Middletown transcript., 1878-05-18
Edwin Booth and j. S. Clarke. :,
THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE IN PUBLIC,
BEL AIR, AUGUST I'd, 1850.
By a daughter of Junius Brutus Booth
(fbo aTJorN

(the elder)
In the summer of 1850, while Ed
win and Mr. j. S. Clarke were rura-
lizing at the Farm, they were solicited
by number of the residents and col
legians of Bel Air to favor them with
a dramatic reading-which style Of
entertainment was greatly in vogue in
private circles. They willingly COM
piled with the request, having pre-
viously recited together the quarrel Of
"BTutus'' and "Cassius," and other
pieces at school, before the not very
critical audience of parents and
friends, among whom, conspicuously
and with pleased countenance, sat the
elder Booth. As the solicitation was
general and admitted no delay, they
mounted their horses and rode twenty
five miles on a sultry summer day to
obtain printed programmes in Balti-
more. They were greatly surprised
to find that my father, instead of offer
ing any objection to their reading, en-
tered into all their plans with boyish
elation, and became as enthusiastic
about it as themselves. He insisted
upon retaining q number of the pro-
grammes to enclose to friends in dis
tant cities, and strongly urged, if the
reoding proved successful, they should
"try the large towns especially rec
ommending Havre de Grace. Buoy
ant with expectation, the two friends
rode back the next day, and imme-
diately commenced arranging a large
room in the country court house,
which had been offered for their con
venience. The doors and windows
were instantly besieged by an eager
throng Of rustics, who were anxious to
witness the preparations for the great
show, evidently expecting that cir
Gus Or some wonderful magician was
to exhibit, as nothing more elevated
than such performances had ever been
in Bel Air, 50 publicly, and on 50
grand a scale
The 'tragedians' had prepared
themselves with necessary proper
ties" obtaining from the Farm sheet
for the curtain, and a dinner bell to
ring up. While endeaving TO hang
their curtain, one of them fell from a
barrel, on which he was standing.
This seemed to create a feeling of dis
gust among the countrymen, as one
"You're a pretty circus ac-
tor; can't balance yourself on that
daunted, however, they pro-
ceeded with their work, and finally
the curtain was adjusted, footlights set,
and seats arranged. Old Joe (who had
occasionally been employed as a sort
Of crier about the court house, was
sent forth to post the bills. He walked !
miles, carrying his bucket and brush,
and ringing a bell at intervals, while |
ne cried out in his peculiar tone,
'Oyes, Dyes, Oyes-to-night great
Quite an excitement was
caused by this proceeding and the old
nan was closely followed by the cur
Gus of either sex and color. He faith
July performed his duty, placing the
bills ON every available corner; and
ar out on the country roads, the pla-
cards decorated the fences, trees and
,uthouses. As the "tragedians rode
II from the farm on that eventful
evening, to their intense chagrin they
discovered that every bill had been
posted upside down. "The house was
ull and fashionable the audience
trictly observing the primitive regu-
ations Of their meeting house-sepa-
ating at the portal, and seating them
elves in perfect silence-the gentle
nen on one side of the room, and the
aides on the other. The order OBJ
erved was not materially different
rom that Of their sacred edifces, as
ne performance was allowed to pro-
eed to the conclusion without the
Iightest interruption.
The programme consisted of selec-
ons from Shakespeare, &c.