The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-02-26
AN INTIMATE FRIEND.
BY SOL. SMITH.

There 10 class of individuals who claim
hnO,o ecery body. Actors particularly, and par
tlcularly great actors, are their most familis
ENTHUSIASTICALLY Forrest and Booth ar
their most valued professional friends-they hav
known them so long and so intimately-inter
changed so many cvIities with them-been in
'heir society under so many peculiar circum
stdices-lhdeed, they have known them from
chlldhoood-they consider them as brothers!
In 1874 one ofthis class happened to be mas
senger on board the, White on her trip from
New Orleans to st. Louis, during the month O.
March. He was a jolly fellow, full of anecdote
and always ready with his joke, conundrum. re-
paFtee or pun. SnatcheS of the fashionable negro
songs-called, for fashions sake, EMioDian
..uctod'es-quaint sayings, and quotations from,
ohakspeare, were at his tongues end-be was
the lille OF the social hall. Not knowing his real
name we will call him Spriggins.
The great tragedan, Macready, had been per.
forming an engagement at the ST Charles thea
tire, and he was, of course, The subject of conver.
saton In the cabin of all steamboats, leaving New
orleans. SprIgglns had, according to his own
account, attended the theatre every nipbt Mac
ready had acted
=" His Macbeth, was great" said Spripoins
Joining In conversation by the stove in The
94cai Hall, smoking cigars after breakfast. his
Hamtet superb, and his Werner magnificent I
nave frequently SAID TO him, at supper, after he
mad been personating the latter character''
You knew him, then % interrupted mas
senger, who was at the moment ightino a cigar
by Sprggns 's''
hnop him ?-know BILL Macready Well
! should rather think / do! Intmately-inti.
mateIy-spent most Of my leisure time with him
while ne was in Orleans. 1t was by mn advice
ne came out to the South
4" lndeedl"
Yes, indeed-it was lucky THING for the
managers, that happened TO be in New York IN
ms arrival from EOgland--he never would have
visited the South had it not been for me ;,
" What sort of a man is he in private life p,
enqnlred a gentleman.
Oh!'' replied Spriggins, he is deviIisb
naughty and austere to strangers but in his in.
terconTse with friends, he is a very cOmpaniona.
Die sort OF fellow, assure you"
- Are you acquainted with Mr.. Forest7r
asked passenger
Acquainted with him ?-NEp Forrest q
Have known him since he was boy. we ware
school mates in Phadelphia-saw him make his
brst appearance as Young Noryal at the Cbesnn,
sTeet-it was by my advice he adopted the STARE
as profession. Great man, Ned is, but after
seeing Macready one doesn't relish Ned's ,c,;a,.
as formerly he is all very well as .lIeton,a,.ss
and jack Cade, bot when he attempted ST.,
peran ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS concluded hi.
criticism by shaking his head and slightly sbnd
dderIng, as man will when he has lust iaken
dose Of salts. "'"
" Did yon see him act during his late eno,co
ment at the 81. Charles ?" asked one.
No, didn't,' replied Spriggins-.. tborot
like Ned, |. couldn't persuade myself f. -,
dergo his steotorian infections. He called 10 Wv
me once or twice, and dned with him ,byeo
times, believe, and that's the extent Of ON, ~
tercourse this season." ''' "'-
oPriggios went on chaItering about actors and