Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde; Grand Ronde, OR
About Weekly Chemawa American. (Chemawa, Or.) 189?-198? | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 1902)
CHEMAWA AMKRICAN. 7 Of the viirioiw roads which lead to suc cess, few will b found as rough, or to oiler a mnny obstacles to he overcome, as the path which was chosen by Benjamin J. Sroville, n young nctor. Such a trnin of adverse circumstances and hardship aa he has passed through milit easily have disheartened many a strong, sturdy iium; lint with grit, energy, and great dfltermin-' at ion, he clung to his work and gradually rone, step by Blep, from the humble -posi- tiun uf an orphan bonllilncir in the streets of London, to be mi net or, theatrical iwtn ajjer, stage director, and proiesar of elo cution. , ., .; , Mr. S.MVille was horn in London.' Hit ; Mlier, anarmyoflicer, wan killed In the Z'Hii war, and his mother died shortly alter, leaving Die little seven-year-old hoy to take caro of hi tusler who wan two yearn younger. With Ins father, and mother both gone, the bpy set out to pro tide fiod by selling newspapers and black- . itig boots in the YVhitechapel district. Jlnt hi scanty Income was insufficient to pro vlilieveuthepooranl fare, and vhe; two i-hil-1 drcn ofle i went w)ioe days on dry cruets. I'inally the little girl died of starvation, . Allboiiu'il left entirely aloneiit (lie world, , Itfii cville continued for four yeiuatosell papeifl, Bleeping nt night .ander (ha nrfihes of Uiinloit Bridge, or in wagons, adey ways, i r "Hi doorsteps. In spit of tliese hard flilps, he was anxious to get abend, and managed, evenings, to attend a school where, he learned -iirreud and write,.. Onri njr the;, d iv hi' iiiiiiniied his studies by reading the ftver shops md business boluses while . he w selling bin napcr.. Several ye.irs,,. were passed iij tbi bard buttle with adver- f. Mly, hut the boy made progress and kept liiHol.je,-( Readily in view. A fhTppding two, years in sticking hibHs, in a hlneking factory, be started for Ameri- ra, his head lull of such notions as h bid nf ; thirteen might cherbdi. It was hi am-. : biiu-n to become a enwhov, to shorn in (Ihii.s, nnd In herd huff..!... These, l.le.is . abandoned, however. In Dili... liPHfciired a i.nsition with a d..ctor, .igree ing 10 .In his chores for his -hoard and el..ltl.-Tid will, permission to intend sell -ol. Tb- work was li mi, often keeping . him up late at night, hut be kept at It pluckily for nearly six years and made ex client educational progress menTlwhile. He then went to Chicago, Cleveland. tid at length to Itoston, where he took up the study of elocution, working in a machine shop during the day to pay his way. Thus' ho (Kuiliniied until he had finished a three years' course. He then secured a position with a theatrical company, and ids train--ing and natural talent were (piiekly appre- ' dated and rewarded with advancement. At this time he wnrued aliiiostincessamly, night and day, drill I tit:, rehearsing, ami studying the parts of other actors as well as his own. He was freojenlly idven im porliint Shakespearean roles and acquitted himself snccesslully, U returned to Lou- don, and Sarah Bernhardt engaged him to represent her. Kx. Know Your Business.- Under the above eaptioh the Arizona ; Weekly Citien has the blowing tn;8;iy.' of the president, of the Jreat Northern railrond: James J. Hill went to work in . 'n Canadian torc at ir ; at I'll he wan in St, Paul acting as iaborer, foreman or entry clerk, as e!ianee offered. Later he went into b"sine-s a a packet tUmi, and, like Commodore Vanderbilt, added railroads to Sieainbdals until little by little he built up a great system at a cost pef Wile rnlr one- sixth asgreat ss that of the Imple I:ie. Hill int-reted tner. of icy, nnt.hv a be OUSU' t niav b-.l.i tl.H -II- I- the man Vamleri.ilr, U