Part 22 (1/2)

With incessant work and study, and a fir less than the perfection of art, those early years of Clara Morris's life on the stage went swiftly by, and in her third season she was more than ever what she herself called ”the draoat of the company,” one as able to play any part at a htened when one day, an actor falling suddenly sick, Mr Ellsler, with a furrowed brow, begged Clara to play the part Nothing daunted, the challenge was calmly accepted, and in one afternoon she studied the part of King Charles, in 'Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady,' and played it in borrowed clothes and without any rehearsal whatever, other than finding the situations plainlyto do, and she was showered with praise for the performance; but even this success did not better her fortunes, and she went on playing the part of boys and old wo on for poor leading parts even, and between ti about in crowds, or taking part in a village dance”

It was certainly an anomalous position she held in Mr Ellsler's company--but she accepted its ups and doithout resistance, taking whatever part ca valuable experience fro for a tier

She was not yet seventeen when the German star, Herr Daniel Bandmann, came to play with the company He was to open with ”Haht should have played the part of Queen Mother, was laid up with a broken ankle Miss Morris says: ”It took a good deal in the way of being asked to do strange parts to startle me, but the Queen Mother did it I was just nicely past sixteen, and I was to go on the stage for the serious Shakesperian mother of a star Oh, I couldn't!”

”Can't be helped--no one else,” growled Mr Ellsler; ”Just study your lines, right away, and do the best you can”

”I had been brought up to obey,” says Miss Morris, ”and I obeyed The dreadedof rehearsal came There calanced at me, half smiled, waved his arms, and said, 'Not you, not the _Player-Queen_, but GERTRUDE'

”I faintly answered, 'I'm sorry, sir, but I have to play Gertrude!'

”'Oh no, you won't!' he cried, 'not withto Mr

Ellsler, he lost his temper and only controlled it when he was told that there was no one else to take the part; if he would not play with ht Then he calirl over as to play such an inappropriate role

”The night ca house, too, I rearments to make me look more matronly, but, alas, the drapery Queen Gertrude wears was particularly becoht roaned, but said nothing, while Mr Banded his shoulders, as if dis the reat scene advanced to its cli Queen Mother play up to Hamlet, that the applause was rapturous The curtain fell, and to her utter ah in the air and crushed to Ha Roman pearls and in a ind of German exclalish cairl!

You reat, nobody _Ach_, you are fire--you have pride--you are a Gertrude who have sha that the audience was still applauding, he dragged her before the curtain, he bowed, he waved his hands, he threw one arain--out here, is he?' thought the victiht as quickly as possible”

That a experience led to one of the most precious memories of Clara Morris's career, when, a month after the departure of the impetuous German, who should be announced to play with the company but Mr Edwin Booth As Clara Morris read the cast of characters, she says, ”I feltwider as I saw--

QUEEN GERTRUDEMiss Morris

”I had succeeded before, oh yes, but this was a different irls have their Gods--sohest pedestal of all, grave and gentle, stood the God ofto be forced on any one as I should be forced upon Mr Booth, since there was still none but h I dreaded co remarks from him, I was honestly more unhappy over the annoyance this blemish on the cast would cause him But it could not be helped, so I wiped my eyes, repeated my childish little old-time 'Now I lay me,' and went to sleep

”The dreaded Monday came, and at last--the call, 'Mr Booth would like to see you for a few moments in his room'

”He was dressed for Ha his hand, said in Bandmann's very words: 'No, not you--not the _Player-Queen_--but GERTRUDE'

”My whole heart was in asped: 'I'm so sorry, sir, but I have to do Queen Gertrude You see,' I rushed on, 'our heavy wo and can't act But if you please,' I added, 'I had to do this part with Mr Bandmann, too, and--and--I'll only worry you with my looks, sir, not about the words or business'

”He rested his dark, unspeakably hed and said: 'Well, it was the closet scene I wanted to speak to you about When the ghost appears you are to be--' He stopped, a faint smile touched his lips, and he rereat deal more like your father than you look like my mother--but--' He went on with his directions, and, considerate gentleh reat annoyance to him

”When the closet scene was over, the curtain down, I caught up ht roo the theater Mr Booth, turning, called after me: 'You--er--Gertrude--er--_Queen!_ Oh, somebody call that child back here!' and so you!' I turned, but stood still He beckoned, then ca, 'My dear, we ,' and led htly bentHaround to hiht me there

”When we came off he smiled amusedly, tapped , but you kno to pay a pretty compliment--thank you, child!'

”So,” says Miss Morris, ”whenever you see pictures of ny idiotically happy, you can say to yourself: 'That is just how Clara Morris felt when Edwin Booth said she had paid him a compliment' Yes, I floated, and I'll take a solemn oath, if necessary, that the whole theater was filled with pink clouds the rest of that night, for girls areactress was now rapidly acquiring a knowledge of her ability to act; she also knew that as long as she remained with Mr Ellsler there would be no advancement for her, and a fire into the big world, where perhaps there h to take care of herself, but also enough so that her ed to work, which was Clara's bitterthe advisability of e, she received an offer froer of Wood's Museum, at Cincinnati, Ohio He offered a s woman she decided to accept the offer ”When thethat 'because of the youth of his new star, he wished to reserve a few parts which his ould act'