Litchfield enquirer., 1830-11-25
Stephen Kembls and the sOn of Neptsis.e.

HIS me COuntcnancep ana ms commanding figure, fitted him admirably for the part; for Sir John was proper man, while the natural protuberance in front, made him. the very beau sde0l of the inveterate sack drinker. The following anecdote was told by person wno had frequently heard it from Kemble himself. kemble was per- forming with a company somewhere on the sea coast of England, when ship, which had been long at sea, came into port, and sent her crew on shore, with plenty of mos ney, and full of fun and frolic, to enjoy themselves after long cruise, according to their various tastes and pursuits. sOne of this kidney found his way to the box-of- fee ofthe Theatre, which at that time was open only three times week, and inqui- ring for the manager told him with all the characteristic bluntness ofa sailor, that he wanted to see play. Very well, re- piled the manager, 'come to-morrow eve- ming. my good fellow, and yon shall have two plays.' This, however, did not at all accord with Jacks fancy. He was not at all disposed to wait till tomorrow evening, he wanted his play performed that night.
 After good deal of wrangling, and sec ing that the sailor was bent on having his own way, the manager touched upon the expenses, telling him that it would require a considerable sum of money. Money contempt; tD--n, how much would it take 2 About thirty pounds,' answered Stephen. Jack said not word, but draw ing his purse from his bosom, counted down thirty guineas in the calmest manner pos sible. The bargain was now, of course, ful- ly concluded, but question remained to be asked. What play would you like to have performed, sir?' said the obsequious manager as he pocketcd the gold pieces with evident satisfaction. Play y said Jack, chuckling at the idea of being sir'd.-~ : Let me see. Ay, ay, give us Falstaff-- you have fellow that does that thing devilish well. Ay, ay, sir said the tar, with increasing good humor, as he ran over his theatrical "reminiscences, let me have the round orecastle, built like Dutch lug ger, and lurching like Spanish galleon iti a heavy sea. D--n. give me Sir John Falstaff! What prime commander the old fellow would have made had his wor- ship lived in these times. Shiver my tim- bers but could have sailed the 'varsel world with him, and stood by him in wreck or fight, d-, to the last plank.
 Having pronounced this culogium on the character of stout Sir John, the affair was closed, and all the arrangements made to Jacks complete satisfaction. One clause in particular, was most pointedly urged, that not single soul was to be in the house but himself Remcmber,' said Jack, not lubber of them must be seen, either in the hold, the shrouds, or the top. or, by the Diomede I'll have him keel- hauled by the fiddlers ? So saying, the tar departed, nightly pleased with his bar gain, himself, and the whcle world. Night came, few of the orchestra took their accustomed places the house was well lighted, and every thing in readiness, when just at the hour, Jack burst into the lower gallery, and running across the seats, much in the way he would have run along the jolly boat, he placed himself, with hat on one side, and arms akimbo, in the centre
 of the front bench. By way of overture,
 he called for Jacks Delight, and the Sai-
 lor's Nornpipe; and those being played
 to his liking, he bawled out. Now up my
 lads, clew up your mainsail, and pipe all
 hands, aboard!' The curtain immediate
 ly drew up, and the play of Henry Fourth,
 part first,' commenced. Jack sat out the
 first scene with good deal of patience, but
 when his favorite appeared in the second scene, with the prince,
 | a. "Three cheers our gallant seaman gave,'
 in tone which would have drowned a dozen Brahanls. Sir John bowed low to this token of marked appreciation, and the play proceeded, while Jack sat with his whole soul in his eyes, enjoying the rare humof of the unimitated and inimitable Fal- staff. He continued in evident delight as long as Sir John remained on the stage,
 but whenever he made his exit, the play
 was performed in dumb show and' amid a
 torrent of reproaches from the audience
 who kept bawling al the top of his voice to his grace of Northumberland and other dis-
 tinguished characters, Avast there sheer
 of, ye lubbers Belay your jawing tackle,
 you there with the carving knife !-Sheer off, sheer of! bring Falstaff in and be d--d to youg Thus did Jack altern-
 ately applaud and condemn during the
 whole performance. When it was finish
 ed and the green mainsail had been once
 dropped on dech,,' he rose and was pre-
 pairing to depart, when one of the players ! met him at the door of the gallery, ana m l formed him that all was not over. Tor that the afierpiece was yet to be performed.
 sTs Falstaff to be in it r No sir.---