Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-11
HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

A "Reminiscences Of the Elder Booth.
The Bangor (Maine) Commercial, in a
sketch of the life of the late Captain John
Odom, tells the following story of the elder
Booth, as it was related by Captain Odom:
Booth had been secured to play an engage
ment at the Richmond Theatre. On a GER
tain evening the manager had announced
that the great actor would appear in his
familiar character of Richard III. The
evening came and the house was crowded
to repletion with an audience whose ex-
pectations had been raised to the
highest pitch. But no Booth appeared.
The disappointment was great and
bitter. The manager apologized, gently
abiding to the falling to which the great
actor was subject. he assured the excited
audience, however, that Booth would appear
without fail. The next night came, and still
no Booth. He was still drunk. Day after day
announcements were made, and night after
night Booth failed to appear. At last riot
was imminent, and the theatre was threat
ened with destruction. In his despair the
manager sought out Booth, in low grog-
gerry, took him by force, and locked him up
in room under guard. Booth raved, but
the manager was relentless. He kept him
in confinement until he became perfectly
sober, and then he announced the great
play of "Richard" for a certain eve
ming. The excitement was beyond
all precedent. All Richmond was in and
around the theater at an early hour. The
building was most denSely packed. Thou
sands could not gain admission. Capt.
Odom had secured a seat near the stage.
The bell rang and the curtain rose. The
great actor came forward, looking pale and
haggard after his long deGauch. He was
met with a terrible storm of Kisses and
boots from the long disappointed audience.
Meekly and submissively as a subdued and
repentant child he stood, until the storm
passed over. When silence was restored,
he made most humble bow, as much as to
say, 'Your censure is most Just; but have
compassion en- my infrmity." He then re-
cited in tones of deeper richness and power
than ever before used, Gloster's soliloquy,
beginning
Now is the winter OfOur discomfort.
When the soliloquy was ended Booth
was master of the field. All anger, all re-
sentiment had departed from the audience.
Never before had Booth played, never after
did he play, Richard III. with such power
and effect as he played it that night. Said
Capt. Odom, eff ever man was inspired,
Booth was inspired that night" At one
moment the theater was scene of most
profound and painful silence; at another, of
most stormy and tumultuous applause.
That mighty audience were as tow in his
hand. The actor swayed and welded
them at will. Then came the last scene,
which brings Richard and Richmond face
to face upon the bloody field. Richard ex-
claims:
Slave! have set my life upon cast,
And 1 will stand the hazard of die,
think there be six RichmOnds in the field;
Five have slain to-day instead of him
A horse! hOrse My Kingdom for horse.
They fight, and Richard falls in his gore,
and with him falls the curtain. A long,
deep, and oppressive silence followed. Then
applause broke forth, and rolled through
the theater like the pillows of the sea in
wild storm. The calls for the great actor
to come before the curtain were tremen-
dous, but no Booth came. They were re-
peated with redoubled force, but
they were unheeded. The Kisses and
boots of the first part of the evening
were repeated, and that great au-
dience were like Tepentant children in
the presence of an aggrieved and affected
father. Then came another call, in tones
almost beseeching. Slowly the curtain
rolled up almost two feet. There lay
Booth in his grave, just as he had fallen at
the hands of Richmond in the last scene.
Slowly he raised himself on his elbow, and,
stretching bis neck and face towards the au-
dience, with the most fendish leer that ever
disfgured human cOuntenance, he Kissed
out between his teeth "--you-
hOlg do you like tP"