Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-01-24
Charles Mathews Powers OF Person
atfng.

Mrs. Mathews tells some extraordi-
nary anecdotes of her husbands powers
of personation off the stage, which
were so marvellous that he could, with
out change of dress, assume character
so completely as to deceive his most in
innate friends. The parsonage thus as
sumed went by the name of Mr.. Penny
man; once he was expelled from behind
the scenes of the Liverpool Theatre,
where he was acting at the time, as an
intrusive stranger. More than once he
played off the same trick in the green
room of Drury Lane amidst his brother
actors, without his indentity being sus-
pected. Indeed the eccentricities of
this suppositious gentleman became so
celebrated that one night the Duchess
of Devonshire came from her box into
the green room 10 have peep at him.
He sat down besides her entered into
conversation, complimented her upon
her beauty, while she was all the time
convulsed with laughter. No one
knew who he was or whence he came.
as the habitues of the theatre had the
entree behind the scenery at that time,
a stranger more or less was not remark
able. As no gentleman, unless he was
performing in the play, was permitted
TO enter the green room except in even
ing dress, the costume afforded no guide
TO his detection.
NO one," TO continue in the writer's
words could tell how the gentleman
got admittance, and therefore there was
no mode of excluding him. Every
night he attracted ineonvenient num-
bers to the green room; and on the
night when my husband performed, il
was matter of much regret TO the per-
formers that Mathews always came to
the theatre too early or too late to see
subject whom he of all others ought to
see.' 1t was really surprising that no
suspicion arose of the truth. How long
this imposture lasted L forget, but it
was at length revealed by the impostor
himself. One night, in the midst of a
greater excitement than was usually
created by him, he suddenly stood be-
fore the assembled crowd as Mr.. Math-
ews. A set of village clowns or a group
of children gazing at mOuntebank at
= fair, could not have expressed more
wonder, nay, something approaching o
terror, when the imperceptible change
took place, than was manifested in the
features of all around"
When GO1win was writing ClOudesley,
he wrote to Mathews the following let
ter.
MY DEAR sIR:-I am at this moment
engaged in writing a work of fiction, a
part of the incidents in which consist
in escapes in disguises. 1t has forcibly
struck me that ifI could be INDUCED in
the pleasure of half an hours conversa-
ton with you upon the subject, it
would furnish me with some hints, &c.
A day was appointed TO him for dine
at Mathews house, and the great MINI
ic gave him ocular demonstration of
the possibilities of disguise. By and
by, while Goodwin was wrapt sin the
wonder ont" there entered an eccen-
tric gentleman, a neighbor.
''We were embarrassed" to continue
in Mrs. Mathews words, ''and Mr..
Goodwin evidently vexed at the inter-
ruption. However, there was no help
for it, the servant had admitted him, |
and he was introduced i'm form to Mr.. |
Goodwin. The moment Mr.. jenkins, |
for such was his name, discovered the |
distinguished person he had dropped in |
upon, he was enthusiastically pleased |
at the event, talked to Mr.. Goodwin |
about all his works, inquired about the
forthcoming book-in fact, bored him
through and through. At last the au-
thor turned to my husband for refuge,
and discovered that he had left the
room. He, therefore, rose from his
seat and approached the window lead
ing to the lawn, Mr.. jenkins officiously
following, and insisting upon opening
it for him, and while he was urging a
provokingly obstinate lock, the Object
of his devoted attention waited behind
him for release. The casemnt at
length flew open, and Mr.. Goodwin
passing the gentleman with a devoted
look of thanks, found to his astonish-
ment that Mr.. jenkins had disappeared,
and that Mr.. Mathews stood in his