CHAPTER XLIV.
MISS EDNORAH NAHAR.
The race has produced few young women possessing more push and real energy than the courageous little personage
MISS EDNORAH NAHAR.
whose name marks the beginning of this chapter. Born in the city of Boston, Mass., she quite naturally attended the most excellent public schools of that great city, where she necessarily laid a broad foundation upon which she has built a more recent and most tasty structure. She is of foreign and American parentage, and has always given evidence of that thrift which is now an important characteristic of her.
After spending sufficient time in the public schools she entered Fort Edward Collegiate Institute, New York, where she was further prepared for lifers duties, into which she has so earnestly entered. She began public service on the 16th of November, 1886, by reading for a concert of young talent. It is needless to say more of her first effort than that it was a success. Since that time up to September, 1892, she has given nearly eight hundred concerts in tliirty-one States of the Union and has also appeared with much acceptance in Halifax and St. John, New Brunswick. She has appeared before the public in Boston, Mass., more than sixty times with great satisfaction and credit; at the Boston Theatre twice, before about five thousand persons. She has also appeared in Philadelphia, and was there greeted by an audience of over five thousand on the 17th of November, 1890, at the Academy of Music. At Fanueil Hall she read for the Irish League after a speech made by Ben Butler. In the National Pageant, given by Cora Scott Pand, she took part in four speaking tableaux in the Boston Theatre, at Newport, R. I., and Union Square Theatre, N. Y. She spent one season at Bouccicault's Dramatic School in New York, and was pronounced by him a genius as an actress, as well as by ex-Secretary Noble, Hon. Fred. Douglass and many other Afro-American and Caucasian men who may be regarded as fittingly competent to judge.
She always manifests an interest in the cause of humanity and has given many hours of her valuable time and much talent in this direction.
The very high esteem in which she is held in her native city and the large crowds that have so repeatedly thronged to hear her at home, on more than sixty different occasions, in less than six years of her early public life, are strong and weighty evidence of her sterling worth and ability in her chosen profession.
MISS NAHAR AS A MANAGER.
With the exception of twenty-one concerts, managed by J. C. Price, for Livingston College, Miss Nahar has been her own manager, and has successfully managed a few church concerts in Boston, but lately has entered the manatjerial field as a full-fled o-ed manager. In Chicago, where she now resides, in January, 1893, she signed a contract with J. B. Pond, the Black Patti's manager, for the Madam for four concerts, $600, two of which she gave to Bethel Church, Chicago, on February 6th and 7th, and two in New York, March 7th and 8th, to Zion Church—a brave venture for a little woman and so young a manager. Both were grand successes; each church was packed both nights. Bethel Church receiving as its one-half net profits more money than from any other concerts ever held in the church by any manager. On February 27th and 28th, before leaving for the New York concerts, just three weeks after the "Black Patti" concerts, Miss Nahar filled Bethel again almost to suffocation two nights with a children's cantata and a pantomime. She has at present many engagements to manage both concerts and dramas during the Word's Fair.
The height of her ambition is to build and put into active working order a home for friendless girls—not a refuge, but a home, with all that the word means—that hundreds who otherwise would be thrown out upon the world friendless and alone, and might drift into vice, may find a shelter where Christianity, self-respect and self-support will be taught. Chicago will probably be the place chosen to build. The present prospects are also in favor of her becoming an actress under one of the best managers in America.
It pleases those who have heard her to hear her again. Her appearance is most excellent; her manner of gesticulation is graceful; she has the ability to get out of herself into her author's spirit, feelings and thoughts—a good imitator of the sublime. She is kind and interesting in the social circle and very much at home with those with whom she converses. We may predict for her a life of great usefulness.
The following are some of the sayings of the press concerning her:
Miss Ednorah Nahar is a reader of talent. Her gestures are easy, graceful and to the point, while her stage presence would do credit to many a professional actress.—Boston Daily Advertiser.
Her general style is good, her manner pleasing; added to this she is most fortunate in the possession of a voice which is a marvel of sweetness and purity of tone.—Boston Evening Traveler.
Miss Nahar's rendition of the "Chariot Race," from "Ben Hur," was a revelation, and too much cannot be said in praise of it. With a clear, resonant voice, full of fire and dramatic action, she electrified her hearers and held them spell-bound to the end. She has a fine voice, and an earnest and expressive face.—The Boston Pilot.
