The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-04-22

and reflective passages of part to ferc,
1 and violent outbreaks of passion. his sud
sden and iulpetnous manner had in itsome
sthing of that electrical force and power
which made the elder Booth SO celebrated
sand called upafresh 10 the memory Of mer
eof the last generation the presence, voice
land manner of his father. Convivial in
his habits, sprightly and genial in CONVEX
Isation, John Wilkes made many acQuain.
|tances and friends among the young men
LOT his age in the city-an acquaintance
that was renewed during two subsequent
Our recollection of Booth is somewhat
|indistinct, but, we remember, his features
IN repose had rather sombre and melan.
Icholy cast; yet, under agreeable influences
Tor emotions the expression was animated
and glowing. His hair, jet black and CLOS
10y, curled slightly, and set off in fine relief
IA high, Intellectual forehead, and a face
full OF intelligence. Both chin and nose
we're markedly prominent, and the firm
Iset lips aud lines about the mouth, inaica-
ted firmness of will, decision and resolu-
|tion. He was scrupulously neat In his
dress, and selected his habit with rare
perception of what was becoming to his
figure and complexion. He would pass
anywhere, for neatly, and not overly
dressed man Of fashion.
OF his political views very little was
known. He kept still tongue ON the sub
|ject, 30 far as we have heard. Being of
lSouthern birth and education, it was pre-.
|sumed his sympathies tended in that d.
|rection; but he exhibited no particular
warmth or zeal for the rebellion, and moth.
ling to indicate the remotest desire to fur.
|ther the cause by so much as giving 1t Pc
(cuniary aid, much less personal assistance.
~ 10 reported, by gentleman who heard
the conversation, that during his engage
(ment in Louisville in 1862, Booth fell into
|a controversy with the treasurer of ~
|theater-a rabid secessionist-While stau
ing one morning in the box.ofice. He r.
marked, in effect that he WAS Southern
IMAM, and liked the people Of the South.
who had been kind to him, but he could
mot, for Ill that, admit that they had any
right OF occasion to secede; that they had
|tt all their own way in Congress, and that
III they insisted ON fighting, they should
have taken the American flag and fought
under that. There is another story to the
effect that Booth, while playing an engage.
|ment in Cleveland, year or more ago, as
serted in public bar-room that tho man
who would kill Abraham Lincoln would
gain more enviab!e notoriety than Wash
ington himself. 1t is, of course, impossible
to say whether these reported sayings are
apocryphal or not.
The last appearance of Booth on the stage|
except at one or two benefits in Washing
ton, was at the Winter Garden, New York.
and in conjunction with his brothers, Ed
win and Junius Brutus, in the play of
Julius Cesar" for the benefit Of the Shaks-l
peare Monument fund. He was, we bel
lieve, to have played with them again att
the same thea.er on the 22d of this month,
for the benefit of the same fund. The play
selected was ''RomeO aud Juliet" the cast
of the Booths being-John Wilkes as Ro.
meo, Edwin as Mercutio, and Junius asI
Friar Lawrence. AS we have said. he hasI
played no engagement the present season.
He left the stage to engage in oil specula-
tons, in which he was quite fortunate, hav-
ing netted within six months between $50,
600 and $4,000. Nor had he any intention|
Of resu,ning the stage, and declined all
applications; petroleum, as bel
wrote, being more profitable than the pro.