The Washington times., 1894-04-01
Gallery. Pit.
and GreenrOOn1


! lineator Of character as any man on the
stage, is a painter-an amateur Of skill-and
q writer. At his home at Oconomowoc, Wis,
almost . paradise Of home 1t is, he has
decorated the walls with pictures Of his own
| painting, mostly those Of his two children.
But his great leisure hours reputation
has been gained by his "Reminiscences" :"
They are the fruit Of great many pleasant
hours labor one would think, they are 80
delicately wrought, so finished, so entirely
charming. Mr.. Morris, though, has the ad-
vantage of being charming himself, with a
| tenderness and generosity OF heart and q
| geniality of manner that makes friend Of
every one he meets. He has only to be
natural in his writings. l am going to quote
| one or two Of these "Reminiscences" They
show quite clearly what manner OF man he
| is, what a delightful manner OF man, and
they are interesting because they tell things
that we didn't know before. Mr.. Morris in
| his long experience on the stage has met
many pleasant people, and they have always
| shown him such pleasant side OF themselves.
But before tell these stories-in his own
words, for they are told SO much better than
could rewrite them-I want to say word
| about this place of his at Oconomowoc. 1t has
Mrs. Morris Miss Woods she is in Mr.. Nor
| ris' company-for its hostess; children to fill
| it with music; il has the refined air OF them
| selves in all its pleasant surroundings; it has
| the luxuries which his recent unvarying sue
cesses have made possible. and finally 1t has
a house full of friends often gathered. One
doesn't wonder that people covct invitations
to this lake resort, summer resort, all-the-
year-round house. Mrs. Morris is bright
clever little woman. as much liked as MIR.
Morris. He tells Ia this picturesque, tender
hearted, unconventional, wholly artistic book
OF his of his meeting with Miss Woods and
of the good influence that she had at the be-
| ginning and has since had over him. But
shall quote one or two little character
sketches that are woven into the personal
| story. These stories are all OF time before
Mr.. Morris had secured the fullness OF his
present reputation.
One of BARLEY Campbell:
/ was engaged TO create a part in Bartley
Campbell's new piece entitled separation"
The offer was made in glowing terms and was
considered at the time quite recognition for me-
as the rest of the cast was composed OF the stock
of the Union Square theater. Ii was an excellent
company, too, with Charles Coghlan in the lead
Mr.. Parselle In the old men parts (aud how ad-
mirable he was), Mr.. Stoddard played eccentrics
in a manner at once unctuous, quaint, artistic
and magnetic. And what a simple, kindly soul
he Isl l never heard him speak of himself on
any occasion Joseph Whiting was also In the
cast; also Eleanor Carey, Maud Harrison, Enie
Ellsler, and Mrs Phillips. Altogether the company
was excellent, and the production great sue
cess Bartley Campbelfs work was lauded by
press and public, and the Union Square iheater
night after night was filled 20 oyerfiowing.
The one hundredth performance of the piece
was celebrated with supper in Delmonicos $
best style This was rendered TO the company
by BARLEY Campbell. Joseph Howard, tr., Ste eie
Mackaye, and several other distinguished guests
attended, and the evening was in every way
memorable one Mr. Campbell had devised a num-
Der of surprises for the ladies'. one OF which was
canary bird cunningly hidden in what appeared
TO be a mold OF charlotte russo. Each lady was
served in this way. The floral decorations were
beautiful, too. and the speeches were worth lis
tening TO. There is happier after-dinner
speaker than Steele Mackaye, and no one can be
more entertaining than Mr. Howard The eulo-
gies bestowed upon BARLEY Campbell touched
him to the heart, and it was with difficulty that
he concluded his remarks with anything like
coherency. The disease which at last proved
fatal was already making inroads upon him and
the haziness OF infancy was returning. He was
very sad. His fate really terrible. His
was bound from penury TO comparative afIlu-
euce He was a great worker, and snccess
seemed even at his elbow. Fortune toyed with
him for q while, and 1hen remorselessly, as she
sometimes does, flung him over. bereft of every
thing Death was his best friend"
Another of Rice and Dixey. Morris was
in hard luck at the time. from which he soon
after recovered.
