Part 21 (1/2)

So near him volunteered: ”Her na like that” At once he had written down _Morris_--dropping the last syllable frohtful name So when Mr Ellsler asked, ”Don't you know your naht, but the young person was far too shy

She ned up and received teeks' salary as Clara Morris, by which name she was known ever afterward

In her story of life on the stage, she says, ”After having gratefully accepted s, Mr Ellsler asked me why I had not come the week before I told him I preferred to wait because it would seeot both weeks' salary all at one tie suh I was very sensitive to ridicule, I did not suspect hi fun of irl, and when you went on alone and unrehearsed the other night, you proved you had both adaptability and courage I'd like to keep you in the theater Will you coular ins in September next?'

”I think itsmile, while I made answer that I must ask my mother first

”'To be sure,' said he, 'to be sure! Well, suppose you ask her then, and letback and speaking calmly, I must admit that I do not now believe Mr Ellsler's financial future depended entirely upon the yes or no of my mother and myself; but that I was on an errand of life or death every one h the streets on that ninety-in-the-shade day One man ran out hatless and coatless and looked anxiously up the street in the direction fro boy on the corner yelled after me: 'Sa-ay, sis, where's the fire?' But, you see they did not know that I was carrying ho six damp one-dollar bills in the hands that had been so empty all my life!

”I had meant to take off my hat and smooth my hair, and with a proper little speech approach my mother, and then hand her the money But alas! as I rushed into the house I ca to be late, she was hurrying things by shelling a great basket of peas as she sat by the dining-rooht of her tired face allmy arm about her neck, dropped the bills on top of the empty pods and cried:

”'Oh, mother, that's rieved amazement put the money back into my hand and said, 'No, you have earned this money yourself--you are to do with it exactly as you please'”

And that hy, the nextperson took a journey to the stores, and as a result bought a lavender-flowered e hole in the six dollars By her expression and manner she plainly showed how proud and happy she was to be buying a dress for thefor two

”Undoubtedly,” says Miss Morris, ”had there been a fire just then I would have risked own”

Up to that time, the only world Clara Morris had known had been narrow and sordid, and lay chill under the shadow of poverty Now, standing hu of another world--fairy-like in fascination, hts, of splendid palaces, caves, of horrors, forests ofcandor All people, too, with such soldiers, statesmen, lovers, clowns, such wohtness, as makes the heart beat fast to think of

That was the era of Shakesperian perforht stars who played with the support of Mr Ellsler's cohteen acted in the faement, some two, so at least half of the season of forty-teeks was given over to Shakespeare's plays, and every actor and actress had his lines at their tongues' tips, while there were endless discussions about the best rendering of faes

”I well remember,” says Miss Morris, ” rehearsed, and the star had just exclai out our banners on the outalls!' That was enough--argu out our banners! On the outalls the cry is still, they co

”I stood listening, and looking on, and fairly sizzling with hot desire to speak, but dared not take the liberty Presently an actor, noticing ly said:

”'Well, what is it, Clara? You'll have a fit if you don't ease your mind with speech'

”'Oh, Uncle dick,' I answered,over one another in my haste, 'I have a picture horeat castle with towers and s, and on the outer walls arefor the eneh tower! So, don't you think it ought to be read: ”Hang out our banners! On the outalls”--the outall, you know, is where the lookouts are standing--”the cry is still, they coh followed my excited explanation, but Uncle dick patted irl, you stick to your picture--it's right, and so are you

Many people read that line that way, but you have worked it out for yourself, and that's a good plan to follow'

”And,” says Miss Morris, ”I swelled and swelled, it seeentle old rief I had been one of the crowd of 'witches'

Later, being off duty, I was, as usual, planted in the entrance, watching the acting of the grown-ups and grown-greats Lady Macbeth was giving the sleep-walking scene, in a way that jarred upon s I could not have told why, but it did I believed myself alone, and when the memory-haunted woht the old man to have had so much _blood_ in him?' I remarked, under my breath 'Did you expect to find ink in hiht at my shoulder told me I had been overheard, and I turned to face--oh, horror! the stage-rily at me and demanded ave, saying:

”'I thought Lady Macbeth was amazed at the _quantity_ of blood that flowed froet old, you know, sir, you don't have so ht that, as the ”sleeping men were laced, and the knives sht perhaps have whispered, ”Yet ould have thought the old man to have so _much_ blood in him?”' I didn't mean an impertinence Down fell the tears, for I could not talk and hold them back at the same time

”He looked at me in dead silence for a few moments, then he said: 'Hu-rooain would I talk to myself--in the theater, at all events

”Only a short tio on as the longest witch in the caldron scene in 'Macbeth'

Perhaps I rief over it had I not overheard the leading man say: 'That child will never speak those lines in the world!' And the leading man was six feet tall and handsome, and I was thirteen and a half years old, and to be called a child!

”I was in a secret rage, and I went over and over my lines at all hours, under all circuht And then, with my pasteboard crown and white sheet and petticoat, I boiled up in the caldron and gave er to say low: