visitor into purchasing. She mad little
Inexpensive trinkcts, guide books of
Washington, pictures Of the capitol and
other public buildings. ard different
sorts of figures modelled out Of mace
rated United States paper money. Very
soon Clara Morris, as she called herself
and came 70 be called, became 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 10 her stock In trade and finally
opened a lunch stand in connection
II rF
rhapaissSe se T6iss, last .HaEe proved
drawing card, and soon Clhfas Stand
became a favorite resort for the en-
ploves Of the senate, who assembled
thera every --.,.. hour ana ate her home
...,.,l6 pies, washing them down with
puro country milk. Occasionally q
United States senator, less dignifled
than his colleagues or perhaps moro
charitably inclined, would number him
self among her patrons and take his
place at the lunch counter quite like an
ordinary mortal.
Having once catered 70 such distin-
guished persons It is not strange that
Clara Morris should suddenly discover
that her accommodations were made
quate TO the exigencies OF her business.
So she east around for larger site and
solicited the assistance Of various SEN
ators 10 aid her in her plan. In addi-
tion TO her other qualities Of thrift and
enterprise she was endowed with a
wonderful memory, and had not been
around tine capitol for more than a week
before she knew the face and name of
every senator She also made 1t her
business TO know all the officers and
employees. Not a man connected with
the senate end Of the building could
pass her stand but he was saluted with
polite Good morning, sir" or 'Mr.