A friendly slap on the back and cordial
"howdy" broke the monotony of my trudge on
Broadway one day. turned, and the grasp Of
friendship that greeted me and the affectionate
inquiries that rained upon me were quite cheer
ing. Ii was Ed Rice, of "kvangeline" fame, who
was so solicitous. He had been looking for me
everywhere | was the one being on earth. IL
seemed, with whom II was absolutely necessary
for him 10 come in contact
Ats ali right my boy; comic opera is your
sphere There's where you're dead sure win
ner,r he exclaimed
"But the voice-I don't sing!"
sSing," he replied. II don't want you to sing
] wouldn't have you sing Come right along and
sign with me; I've got your contract in my
pocket"
Taking out numerous documents he selected
one, and We adjourned to an adjoining cafe.
"What are you going to have, old man?' he
asked. He was always the soul of hospitality,
and thus after a careful filing in of documents
the ceremony ended in an attachment of sigma
lures and my fate was sealed.
We were to open in Philadelphia at the Arch
street opera house: so We bundled ourselves over
there. baby daughter and all, and found quar-
ters We hired piano and began our operate
career. Vocal culture was the first step in the
ladder of fame, SO took singing lessons. The
tranquility of home life fled and unmusical
nightmare followed Feverish anxiety possessed
us Even our little daughters sympathy was
evoked My violent efforts distressed her. She
frequently remarked, Poor little papa has TO
sing SO hard" To intensity the situation pain
full uncertainty about salary forced itself upon
us From the beginning we received small in
stallments, instead of tie weekly sum agreed
upon. Hope sustained us, and Ed. Rice was
such ingenious, plausible debtor, so fertile
promises that your ire was soothed, your anx-
iety allayed and before an interview with him
ended your magnamty and admiration were
aroused in his behalf.
We produced after several efforts "Lieutenant
Helene" a comic opera, in which / played n
burgomaster Henry Dixey was nv secretary.
and Hubert Wilke made his first appearance in
an English-speaking role in this same piece. i
mention the fact simply to recall Henry Dixeys
wonderful imitation of Irving, which he first at
tempted in this production. My comic opera ex-
periences came abruptly to a most unsatisfac-
tory end with the enterprising manager very
considerably in our debt His assurances OF
speedy settlement were never fulfilled, although
our frequent application kept the matter con-
stantly before him. My wife undertook the
doubtful task of making collection, and must
own that she invariably received the politest at
tention and warmest welcome But that was all
she did receive. The nearest approach TO a set
tlement was an expression of regret that she had
not arrived little sooner, she might have ac-
cepted n turkey, which he had received from
friend in Boston and had generously bestowed
upon more fortunate creditor. That turkey,
as he sententiously remarked, would have been
something on account, anyhow
Mr. Morris goes on:
must devote word or two to the prominence
given my dress suit in these early struggles 1t
was valuable possession in those days, and
very few utility men owned such a thing 1t
was common property among us, of course We
shared alike in everything. One of my fellow
sufferers was very tall man; the other, poor
little .Reddy," remarkably short one The
tall man was middle-aged, with n painful de-
feet in one eye. He was a man of sorrows, and
he was acquainted with grief, for he had large
family and small salary. Naturally he was
driven to strange expedients in his efforts to
dress We looked up to him, Tor his age COM
manded respect, and his fertility of resource
astonished US all Among other miracles that
he could work was that of converting a sheet of
plain foolscap into shirt bosom. Clean collars
and immaculate cuffs he readily produced from
ordinary note paper.
And then:
On one occasion, remember we were support
ing Yankee Locke, a celebrated character COM
edian / represented in my dress suit, en-
halIi had vrff 0rda Of fh.aR Rofb fba of