Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-21
REMINIscENCEs OF FORREST.

n flltIe- ItAtlltit OF a " t=LtIu paper
relates some incidents Of the early life Of
Forrest, the actor, which are interesting,
especially to theatrical people. He gath
ers these from Forrest: The incidents he
relates Of his early careeron the Western
stage are highly amusing, and though his
relation Of them is quite laughable, they
are not wanting in instruction. He is
not sensitive on the subject Of having
been q poor young man, but has an hOn-
est pride i'm being the architect of his
own fortunes. His first psrfUrman-
ces were in Philadelphia, but he
appeared ia Western Ohio as an
actor when bat eighteen years of age
forty-One years ago. He played IN Day
ton i'm q little brick house which is still
standing just across the street from the
Opera House, and in Hamilton, Butler
county. lie also appeared in Cincinnati,
and I'm Newport and Lexington, ky. In
those days days his forte was low comedy.
He says, laughingly, be would give any
thing in reason, that he could almost
part with his darling library, To see him
elf now As he was then, nnder twenty
years Of age, with striped stockings,
playing comedy. lie says Oh ! IL
must have been mOnstrous.'
About this time he lad trained a dog
"a
people, and was quite a successful per
FORMER, The dog was risky fellow,
and as his master was called hy his pro-
fession to be up late al nigat, was up first
IL the morning. They occupied the same
apartment, and on one occasion the dog
took advantage OF tie leisure that his
habits as neariy risef gave hlIH, 10 gna "
aud tear one of his masters only pair Of
boots. 10 would not do 10 kill the dog,
and young Forrest had no money 10 get
another pairuf boots, and no credit either
So he had 30 pretend to hare a sore ankle
and putting q baudage on the afflicted
member managed % borrow an old slip
per with which he hObbied about until
Inc close of the week, when his wages
falling due, he was competent % pur-
chase pair Of shoes. The boots
We're a total loss.
One summers day young Forrest
started at dawn, 10 ~alh from Dayton 20
Cincinnati, and concluded, when he bad
accomplished part of his journey, that
his movements would be facilitated il he
could appropriate a skiG on the great
Miami, and float down as r2r ss H9mil-
ton The boat he wanted revealed Itself
un the opposite size Of the river. lie
threw of his clothing and swan for IL
but found, before reaching il, that il was
secured SO be turned and swan back,
aud resumed ms Waik. lie arrived IN
CINCINNATI early in The evening, having
walked all the way from Dayton aud
laksn d swim. Nn making biz Az
pearance, be heart that the farce
pl Miss IN Her Teens was 10 be
played iu New York, and thai one of
the actors cast for the play was very
drunk, and could not appear. Forrest
y as asks, IF Ae he'd eyerEllye3 tlsy char
acleri anu said that he had. and would
play o then for consideration. lie
named five dollars as the sum. ana. the
offer being aeeeptedi ne PLAYED that
night, after his walk from Dayton, and
got his five dollars Though there wer.
6ut eight gollqfs ana thirty cents In ne
bogsel, and felt ricb. Sufficient for lie
day was the work thereof
fhe incident shaWs the exceeding ae-
tiyity, energy and power Of endurance
Of tie Young man-ihe hardihood and
capacity were tie invested capital that
have made his fame and fortune.