New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-13
OBITUARY.
CLARA FISHER MAEDER.

TIL. death OF the venerable Mrs Maeder. whlch
occurred yesterday at her home IN Me'u0"e"'
removes forever another OF the memorhole nsu'.'
of the past and again points the invariable mean
cbolv moral NJ the fight Of time. Mrs. Maeder.-
known on the stage and destined TO live IN thea''-
cal history by her maiden name Of Clara flsher'-
had long lived in domestic retirement oh'y ac"ns
now and then. had long survived her perou anu
her fame and had been almost completely FORGOT
ten Her great day was about fifty years ago
when sbe uas IN the fulness Of her powers and her
charm but when that day faded her renown
seemed TO vanish: for, although she continued
occasionally to appear. and. indeed, was acting
AS late as 1889 her identity with the famous cara
Fisher of the Park Theatre OF 1871 was seldom
realized and her performances usually passed IN
noted -
Clara Fisher was born IN England. July a. lSil'
and while vet child she evnced such extraor-
binary aptitude for acting and such an eager
desire for stage-lifo that her parents deemed II
judclous to place her In the theatre. and on de-
cember 10 1877. she made her first appearance
coming forth at Drury Lane, as Lord FIimhap' IN
an adaptation Of "Guliver in Llliput' Her sue
cess was instantaneous and uneduivocal, and from
that time onward she enjoyed ample puohc iaNof
and had career 81 ever-iTcreasng prosperity
4 child on the stage IL usually tresome ooJect'
precocitv cannot long please, ana IL soon eAhaus''
itself but every rule has its exception. and Clara
Fisher must have been most exceptional chId
During her first five years in the profession she HP-
peared In all the important cities OF Great brl'an'
playing Lord Flimrap and kindred juvenile parts,
and everywhere she greeted with delight ana
gathered to the public heart In M she reap
peared at Drury Lane as Little Pickle. In I'-'
She came to America beginning her conquest OF
our public at the old Park Theatre New ork'
on September T. that year. az Albna Mandevie'
in the comedy Of The Will" From New OK
she went TO Philadelphia, and thence 10 bos'on'
and afterward she visited such OF the western
and Southern cities as were then included III "e
theatrical circuit Record OF her achievements
and her honors may readily be found III sucn
hooks "a those Of J. y Ireland. II. L. Phelps sol
Smith. Walker Leman Wemyss. Ludlow, w b.
Wood and Colonel r. Allston Brown she SPAR
in m. uaces of Clamps Boston Stage, and. IN
deed wherever she appears In the dramatic ch'oi-
ic,os whether old or new, It IS with simmer
Of light and breeze Of melody. Her popu'arl'S
was prodglous She not, strictly speaking d
beauty but she possessed a magic of enchantmeh''
IN her bli,he demeanor and her melting voice.
that deAes all laws and captures everybody lier
songs were heard in every drawlhs-iooin' "ei
dress was initiated: her image was in every heart,
and her name was on every lip There has been
no success in the American theatre precisely ike
that Of Clara Fisher. since her time.
II must not be thought that Clara Fisher was
merely a child actress. She was only seventeen
when she first appeared In America. and she was
then Identified with such parts az Little pickle
and Priscilla TomhOy: but she speedily extended
her ropertory till It included Cldri. in THE Maid
Of Milan" Juliana in The Honeymoon Letua
Hardy Lady Teazle. Volante I'm The Wonder
Clara Douglas in Money" Desdemona, Niola'
Ophelia and Beatrice. She could. and did, play
The Fool in King Lear,-and that requires
genius. Her range included farce. comedy, opera,
and tragedy ana IN every line she was finely IN
tellgent; but her special excellence an actress
lay In the direction tantalizng pQuancy, on the
one hand, and fascinating tenderness on the
other She was sweety woman-Mke and aIuring.
and her art was marked by perfect discretion and
natural refinement. She acted in association with
some Of the greatest men and women that have
ever trod the stage; she had studousy observed
the traditions OF her profession; she was a woman
~ intellect well heart. and she was mine
Of interesting memories. In 1854 she became the
wife o. Mr. James Gaspard Maeder long familiar
and respected in this city, a musical composer
and director. and long since dead QSi6). Her Au-
tobiography edited by Mr.. Douglas Taylor, was
printed last year Clara Fisher had her career
at a time when acting considered much more
important than scenery when scholarship was
more frequent on the stage than II is now, and
when the ondeayors Of actors were viewed with
a keener discrimination. finer taste. and sterner
Judgment than are commonly exercised by the peo-
pie Of the present day, who seem TO run after
actors merely because they actors and with
out the slightest reference 10 their merit. any
capacity TO determine it. She gained an honorable
fame; she has lived "A good fe and she leaves a
pure and beautiful memory w. W.