The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-27
A Wichita Girl.


That a little gil. in strange land,
speaking a strange tongue, having no
knowledge Of the stage, should find her
youthful dreams filled with ambition
for a career on the stage is past Under
standing
That happened in Wichita. Not so very
many years ago there was a little girl
in Mrs Sites school room in Wichita
whose hair was as black as a ravens
wing and eyes as bright as the first stars
out at night.
In the multitude OF young ones she was
marked because the perplexities Of the
English tongue annoyed her. and because
she made so valiant a fight TO conquer
it.
Her name then was Anna Nsner- Her
father was practically the only instructor
on the violin in town They had come to
Wichita from Austria.
Little Anna Misner has since become
Leah Lessi, the emotional actress and
song-writer OF note. whose productions
can be found in portfolio form anywhere.
The other day in the Eagle Office she
was telling Of her youth IL Wichita:
why and where and how early the fire
Of ambition for the stage was famed and
set glowing in my heart" she said. Il
can not tell; 1t was before you used to
see me in Mrs. Sites school; it was with
me then, all consuming omnipotent as
I struggled with the language. You can
have no idea what a struggle i. was for
me to learn English. And I know 1t win
surprise you to hear me say that I
learned it from a dish-pan. How ridieu-
o~fr,- Trr
go home from school with the strange
words in my ears. words that I knew
Americans gave with a peculiar infection
which I could not attain. So / would
practice I tried speaking them into a
rain-barrel 1t was too sonorous. So
TOO with the water-pipe. But I found the
big dish-pan excellent. It gave back
metallic reproduction Of the tones which
enabled me TO divine corrections. and in
time I mastered the tongue. Even then
I was mastering il for the stage. Ny
memory, in conspiracy. took a tenacious
hold on everything l read. I had a good
study" as they Of the stage say, when
] was a schoolgirl I early learned, or
got by intuition, the relation Of gesticula-
ton TO speech TO suit the action TO the
word I used to go away in the woods
tn what is now Riverside and practice
speeches by hours. SO strong did I I'll
myself with this desire and shape my
self mentally IN this way. that TO this
day. I can read nothing that I do not
imagine the action which must accom-
pany It. the movement up stage or to
this or that position before the audience
Leah Lessi is still an Austrian in ap-
pearance- lissome. emotional. impulsive.
with spiritual face Her English now.
however, is sharp. singing and Well
selected.
While reminiscent she told Of her strug-
gle TO realize her youthful ambitions. Her
father did not approve of the stage, al !
though now that she has been so sue (
cessful he is reconcfled, and very proud
of his daughter When still very young
she went to Montana and there began
heavy religious readings" in churches.
reciting such poetry as Thanatopsis. She
did needle-work too 10 exc out an ex-
fstence. Though not q performer on any
instrument she knew music and har-
mony. and had a rythmic gift both in
words and melody When she had com
pleted some songs she went east 10 sell
them and did The sale Of manuscripts
is not an easy matter. The name OF song
writers is legion But she succeeded in
disposing Of some Of them, one OF them
1.-THE Pickaninnies' Lullaby melody
which had its run in Wichita and all over
the country. But she did not have smooth
sailing. for The revenue from songs IS
far from munidcent. Too proud To write
home for help. she found herself almost
broke" She was living in the tradi-
tional garnet in Boston. 1T was under
q mansard roof" she said, "and the
patches Of broken plaster and ribbed
Is tbs were all about in the very same /
way you see it on the stage. There was, /.
too on the wall, q cracked mirror upon
which some similarly uckless soul had
PASTED a Piece of poetry counselIing valor
and cheer in the hour OF hunger and
need. The bed was hard. on, so hard.
Still poverty is not so dreadful II you
stare # out Of countenance. and think /
I slept well the night after ! had conf /
pleted my Hungarian melody, The Lea /
IRA Schottische." which / intended 10 sell. +
e could the morning following I re-
member it was Friday. and the 18th when
] arose. which facts ] duly noted. But
below IN the street ] heard a hand +
organ and there doated UP to me my
'eViolets Good luck shouted.
and few TO the street and gave
the Italian a dime ont OF my scant hoard.
went to the music publishing house
I had def gTmined upon / knew the name .
Of the man who had the decision Of com .
positions. I asked the elevator boy TO .
show me his room. He was busy. I
waited After a time I was let in. I .
had the manuscript concealed in q big
sleeve. ! brought it forth. The man
looked dark. we have too much already
he declared He looked It over perfume (
torily DO you play" he asked. 4
do not" I said
he called for a pianist and he played
the schottische
'.How much do you want for it," he
asked.
Anything that YOU viii give said.
81 am not in position 10 dictate prices.
Neither can I wait for royalties.
He gave me a neat sum for II and
was on the highway / went upon the
stage. have q good study J can set
every line letter perfect IN very few
readings. Opportunity vas kind 20 me
I played IN many stock companies For
two years have starred in the revival Of .
East Lynne in the eastern and southern
cities. / have scored a success leah
Lessi Is an invention. one Of my youth.
Leah Lessi had not been IN Wichita