The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-03-04
Anecdote OF the cider Boo,b.

Mr.. E.lihu Burritt contributes to Pack
ards Monthly an interesting article under
the tltle OF breathing Living Soul into
Dead Words, IN which the following an
eedote IS told Of the elder Booth:
"Ihe elder Booth was man who threw
into his representations an amount of heart
and soul which his originals could scarce
y have equaled. He did Richard III. to
the life, and more. He had made human
passions, emotion and experiences his life's
study lie could not only act but feel
rage, love despair, hate, ambition, fury.
nope and revenge, with depth and force
that half amazed his auditors He couId
transmute himself into the hero of his i'm
personatiOn, and he could breathe power
lnto other mems written words, which,
perhaps, was never surpassed. And what
Is rather remarkable, when he was inclined
to give illustrations of the faculty to private
circles of friends, he nearly always selected
some passages from Job, David or Isaiah,
or other holy men of old. When an aspir-
ing young Professor of Harvard University
went to him by night, to ask little advice
or instruction in qualifying himself for an
orator, the Vetern tragedian opened the
Bible and read a few verses from Isaiah in
way that made the Cambridge scholar
tremble with awe, as if the prophet had
risen from the dead and were uttering his
sublime visions in his ears. He was then
residing IN Baltimore, and pious urbane
old gentleman Of that city, hearing of his
wonderful power of elocution, one day in
vlted him to dinner, although strongly de-
| prccating the stage, and all the theatrical
| performances.
"a large company sat down to the ta-
| bic, and on returning to the drawing room
one OF them requested Booth, as a special
favor to them all, to repeat the Lords
| Prayer. He signifed his willingness to
! crafty them, and all eyes were fixed upon
him. He slowly and reverently rose from
his chair, trembling with the burden of
two great conceptions. He had to realize
the character, attributes and presence of
! the Almighty Being he was to address,
! He was to transform himself into poor
shining, stumbling, benighted, needy sup
! plant Offering homage, asking bread, par
/ don, light and guidance. Says one of the
! company present: Itwas wonderful to watch
the play Of emotions that convulsed his
| countenance. He became deathlY pale,
and has eyes, turned tremblingly upwards,
We're wet with tears. As vet he had not
! spoken. The silence could be felt; it had
become absolutely painful, until at last the
spell was broken as if by an electric shock,
as his rlch-toned voice, from white lips,
| syllabled forth Our Father, which art in
| Heaven" &c with pathos and fervid SOL
emnity that thrilled all hearts He finish
ed; the silenced continued not voice
was heard nor muscle moved in his rapt
audience, until, from remote corner of
the room, a subdued sob was heard. and
the old gentleman (the host) stepped for
ward with streaming eyes and tottering
frame, and seized Booth by the hand.
Sir said he, in broken accents, you have
afforded me pleasure for which my whole
future life viii feel grateful. I am an old
man, and every day, from boyhood to the
| present time, L thought had repeated the
Lords Prayer; but L never heard it before,
never
':You are right replied Booth. TO
read that prayer as it should be read caused
me the seyerest study and labor for thirty
years, and I am far from being satisfied
with the rendering Of that wonderful pro-
! duction. Hardly one person in ten thou
sand comprehends how much beauty, ten
! derness and grandeur can be condensed In
space so small and In words so simple
That prayer itself sufficiently illustrates
the truth Of the Bible; and stamps upon
it the seal of divinity 80 great was the
effect Produced says our informant, that
conversation was sustained but a short
time longer, in subdued monosyllables, and
almost entirely ceased, and soon after, at
an early hour, the company broke up and
retired to their several homes, with sad
faces and full hearts. ,"