The Washington herald., 1916-01-16

heavier than family linen on
your mind, you don't care
much about coronets or German bullets.
Though there's always a chance that
they'll get you; come together In such a
way as TO demolish each other, throw the
sidetrack switch on your own career and
send you to the trenches to nurse Eng
lish soldiers List to the tale of Camille
Clifford.
She wasn't such in those old days.
When first she came within range of the
calm scrutiny Of the Goddess of Liberty
she was Camilla ottersen, and she wore
a shawl over her head. She didn't know
a pearl from bead, and she eringed
when anybody spoke English to her.
That was fourteen years ago. Many and
many a moon has waxed and waned since
Camilla forgot how to cringe, and her
English is the envy Of the tastidious.
The story which touches such high
spots as the wsshtub, stardom, a peer
age. and then the bullet, began in Swe-
den. She was a north country blonde
with wide eyes. Aristocratic blood came
down from some remote source through
veins Of peasant ancestors to arch her
brOws and sensitize her lips. She was
statuesque, too. Remember the Gibson
GirI'' Of day before yesterday? She was
Camilla, though a few chapters along in
her story. AS the Gibson girl she came
to the American public when all of New
York was crazy over Miss New York"
in the Prince of Pilsen."
The Swedish girl tied a shawl round
her head and packed her possessions In
a bundle. Then she climbed into the
steerage of a steamer bound for Amer
lea. She wasn't lured by visions Of
wealth. though the scientifically reason
ing Scandinavian mind pointed out the
probability Of financial independence in
the new country.
She was timid and difldent as most
immigrants, apprehensiye of the strange
language and customs. The great city
confused her and, though she was un-
usually bright and capable, she was
forced to begin at the bottom of the So
cial ladder. She found a job as laun-
dress While she worked up and down
the washboard the American go-ahead
spirit began to hover round. Ambition
steamed with the suds and clung drip
pingiy. She threw up her job and hunted
another and better one. That's how she
happened to be installed as second girl
in a Boston home.
Camilla was fully awake by then. She
took stock Of her face and her figure
and changed her name from Ottersen to
Clifford, also switching the final "a' in
her given name to "e." With thought
Of detail which would have done credit
to a story-book detective, she watched
members of the family and their guests,
and copied dress, conversation and
manners.
Ambition followed her up and down
the back stairs. As housemaid you're
a servant and as a sesmstress you're a
working woman So Camille found a
place in an exclusive Boylston st. shop,
and learned a lot that she didn't know
before about clothes, color-combinations,
and how silks and velvets may build up
personality. She might have been most
anybody as she travelled to and from her
work on the car, so far's those around
her were concerned. They saw we'll
dressed, wide-awake, very American ap-
pearing young woman, with proud,
handsome face. Those who talked to her
loved her carefully modulated voice, with
its traces Of accent. No faint atmos-
phere Of the immigrant fingered. She
was an Americani
As a seamstress you're WORKING
woman and as an item OF stage scenery
you're a professional SO Camille went
down to the Park theater and got Job
carrying a spear. It wasn't much OF
Job, but Il gave her the right to call ner-
self actress" and II brought her into
new type Of life. She met other women
with ambitions and she learned tricks OF
the stage. She learned for one thing
that even II you're only super you can
be individual And she proceeded 70 prac-
tice individuality. People In the front
of the house found It impossible not to
notice her. AS seamstress she was at
tractive; as a chorus girl she Was strik-
ing Henry W. Savage happened to ee
in the front Of the house one night and
he Immediately began TO speculate upon
ghs scenic value Of Camnle's blonde