The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-03-18

Mr.. Elihu Bnrritt contributes

: IN Wnlcn the following anecdot'
, is told of the elder Booth:
!. The elder Booth was a maj
who threw into his impersona
tons on amount of heart and sou
which his originals could scarcely
have equalled. He did Richard
I'LL, to the life, and more. He
Z had made human passions, emo
tions and experiences his life's
study. He could not only act
but feel rage, love, despair, hate,
3 ambition, fury, hope and revenge,
with a depth and force that halt
amazed his auditors. He could
transmute himself into the hero of
his impersonation, and he could
breathe a power into mems writ
ten words which perhaps was new
er surpassed. And what is rath-
er remarkable, when he was in
clined to give illustration of this
faculty to private cirles of friends
he nearly always selected some
passage from Joab, David or Isa-
iah, or other holy men of old
When an aspiring young profess
sor of Harvard University, went
to him by night, to ask little
advice or instruction in qualify
ing himself for an orator, the vet
eran tragedian opened the Bible
and read few verses from Isaiah
in a way that made the Cam
bridge scholar tremble with awe,
as if the prophet had risen from
the dead and were uttering his
sublime visions in his cars. He
was then residing in Baltimore,
and pious, urbane old gentle
man of that city, hearing of his
wonderful power of elocution, one
day invited him to dinner, al
though deprecating the stage and
all theatrical performances.
"a large company sat down to
the table, and on returning to the |
drawing room one of them re
qucsted Booth, as special favor !
to them all, to repeat the Lords
Prayer. He signifed bis willing
ness to crafty them, and all eyes
were fixed upon him. He slowly
and reverentially arose from his
chair, trembling with the burden
of two great conceptions. He
had to realize the character, at
tributes, and presence of the AL
mighty Being he was to address.
He was was to transform him
self into a poor, SHINING, stumb-
ling, benighted, needy suppliant,
offering homage, asking bread,
pardon, light and guidance
Says one of the company present:
1t was wonderful to watch the
play Of emotions that convulsed
his countenance. He became
deathly pale, and his eyes, turned
trembling upwards, were wet with
tears. As yet he had not spoken.
The silence could be felt; it was
becoming absolutely painful, until
at last the spell was broken as if
by an electric shock, as his rich
toned voice, from white lips, syl-
Tabled forth Our Father, which
art in heaven, ETC., with pathos
and fervid solemnity that thrilled I
all hearts. He finished: the ST. 1
lence continued; not a voice was
heard nor a muscle moved in his
rapt audience, until from a remote
corner of the room, a subdued
sob was heard, and the old gen.
tleman (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 afford {
ed me a pleasure for which my I
whole future will feel grateful. l {
am an old man, and every day,
from boyhood to the present time,
[ thought l had repeated the
Lords Prayer, but l never heard I
it before, never
"'You are right, re- !
piled Booth. To read that pray
er as it should be read caused me
the sevcrest study and labor for
thirty years, and l am far from
being satisfied with my rendering
of that wonderful production
one person in ten thou t
sand colnprehends how much t
beauty, tenderness and grandeur G
can be condensed in a space so |
small and in words SO simple q
That prayer itself sufficiently il t
illustrates the truth of the Bible,
and stamps upon it the seal of d.
vinity.' So great was the effect
produced, that conversation was
sustained but a short time longer
in subdued monosyllables, and al ,
most entirely ceased; and soon
after, the company broke up and