The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-04
Artemus Ward sees Forrest.

undersigned went to see Edwin Forrest. As
Tam into the moral show bizness myself, l
ginrally go to Barnims moral Museum,
where only moral people air admitted, par
tickty on Wednesday afternoons. But this
| time | thot I'd 60 q see Ed. Ed has bin
actin out on the state for many years.
There is various 'pinions about his actin.
Englishmen ginralIy bleevin that he is far
superior to Master Macready; but on one
pint all agree, & that is that Ed draws like
six OK team. Ed was actin at Niblos
Garding, which looks considerable more like
parster than garding, bnt let that pars. 1
sot down in the pit, took out my spectacles
and commenced peroosin the evenins bill.
The aw]nce was ALTERED large & the boxes
was full of the eltty OF New York. Sevral
opery glasses was leveld at me by Gothum's
fairest darters, but didn't let on as tho /
noticed it, tho mebby l did take out
my new sixteen dollar silver watch C brand
ish it round more than was necessary. But
the best of US has our weaknesses, & if a
man has jewelry let him show it. AS was
peroosin the bill grave young man who sot
near me, axed me if I'd ever seen Forrest
dance the Essence of Cd Virginny? "He's
immense in that" sed the young man. "He
also does fair champion jig" the young
man continued, "but his Big Thing is the
Essence of Old Virginny." SEE /, ''Faith
youth, do you know what I'd do with you if
you was my sum-
"No," SEE he.
"Wall," SEE 1, "Id appint your funeral
tomorrow AFTERNOON, & the korps should be
reddy! You're too smart to live on this
yearth." He didn't try any more of his
capers on me. But another pussylanermus
individooul, in red vest & patent lether
boots, told me his name was Bill Astor, &
axed me to lend him so cents till early in
the mornin. I told him I'd probly send it
round to him before he retired to his virtoos
couch, but if l didn't, be might look for it
next fall, as soon as l cut my korn. The
orchestry was now fddlin with all their
mite, & as the peple didn't uuderstan emmy
thing about it they applaudd versifrussly.
Presently Old Ed cum out. The play was
Otheller or More of Veniss. Otheller was
writ by VIM. Shaksper. The scene is lain
in Veniss. Otheller was a likely man &
was a ginral in the Veniss army. He
eloped with Desdemony, a darter Of the
Hon. Mister BrobantiO, who represented
one of the back DISTRICTS in the venishun
legislator. Old Brobantio was as mad as
thunder at this & tore round considerable,
but finally cooled down, tellin Otheller,
however, that Desdemony had come it over
her Par, & that be had better look out or
she'd come it over him likewise.
Mr.. and Mrs. Otheller git along very
comfortable like for spell. She is sweet
tempered and luvin-a nice, sensible female
never goin in for he>male conventions green
cotton umbrellers and picked beats. Othel..
Ter is a good provider and thinks all the
world of his vile. She has lazy time of
it, the hired girl doin all the cookin and
washin. Desdemony, in fact, don't have to
git the water to wash her own hands with.
But low cuss named Iago, who bleeve
wants to git Otheller out of his snug gov
eminent birth, now goes to work and upsets
the Otheller family in the most outrajus
stile. lago falls in with branches youth
Roderigo, & wins all his money at poker.
Qago alters played foul.) He thus got
money enuff to carry out his onprincipled
skeem. Mike Cassie, an Irishman, is Sc
lected as tool by IagO' Mike was clever
Teller & OFFICER in Otheller's army. He
liked his tods too well, however, Il they
foored him, as they have many other prom
ism young men. IagO injuces Mike to
drink with him, Iago slyly THROWN his
whisky over his shoulder. Mike gifts as
drunk as billed owl & allows that be can
lick a yard full of the Veneshun fancy be-
fore breakfast, without sweatin hair. He
meets Roderigo & proceeds to smash him.
A teller named Montana undertakes to slap
Cassie, when that infatooated person runs
his sword into him.
That miserable man, Iago, pretents to be
very sorry to see Mike conduck himself in
this way, & undertakes to smooth the thing
over to Otheler, who rushes in with drawn
sword and wants to know what's up Iago
cuninly tells his story, & Otheler tells Mike
that be thinks good deal of him but be
can't train no more in his regiment. Des-
demony sympathses with poor Mike & in.
tercedes for him with Otheller. Iago makes
him believe she does this because she thinks
more of Mike than she does of hisseli.
Otheller swallers lagos yin tail & goes to
maxim nonsense of hisself ginrally. He
worries poor Desdemony terrible by his vile
insinuations & finally smothers her to deth
with piller. Mrs. Iago comes in just as
Otheller has finished the fowl deed & gives
him fits right & left, shown him that be has
bin orfully gulled by her miserable cuss of
husband. Iago comes in, & his wife COM
mences rakin him down also, when he stabs
her. Otheller jaws him spell & then cuts
small hole in bis stummack with his sword.
Iago pints to Desdemony's deth bed & goes
orr with sardonic smile onto his counte-
nance. i, Otheller tells the people that be has
dun the state sum service, and they know
! it ). axes them to do so fair a thing for him
! as they can under the circumstances, & kills
; Eisself with fish-knife, which is the most
sensible thing that he can do. This is
breef skedule Of the synopsis of the play.
Edwin Forrest is great acter., thot
I saw .Otheller. before me all the time be
was actin, & when the curtin fell found
my spectacles was still mistened with salt
water which had run from my eyes while
poor Desdemony was dyin. Betsy Jane
Betsey Janet let us pray that our domestic
bliss may never be busted up by an Iago.