She was a quick, apt scholar during her school days, and developed such talent for composition that she was encouraged to devote special attention to English literature and the classics, and to what end her efforts in this direction were expended is plainly noticeable in the excellence of her style of writing. The warmth and vigor of imagination which characterizes all of her writings, inspires and helps one to appreciate the true joys of an ever-varying and fluctuating life.
The colored race has produced some very sweet singers. I shall name a few of them in this chapter. Many of my readers will remember the "Original Fisk Jubilee Singers," who created such wide interest in all sections of this country and in Europe. Among the ladies were Miss Maggie Porter-Cole, who is still singing, and Miss Jennie De Hart Jackson, who has retired. Among those of more recent date I would mention Madame Selika, who has appeared in all of the principal cities of the world; Madame Sisseretta Jones, who has just returned from an extensive trip through Europe; Miss Bessie Lee, of Philadelphia, who has a very sweet voice, and Miss Jennie Robinson Stewart, who comes of a musical family. While I was attending the World's Fair in Chicago, I met, for the first time, Gertrude Hawkins. I have heard many singers, but a sweeter voice I have never heard.
I have left until the last Madam Flora Batson Bergen, because I want to present a picture of her, and make special mention of her work as a singer. Some singers render a class of music either in some foreign language, or else give us music that is on such a high plane that ordinary people can not understand it. But Madam Bergen gives us the old songs we heard when we were children, and she sings them in such a way as to reach our very souls.
MADAM FLORA BATSON BERGEN.
On Thursday, March 19, 1896, the funeral service of Rev. R. H. Stitt, one of our young men who had just passed away, was held in A. M. E. Zion Church, Philadelphia. Madam Bergen sang two selections on that occasion, and never will I forget the impression made upon me by her sweet voice. She sang "No Tears in Heaven." That may be true. But there were plenty of tears shed by that audience while she was singing the song. I am positive that all of these great singers must be a help to the race in educating white people up to a better knowledge of what the race can do. It might be well at this point to call attention to the elocutionists of the race. I feel that some day they must play a prominent part in the dramatic world. In a small way, they have done that already, among themselves.
In 1893, Miss Henrietta Vinton Davis organized a colored company in Chicago, and produced "Dessalines," a play written by William Edgar Easton, of Texas, a bright young colored man. While the production in some ways was crude, I am sure that when we take into consideration how great were the disadvantages under which Miss Davis had to labor, I feel that the general verdict would be in her favor. Among those who took part in the play was Miss Fannie Hall, of Chicago, who is without question a fine dramatic reader, and who should, by all means, be kept more prominently before the public.
One of the first colored ladies to take up elocution as a profession was Miss Hallie Quinn Brown, who is well known and admired throughout the United States. Miss Brown has great powers in winning friends, and great control over an audience. For several years she spent her time in England. I had the pleasure of being present at her first entertainment in London after her arrival. She has had the distinction of displaying her talent to a greater number of white people than any other colored lady of her calling.
Mrs. Florida D. Carr, of Savannah, Ga., has made a splendid reputation as an elocutionist. She is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and Elocution. I was very much impressed with her power as a reader. Mrs. Carr has a wonderful voice and perfect control of it in both humorous and pathetic selections.
In Atlanta, Ga., my attention was called to Mrs. Carrie Steel Logan, who began a home for orphan children a few years ago; I think in 1889. She started in a miserable little hut with some five fatherless and motherless children. At first it was hard to get any help from either the colored or white people. But right will, as a rule, prevail, and so it proved in this case, for now I am told that there is not a colored church in Atlanta that does not give something to support this Home. The city gave her four acres of ground a short while ago, on which has been erected a fine brick house. When I visited the Home in 1894 there were fifty-three children being cared for in this institution. Mrs. Logan visits the merchants of Atlanta from time to time, and by these visits procures provisions enough to help in the support of these children.