Miss Nahar in her description of the "Chariot Race," from "Ben Hur," showed a notable dramatic skill.—Boston Evening Transcript.
Miss Nahar has won for herself the title of "Boston's favorite elocutionist."—Boston Advocate.
Her art is no art, but nature itself. She is both elocutionist and avtress.—Newport (R. I.) Daily News.
Miss Ednorah Nahar, in her dramatic readings of the "Sioux Chief's Daughter, "made a strong hit, and her two encore pieces showed a versatility rareh' seen.—Halifax (N. B. ) Morning Herald.
As a dramatic reader Miss Nahar has few equals. Of her readings we can say nothing but words of praise.—St. John (N. B.) Globe.
Miss Nahar as an elocutionist is superb. Her voice is well modulated, her enunciation is very clear and distinct, and she possesses perfect control over her vocal organs. Her recitation of the "Organ Builder" and the "Pilot's Story" were pathetic, while the curse scene of "Leah, the Forsaken," was a piece of stage work hard to be beaten. Miss Nahar's humorous pieces took the house by storm. "Aunt Jemima's Courtship" and "The Lords of Creation" were charming, while the rich Irish brogue she brought out in her rendition of "Low Back Car" was perfection itself.—Danville Daily Register (Dem.).
Miss Nahar is an elocutionist of rare ability and power. Her diction is clear and her gestures full of grace. Her selections are the best. It is not saying too much of her to say she reminds one very much in her stage movements and easy manners of Modjeska.—Greensboro North State.
Miss Nahar's appearance here was a success in every particular. She made herself a favorite in her first piece, "The Pilot's Story," and the enthusiasm kept up during the entire readings. Her manner is decidedly easy and graceful on the stage. In the curse scene from "Leah" she not only sustained her reputation as a clear reader, but gave evidence of considerable histrionic power—Washington Correspondent of New York Age.
Miss Ednorah Nadar received a great amount of applause, and her rendition of the curse scene from "Leah, the Forsaken," was as fine a bit of acting as we have seen.—Charlotte Chronicle.
Miss Xahar, of Boston, was particularly greeted to the. echo in her almost perfect rendition of dramatic selections.—Norfolk Evening Telegram.
"Aux Italiens," by Miss Nahar, was interpreted with a newer and subtler meaning than ever before; it was pathetic, tender, loving, fire-full, fervid and dramatic, each following in place with a sequence that only comes with genius.—The Philadelphia Weekly Sentinel.
Miss Nahar is prepossessing in appearance, graceful in movement and confident in bearing. She possesses decided dramatic powers, has a fine voice, strong, pure, flexible and quite voluminous—Cleveland (O.) Gazette.
In "Aux Italiens" Miss Xahar displayed original conception as well as extraordinary powers of execution; she has command of her voice, and her renditions are more like interpretations than recitations.—St. Louis Advance.
Miss Ednorah Xahar as an elocutionist is superb.—The Daily Record (Columbia, S. C.).
The honors of the evening were properly awarded Miss Nahar, who is a great favorite in St. John; her "Chariot Race," from "Ben Hur," was a masterpiece of stirring power, while in "Cleopatra" in Egyptian costume she brought out fully the tremendous passion of that poem.—Daily Telegraph (St. John, N. B.).
In the "Chariot Race" and "Cleopatra" an elegant Egyptian costume afforded every opportunity for displaying to the best her wonderful abilities.—The Daily Sun (St. John. N. B.).
Her voice one always remembers with pleasure. It is said the charm of Booth"s voice remains with one who has heard him; this is not too much to say of Miss Xahar.—Cincinnati Enterprise.
Miss Nahar is a talented lady whose "Sioux Chief's Daughter," given in Indian costume, was finely rendered, while the "Chariot Race," from Wallace's "Ben Hur," was a revelation.—New York Mail and Express.
Her gestures are easy and graceful and she possesses rare gifts and powers as an elocutionist.—Durham (N. C.) Daily Sun.
MRS. LUCY ANN HENRY COLE
At the Hyperion Theatre about one thousand people attended the concert given by the Dixwell Avenue Church. Besides the Yale Banjo and Apollo Club, Miss Nahar, of Boston, a highly gifted elocutionist, was received with great applause.—The Palladium (New Haven, Conn.).
Miss Nahar is a reader of wonderful talent, very graceful and expressive; her selections are particularly refined—Philadelphia Advance.