Evening journal., 1912-02-23
NEW NEWS or YESTERDAY
The Father Who Put BIS
Daughters Success Above
His Own

By Holland.

One morning in the spring Of 1872,
when Americas first world-famous
dramatic soprano, Clara Louise kel-
logg, was at the height OF her popu-
larity. called up the postmaster Of
New Haven, Conn, the late Nehemiah
l.. Sperry, who had been appointed TO
that post by Abraham Lincoln MIR
Sperry afterwards served many years
IN Congress and durlns the closing
years of his sci vice, winch fell in the
present century. he was nationally
known as the Father Of the House Z"
In Civil War days he was widely
known as one of the men who went on
the bond of the builders of the Moni-
tor.
Mr.. Sperry was fond Of spending an
Hour or two in the moraing. after the
aore active business Of the day at tho
postofhce was ended. ia receiving
fiiends. Many men of distinction iiy-
ing in other parts of the country than
Connecticut frequently called upon
him at this time, and felt sure that
the caller who had arisen TO take
leave Of Postmaster Sperry Just as
entered was a man of influence or inn
portance. for his whole hearing gave
that suggestion. He was a tall, slen-
der man, with iron gray hair, thin
foao o,d opdorft,l1xr hrfoht oypc HQ
was very graceful In every cloVement,
and 1t was with utmost courtesy Of
manner that he bade Mr.. Sperry
good-day.
DO you know who that is?" Mr..
Sperry asked me-
/ said that l had never seen the gen.
tieman before, but that was Impress
ed with his appearance, adding that
he certainly was not politician, for
he did not have the atmosphere that
oharacterizes a political leader-he
seemed more like a student, a thinker.
WELL" said Mr.. Sperry, that man
is George kellogg. He is the father OF
Clara Louise Kellogg, to my thinking
the most beautiful singer both in por-
sonal appearance and in her gift OF
song, that / have ever seen or heard.
/ have always been especially inter-
ested in her career because her father
and | are old time friends. | have Of
ten wondered where she got her mu-
sical ability. + once asked her father
| and he told me that he hadn't the
slightest idea Personally, he has
cared very little for music all his life
or, at least, has little understanding
Of It, and that also is the case with
his wife But Clara revealed her musi'
cal ability before she was two years
old.
George Kellogg" Mr.. Sperry con
tinued, ought to be one Of the riches
Of Americans, but he never will maxi
much OF a fortune. He is natural
born Yankee inventor, and ! some
times think that by a curious gift o
heredity his abilities as an invento
we're transformed into musical abilit
in his daughter.
"He told me once that when Claf
was a little girl, two or three years
age, he was occupied with an inveI
tion which he thought would max
him very rich and which ought to ha1
made him rich. And all the time J
was working on that invention I
would spend an hour or two a da
listening to the little girl as she san
with artless simplicity, but with Woi
derful purity Of intonation, the simp
ballads of childhood.
"Kellogg's invention was machiI
for manufacturing hooks and eyes.
was wonderfully ingenious app
ratus. When Clara was still a lit
girl. he established u factory for q
manufacture of these machines in
town near Manchester, in England.
never knew how ii happened that q
invention did not bring him the 10
tune It should have done, except
the general principle that great II
yentor is poor business man.
Later on 7 think it was just abol
the close of the Civil War-Mr he
. logg called on me one day to $;
that he was going to Engand with h
daughter Clara. She was going
, sing there, and he was going TO e
tablish factory for the manutactul
of hats by a certain patent proce
which he had invented. In that wa
he told me, he could keep his daugl
ter company, and he was certain tn
they both would be successful-
Clara as a great soprano, he as mai
ufacturer of hats.
well, two or three years later
saw him again, and | asked him abol
the success of his double mission
England. With perfect cheerfulness
said to me:
Clara won a great victory an
people spoke of me as her father
! wish / could say that the hat-man'
featuring venture was equally su
; cessful The truth of the matter
/, Il isn't going TO make a fortune f
me But | can tell you frankly that
would rather bring Clara home 9
B acknowledged great soprano sing
than 20 have had her fail, while
. made money with my hat machine
7 Clara is going to make the kellol
= name permanently famous
= And that is exactly what the Amer
can tours Of the great dramatic S
prano. began shortly after her retul
. to her native land in 1868, accoI
: pitched.
(Copyright. 1912, by e. j Edward
!, All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell
"The Sense OF Obligation Back of