The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-07
you sec Tho international complexities
would have been fatal to me-

Il OSI VI YAK "a Ss . -
the decoration they gave me- and ahs
showed me a cross. hanging on fl green rib
bon, on which was inscribed her title,
LADY Clara"
Then you were preparing for literature
during your life on the stage?" I asked.
after a pause.
"As I told you, I went on the STAGE be-
cause I was so poor that 80 cents was q for
tuna to me-, but I believe that OF all the
professions accessible to poor girls the
stage Is the only one that edCcat4s you AZ
you 20 along"
But the temptations!' I said, In mock
sanctity.
whatever you Go. don't start me- on
that subject" said Clara gfOrrIs. briskiy. %
It's all fudge. isn't tt?' I said. consol.
ingiy.
Its ridiculous, How often I've heard the
plaintivs wall of the pallii mother, who,
casting her eyes to heaven, says. oh. spare
my innocent daughter on tho stage! Il good
woman Is good and a bad woman bad.
whether she goes on the stage or into q
| shop" She walked to a window, sweeping
the traditional cant Of stage life away with
the rustic of her skirts. and drew attention
to a view far up the Sleepy river. to beyond
the Palisades. 1t was a quiet picture. In
| such deliberate contrast to the strenuous
action of her life that I asked her Il sh0
ever felt restless for the stage.
"When en- actress thinks OF retiring from
tho stage fhere Is a novelty at first in the
calm comforts of 4 domestic life, but after
awhile the ord fever for her work comes
over her, and she frets q little for th0
theater." 81. paused 4 moment, drumming
ON the windog. pane as she spoke. and then
turning gayIy around, she said: I'm look
ing for a play that is suitable to my age
and abilities, you know; but It's hard 70
find one whero the heroine Is not younger
than I am. and who has not grown -
wide." she added. with a laugh.
your literary work takes the place ~
your stage life" I suggested.
Her Present Audiences.
"At first I naturally worked On mayo.
scripts at night. because that had been my
working time for years, but I found ny
health would cot stand It. and I had t.
harness myself anew. / only work at INST
mess now" -
How do you meanT"
"At noon I take a short walk around th&
old-fashioned veranda Of my house. tha
about a quarter past two I sit down at W3
desk. the curtain Is rung up. ard I give .
ciative audience" Il
"DeadheadS?" "a
Ear from 1t: they're the ~l!veliest iitt10
heads Imaginable" and she pulled a cloeh
OF a cage filed with tiny Japanese fnchsA.
Although they an look alike. AZ an au~
QlSNC0 uSu6lly OOeS, cdCi DAIt hidhSS NSrf
ferent note. and I suppose. therefore,. each
little heart feels a different song. although
they arc ono family, enc race"
We were in the tiny theater where cara =
Morris II remodeIling the manner Of her
art; her own room. where she writes ana !.
Strange to say. It Is not peoplsd
photographs Of herself. or Of any Of
the DISTINGUISHED men and women she q =
known in her busy. public life. Pretty :
things that are useful on a voman's tofles
table; q few books, an odd picture. cher
shed for the han that painted 1t. the heart
gave It to her.
She sat down by the cracking wood ma
and took up from some mysterious oorna1-
IN odd figure of q doll. 80
Where does she come fromr' I asked =
From the dim pasta little thing OF rasD
md tender memories. Mamma made This
,ilk Jacket for her, and ~-well-shs's ny
dear old fashioned Alice Maude."
why Alice Maude?'
Il christened her in honor OF Prinoeo
siaude. Queen Alexandra's daughter. b
vas given to ma when I was 4 years old :
years DID," she added. busily straiShton.
the frock and pinching the Jacket wh9s
expect to gee waists in younG
aides
And you've kept her all this timer
. course; I have an inveterats habit q
up gtfts. Ny friends are always
nth me in the treasures they nave Gwen
ne"
Her husband came in. and, pointing ire
to an oil picture of Alice Maude :
70 had ordered for Clara Morris, hs SAID
Pretty fine portrait: ISN'T It; Paid uco
n that. It's worth-well. never mind" ana
Q ak out of the room.
Hes as bad as I am; always seep ths
point first" said Clara Morris
Il can SEQ that your stories are practical
life studies" said I. resuming our b
Only When She
'eels a Fact.
I write and can write only when I fed
Ict. You know William Winter persiste
lily stated that I never had any imagine
on. and. of course. since he's q critic, he
1ght to know"
rs IT possible to outline q charactntmr
on without imasinationr'
AS an actress I know it to be Impossible
Id as far as ! have gone with my literary
bon I ind that characterization mus b
carer than anything else, because 1t alone
rries the story"
Imagination leads up to & situauonr' 30
Always That Is why Lady MacbptA -
oh q bad part-such q difficult part, NE i
eaks in upon the stage right in the heart
her part; an almost insurmountabls diftBe
lily In any expression Of art"
write true stories?''
A true as I can. I've got q tremendo2as
emory. I can recall the most minute a.
lis OF places ! have seen abroad and pdp.
I've met and known, even casually. I
ly wish people who talk Of me would stiek
the truth as close as I do. For ipstan&a
a notice the other day lauding me 10
o skies for my work as Adrienns Lecouk.
Was the praise untrue?"
Absolutely. I never played the part n
? life" =
rust then there was a sound Of someone
lghing painfully in the next room-is
ght have been an old man.
Poor Patty! Bring him In. Frank" 0id
ira Norris. Then, while I waited for
ne antediluvian relative, perhaps, 70 be
tenderly into the room. she said: "Huf-
. from asthma dreadfully; Travelled with
all over the world, but getting old, pref
old" And she sighed, and I became
ious. painfully awaiting the arrival OF
old gentleman.
fE. Harriott brought him ina SHAGGY.
lting, wise old Skye terrior-and SGT him
lily in his favorite place, on bis WtfUD
sr Unique Presentation.
n my desk is one Of Miss Morris's books
Silent Singer and Other Short Stories."
the f1yleaf Of which Is written in her =
4 hand:
Clara Morris. with the kindly a.
ssed. but very earnest, wish that she .
Y do better next time. Clara Morris Har.
t. 1882"
hrrmnrAfY0 HNhIvN 80 hnr. 81 -.Y