The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-01-07
NUMBER /.
Edwin Booths Less.

and mas fe4ched rum az IOttE. O6iNon
have any of the SONS Of genius Travelled
with equal rapidity the road to misfor
tune. Churchill was, as Byron said
"the comet Of a season." but this was 1
| figure of speech. Wfa Churchill was
| in the literature If past century,
Booth has been Ia the drama of the
| present age. Churchill eliminated and
i died at thirty.three. Booth was Just
that age when he reached the highest
position, and had he died at that time,
his genius would not have been OBJ
scured by the misery which has recently
fallen on him. At the age OF thirty
three Booth had no equal IN the dra-
matte world. As n performer he en-
chanted the public. and criticism only
became eloquent in its praise. For one
hundred successive nights he appeared
In this city as Hamlet, his fee being
g, Geo week, and when the role was
concluded and the full century wss
completed, q gold medal was presented
amid the applause of a crowded house.
Booth was then considered worth a half
million now he is a bankrupt. His
beautiful seat at Long Branch has gone
IN the general wreck he has impover-
ished his friends his theater Is out Of
his hands; and all that is left Is the
portion received with his wife and the
earnings of last years itineracy.
The scene of his ruin is corner OF
Sixth avenue and Twenty. third street.
1t is theatre of enormous size, and is
built without regard to cost, and, being
Of Concord granite, forms an imposing
feature IN our architecture. It was built
with a purpose of exhibiting the best Of
Shakespeare dramas, and this was done
ell .v,l g
the great tragsdian. Notwithstanding
the artistic show and the talent dis
played, the scheme was a failure, and
the theatre has of late been devoted to
meio-drama and farce. Grip Van Win
kle" survives "Hamlet." This fate has
followed almost all attempts to restore
the drama 10 classic dignity, and Booth
might have learned from the I,ast, we're
1t not impossible for an enthusiast 10
learn by ought save his own experiences.
Even Garrick referred to it in one of his
own prologues, and the lesson thus
taught a century ago has been recently
repeated with impressive force
Sacred to oShakesneare was the spot designed
To pierce the heart and hsrmoni7e the mind
But If an empty hOuse-the sectors curse
Show us our Lears and Hamiets losing force
Unwilling we must change the noble tcene,
And in our turn present you Harlequin.
II want comes on Importance must retreat,
Our first great ruling passion is-to eat"
When the theatre was finished, Booth
found himself in debt a half million.
For three seasons he endeavored 10
keep up the Shakespearian dramas, and
he produced some OF them with gran
deur of style which has never been
equaled in England or America. 1t cost
fifty thousand dollars TO get mp King
John, and as much more for Hamlet.
No wonder the theatre failed.
After the failure, the property went
under the care of the tragedian's broth
er, Junius Brutus Booth, who is much
more of a business man. He is by pro
fession an actor, but is SO Indifferent il
hisirionic genius that he is content to
serve as q manager, in which depart
ment he has had great success. He nov
owns one-half of the Boston theatre,
which is n valuable property. Under
his advice the theatre constructed by
his brother was leased to Jarrett &
Palmer, who have plenty of capital,
and are able to pay a rent of 81, 600 per
week. Booth went starring through
the country, and had brilliant success,
but it was evident that he did not hike
this system. 1t was hardly the thing
for one who had held so brilliant po-
sitioD, and then he could not adapt
himself to the inconveniencies of small
theaters. When last season closed he
returned 10 his residence, and there he
has remained, declining all efforts TO
bring him again before the public.
In Connecticut, and not far from this
city, is a small stream called COscOb
rivCr, which is crossed by a reilwsy
EvfI TTnva "a Enn milf
by the late Charles II. Barras, author
of the Black Crook. BarTas died IN
very shocking manner. Il is well known
that since the Norwaik calamity Con-
necticut requires railway trains to halt
before crossing a bridge. BaTras was
in the habit OF usipg this halt as an OPP
portunity for alighting from the train,
which, If one is careful, can easily be
done with safety. One evening, how
ever, he was engaged in conversation
when the train reached the bridge, end
lost his best opportunity, but being IN
tent on getting of, he stepped while
the train was in motion. little thinking
that the bridge had no floor. The re-
suit was that he fell between the tracks
distance of twenty feet, reaching a
rocky bottom. Thus died the author
of the "Black Crook" leaving an es-
tate worth SlUU,OUO. be hau no WlIe
or children, and it went to a pair of
brothers, neither OF whom he had seen
in many years and for whom he cared
but little. The Barras mansion was
purchased by Booth. As his wife (for-
merry Miss McVicker, of Chicago has
a wealthy father, there could be no
difficulty in obtaining home, and there
the tragedian remains. It was supposed
that he would take starring tour this
winter or appear on the boards of the
metropolis, but the public has been
disappointed. He could fill the largest
of our houses with an admiring audi
ence, and his neglect TO improve such
an opportunity is a matter Of surprise
10 those who do not understand the
reason. / cannot with propriety speak
on this point, except TO repeat n hiut
that Booths troubles have impaired his
mind, and there is danger Of his shaT-
ing the fate Of Hamlet. Every one will
hope that this be not the ease, but
nothing short Of his reappearance on
the stage will tibate the suFpicion that
his retirement is due 20 suoh a cause.
The publie nov calls for BoCth.-N J.
Letter.