The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-07-04
Shakespeare and His Family,
MRS. Lille in July Wide Awake.I

One anecdote among many will show
you how entirely he threw himself into
the character he was performing, and
how well he appreciated what was
becoming in an actor. 1t is said that
Queen Elizabeth was fond of witnessing
plays from behind the scenes; and on
one occasion, while Shakespeare was act
ing, she walked across the stage; the au-
dience loudly applauded her, and the
queen, turning to the poet, bowed very
politely. Shakespeare, however, went
on with his acting, taking no notice of
her majesty, who retiring behind the
scenes did her best to attract his at
tention. When he was about to leave
the stage she again appeared, and this
time dropped her glove. Shakespeare,
who was playing the king in Henry
Nv, stopped to pick it up, at the same
time adding these lines to the speech
he was making:
"and though now bent on his high embassy,
Yet stoop we to take up our Cousins glove"
Leaving the stage he handed the
glove to her majesty, who exclaimed
with delight at the dignity of his be-
havior.
In 1909 Shakespeare left London for
the home he had bought at Stratford-on
Avon. He was then in his forty-fifth
year; his genius still at it's best: but
we fancy that the death of friends had
sufdued him. He retained strong af-
fection for his native town and his home
there is described as large comfortable
dwelling of brick and plaster, the gar
den of which he specially enjoyed.
His two daughters, Susanna and Judith,
lived with him; the former, we are told,
was his favorite, a girl Of quick percep-
tions and natural sweetness of disposi-
ton; but it is singular fact that, while
the ladies of the metropolis whom
Shakespeare certainly had visited were
skilled in every accomplishment of
the day. his own daughters were left
with comparatively slight education.
Susanna had acquired some book
learning, and, we doubt not, was her
fathers companion in his studies of
this time; but Judith, as a docu-
ment of Stratford testifes, could not,
at the age of thirty-two, write her own
name! Of Shakspeare's wife we know
but little. She and the poet seem to
have had certain misunderstanding
which kept them apart, and it is sup,
posed that Shakespeare made settlement
upon her during his lifetime, since in
his will he made only trifing men.
tion of her-leaving to her his second
best bedstead.
One of the Stratford associates was
Doctor Hall, learned physician and
man of excellent family, to whom in
June, 1907, Susanna Shakespeare was
married. The poet seems to have beer
well pleased with this arrangement
much more so than with the marriage
in 1906, of his youngest daughter
Judith, to one Thomas Quincy, vint
ner, Of Stratford. Soon after this
though in perfect health, Shakespeare
made his will, leaving the bulk of hi
: property to Susanna and her heirs
OF his latest days we have no record
his death must have been sudden, fol
we know that on the 25th of March
, when he made his will, he was, as b,
: says himself in the first paragraph O
the document, 9" in perfect health ant
memory" and the 23d of pril, 1916
the ffty-second anniversary of his birth
he died.
DIR. Hall, his son-in-law, was mucl
given towrlting accounts of diseases ant
their symptoms and treatment as stud
led by himself, and it is remarkable tha
/: he left no record of the mortal illness o
SO great man as Shakespeare, which h
: might undoubtedly have described. W
! only know that Shakespeare died, as
have said, and two days later, on the 25t
e of April, 1916, he was buried.
d About 1898, the bust was whitewashe
over; but years afterward the whitewas
!. was removed, and the original color
+ were found to remain intact, as the
!, do to this day. The bust is supposed t
), be faithful likeness of the poet, an
the fact that one side of the face
J. somewhat larger than the other ind
Gates that it was probably copied fro1
plaster cast actually nodded upo
u Shakspeare's face.