The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-23
A TALK WITH EDWIN BOOTH.
BORN 10 THr STfGE iND FiMILJtR
WIN IRIS TRADITIONS
Advantages "f Early Training The Elder
Booth the Ntc,iw ~ - DuubIe- Likes ..a
Di-iikes-Dr. Pnrson. and hi. Poem

r'rr he r1.', T.rr4.
The visit Of Edwin Booth to Utica. and tba
| unusual success which crowned his M .ts M
| the opera hou-' last ~, ming. recall lon. III
! interest ng conversation wnirh was hnlI vih
| u. great tragodian in the month vi Jnnunry.
IN answer to tho question ne ~ whnthor or NOT
| ne hN.i MS "nl ng Mr., Booth answered ratisr
n"siai NV ~. I9"n hr addict. after
was Fam liar with It's traditions. NJ. ulrnet,r.s'
| nut ~ huriships from NV eariiost hoyhord [
| was r'hnNrd rom all the pains and di4pDnoiut-
| m mis- ot thos" who arr staAo-strurt' Bui NV
| hlmihariiy " tn The busin 81. while II slved NC
| from the mistakes which noyicps make ia.
| prlNd me ~ the bunynnry nni hopr'uln -
| whi'i, fancy. are experienced 10y those who
| hlproach The prof. sson from the outside.
| strangers 10 ~ hardshps. and filled only with
| an enthusiastic idea of it, possible suc.essrs -
Alter more talk Of this sort Mr. Booth began
Ny father" he said, was charged with
| good many cNrrs,,s which ought not ~ have
| double do not mean ~ say that he was wholly
Tree from faults. or that he was not given b. oc-
cnsional indulgences and some strange cccen-
tri'itles; hut he was followed about ly man
who bore striking personal resemblance to
nun. and who was u worthless vagabond. This
fellow .crawl"d out Of Az ud many scrapns hy
assuming my fathers nann. On one o..asion
my falhcr disappointed Baltimore manager.
,r.. una. "a VIZ NE g" "pp'"l wy uu,ll-
vnre .SSemp"i' ana the mnnagcr. hoping
against hope that Booth would come. waited
am waited. when wns almost time for the
curtain 10 20 w THIS vagab1nd came into tho
groom room. The manager jumped up and
gr"eted him ~ Mr. Booth. am not BOOTH
he sad; tut ] am perfectly familiar with his
partF A hurried consultation WIS held and ii
was decided To- let the stranger essay tho role.
Iir Wont ON u" slr,1 anu played " through
ing: Booth was not at his best tonight Bat
OF those who listened not one in hundred Ind
suspicion Oh the deception prartised upon
How did your father trcat this louble?p
" lie didn't front him al all. He very seldom
Jaw him. Tho fellow kept out of his way. But
willr ne was assuming my iathcr's charact r
ne would stund on the street corners hHlf drunk
AMI rgrite long solilouui, from Shakespeare.
Then he would pnss around the hat and take IN
collection. and Tia" people. thinking that Booth
drop money into the hat. ono DAY my brp,h r
Junius iruius who WIS then stout. lusiy
young fellow, came along and found this n,.n
rcrsOnHtng Booth. and telling the street corner
crowd that p" YVES thtart9r. My brothers anger
bond down. But the people. stiil believing that
the stroller WAS really Booth. took sides with
him and threat"ned to mob Junius Tor striking
his fntner. He came To the conclusion that Il
was rather dangerous business 10 yindicatc tho
family name
Booth said:
- like TO act. buy don't like to 20 to the
theatre At night If could do NV work in tho
day time and devote my evenings 10 my books
and my friends. II would be very satisfactory"
He was asked il he learned 10 love the char-
ader- which he impersonated. and he an
-" Yes If there's anything lovable about them.
But some Of them are repulsive Look at ths'
and he pulled out from his desk the manu-
script Of "a play" Tho Fools Revenge" II
@ H 4s e n a. Hgt an o to
den in "a few weeks. and | hazard the suggcs-
ton that it Will be success. l want You to
witness II. and see II my actlns shows that tho
part Is hateful TO me-
why do YOU play it IL you dislike itl"
Well. there are several reasons. II has
made great Juror IN Paris; i contains many
strong dramatic situations and II Will probably
t,st my capacity better than more congenial
WHAT is your fayorite character ~ the writer
asked with n slight feeling Of compunHOn 1t
sunIectng Mr.. Booth to the questions ola " men-
"HaqdT; The end and aim OF nv ambition
nights in in the city Of New York. / don't SUPPOSE
II can be done. but II could do II should DO
Two years later Mr.. Booths ambition wns
gratlfie1-but not satisfied. At the old Winter
Garden he played Hamlet" more than Il hum
dled nights to large andnpprecatiye audiences.
I'M conversation tHrheu On me modern
American poets, and Mr.. Booth told how ho
nnlie tn' gnNnlance OF Dr.. Thomas W. Par
sons who wlqi" an exquisite little drge on tho
G.utn oi Booth first WIFE
was in "A drug store in Boston one day
wnrn an active, nervous man cane in and said
to ihG druES,st K a loud whisper. Is That Ed
WIN Booth 2 Yes. answered the druggist.
due meY And after being compulsory lis.
toner 10 this preliminary, | was presented 10
Dr. Parsons IL" showcr,d mo with comp.
m"nis, viii d amused me by their exaggerated
sense of my importance. Then he invited mo
e. his OIL r. and arromIanied him thlther.
rushed To- nus desk and drew ont mauus ,ript
POEM. which he thrust into my hand with the
modest request that should rral il aloud II
was writ n IN a blind hand. and could hardly
doclpher the words. begged him To- excuse
mo, ana assured him THAI ! WIS very poor
repder-thut mover trusted my -elf 10 read any.
thing unless | had studied it carefully Hs
seemed disappointed; tut his iace frightened
up pr 'seniy and hc said: Will ,ou listen %
ine read ~ | said. I,-; % course ami he
proceeded 10 ro'ite with mu u FIR and energy
hl- splendid Drse Tor On. WHO F.lll IN Batte,'
which contained that exquisite line;
He never could oo@ co.d un hun IN his cofn.
II praised the poem. n it deserved and an
acquaintance, begun ia this singular manner,
siren stncned into a warn! and enduring friend.
snip.