Show CLARA MORRIS A Brief Sketch of the Life of the Actress Clara Morris used to live near Cleveland Cleve-land Ohio Her mother was sick and in the hospital See had been engaged to read for an old cripple He fell asleep one day and she seeing he was not listening list-ening also fell asleep > The old man woke and seeing the little girl asleep struck her with his crutch She was about 12 years old but bright and quick Angered by her ill treatment she went up stairs packed her scanty wardrobe in her handkerchief and started on foot for Cleveland about five miles away When she went to Cleveland she saw an advertisement for some girls to join inI I the ballet at the Academy of Music then under the management of John Elsler than whom a finer spirit never graced the Arrmripnn stfipft Clara went to him and asked for emplovment He said Little Lit-tle girl you are too small She urged her wish and her need and finally not being engaged she went down stairs Sometime afterward Elsler on going out saw her sitting there crying He saidArent you the little girl who was upstairs up-stairs a little while ago Yes she says and I dont know where to go for the night and I want to dance in the ballet for you Well said John go and get another an-other little girl and you may do it Away she went and found a girl and come back and John gave her her first employment She played there for several sev-eral years in small parts and one day the leading lady who was playing in The Stranger was taken sick It was 2 oclock in the afternoon and Mr Elsler called Clara to him and asked her if she would read the ladys part that evening Read it said she I will act it And between 2 and 8 oclock learned the part and played it as all said better than the leading lady Thus this talented actress began her career |