The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-14

This Is the age of prodIgies. In the world of art. on the stage and concert platform and even in the pulpits chil- dren have been astonishing the world
 with their genius and earning incomes calculated to arouse the envy or the most successful business men. It is only c few weeks ago since 1t was an 1 nounced that among the exhibitors at l the French Salon this year is 12- year-oId artist named Marcel Laval l lard. the son of a haberdasher. who
 commenced to paint pictures when he
 was 6.
 This is the first time in the history of the French Salon that So young an artist has exhibited. although a few
 years ago Henri Cortes was admitted
 when he was nearly IS. Lavailards
 success recalls that of Tada Styka,
 boy painter Of 13. who had two can
 vases accepted by the Salon five years ago. and the work of ViscOunt De Sois- sons, whose water-colors and oil paint | inRs were exhibited at the Dore Gal iery in 1904. The young Viscount was then 1s. and in addition to attracting
 much attention on account or hts skiil
 as an artist he has gained big rep | utation as an author. naVink Wr"sen | several serial stories.
 | English painters appear Co be some | what less precocious than their French | comrades Edwin Landseer. 1t Is true.
 was admitted to the Academy at the | age of IS. but Mr. Walter Crane was
 already 1e and Mir. Marcui stone. NH.
 lais and Watts IT before they secured the coveted honor.
 l It Is to the stage and concert plat
 form however, to which one must turn | to find the most remarkable examples
 of precocious genius. whether the numberless child actors and musicians
 who have made their debut lately VIII I nf
 remains. of course. to he seen: but the
 nresent and past history of acting ana | nousIc contains some remarkable tn-
 stances of clever children who have continued to win fame year after year | throughout life.
 who at or years of age, aston
 tshed everybody with the purity of her
 voice and her wonderful akill In It's nanapement. The pianoforte playing oT Meyerbeer Mozart aud Mendels- sohn when they were years or age aroused the admiration of every critic while when he was Paganini com
 nosed A sonata oF SO difficult nature that none but himself could execute tt He performed 1t in public at the
 Al the age of Paderewski could
 nlay the piano. while Lady Halle, when she made her first appearance at V az r that A tour was immediately arranged
 wh,ch included such musical centers as .aInzi0 Berlin and Breslau. Al Tady Halle was playing at the London philharmonic Concerts Among present-day actresses are many who showed histrfonIc teIenV 9t tander years Miss Ellen Terry made sor debut when she was 8. Mrs. Ken deI was appearing at the Marylehone
 Tbaater when she was 4 and playing l 0nhelia at the Haymarket when she
 was 16 Miss Bateman the tamous m nersonator of Leah first appeared oh l ,he staRe when she was :, and when she was 8 was brought t" London by | tbe late P. T. Barnum. to appear In
 saries of Shake kespearean revivals. Tadv Bancroft was at one time the leading child actress in the country, while Miss Ada Reeve appeared oeiore | the public when she was 6. ana at l4
 was an acknowledged music h8ll ,ta staI | Miss Vesta Tilley began stll carrier
 Her stage career started when she was
 2 and at she first appeared In mems | clothes and was advertised as the
 "Pocket Sims Reeves"
 l TWO or three years ago quite a mum
 her of chiId-preache were attractlns attantion on both sides of the Allan
 ttc notnblv Frances Storr. the 12-year- | oid DoncRster girl, who often had au-
 S,erces numbering upon 2,000: Lonnie
 nsnnie who was only when he nreached to an audience of over 5000 | i, New York and included among hls
 -nr,,on. one which told how he was called to the ministry at { years of
 age: and Jack Cooke the Manchester
 So,. u,ho, at very early age determ-
 tned to become a. second D. l.. Moody.
 Ue nrea ched his first sermon when he
 was Il. and two years later conducted | r,epv successful missions in the States.
 who knows but what they may fol- Iow fin the footsteps of Sturgeon. who ] ,.sss an active member of the Baptist