The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1878-11-14
Lincoln at the Theater.

A late number of Scribner's Magazine
gives some interesting "reminiscences Of
/ Lincoln, from which we extract the
| following:
Lincoln liked to 90 to the theater.
1t gave him an hour or two Of freedom
/ from care and worry, and what is better,
| freedom from the interruption Of office
| seekers and politicians. He was on such
terms with the managers of two of the
theaters that he could 90 in privately by
the stage door, and slip into the stage
| boxes without being seen by the audience.
| Concealed by the friendly screen Of the
| drapery he saw many plays without pub
lie observation. Once, 1 remember, we
were alone together at FOrd's theater, in
a box directly under the one in which he
was afterWard assassinated. He was in a
remarkable flow Of spirits, and made
many cOmiCal remarks on the progress
of the play. Edwin Booth was playing
in ''The Merchant Of Venice" and, as we
sat, two or three of the supernumeraries,
who wore scarlet hose were constantly
in the line Of sight. Finally the Presl-
dent said, II wonder if those red-legged,
pigeOn-toed chaps don't think they are
playing this play? They are dreadful
numerous" Just before the act-drOp
went up each time, he consulted bis pro
gramme and said, "This Is Act two
eyes or "Act eye Y" as the case might
be. And as we went home, he said, 1T
was a good performance, but had
thousand times rather read it at home,
if it were not for Booths playing. A
farce, or q comedy is best played;
tragedy is best read at home"
On another occasion at the same thea
ter Lincoln saw Forrest play Lear"
But he was more impressed by John
McCullough's playing Of Edgar" than
by the great tragedian's acting. With a
certain simplicity Of manner, he asked,
''Do YOU suppose he would come to the
box if we sent wordP P' I replied that
the actor would undoubtedly be gratifed
to hear a personal COmmendatiOn nom
him. Mr.. Mccullough, accordingly, was
brought to the door Of the box, al
dressed in stage rags and straw as he
was, and the President thanked him
very cordially and with discriminating
praise, for the pleasure which he had
received from the performance.
J. H. HaCkett, in his part Of Falstatt,
was another actor who gave Lincoln
great delight. With his usual desire to
signify to others his sense of obligation,
he wrote a genial little note, expressing
his pleasure at witnessing his perfOr-
nance. Mr.. Hackett, in reply, sent a
book of some sort; perhaps it was one
Of his own authorship. He also wrote
several notes to the President One
night, quite late when the episode had
passed out of my mind, went to the
White House in answer to a message.
Passing into the Presidents Office, 1
noticed, to my surprise, Hackett sitting
in the ante-rOOm as if waiting for an
audience. The President asked me if
any one was outside. On being told he
said, half sadly, "Oh, can't see him; 1
can't see him. I was in hopes he had
gone away" Then he added, "NOW,
this Just illustrates the difficulty of hav-
ing pleasant friends and acquaintances
in this place. You know how I liked
Hackett as an actor, and how wrote to
tell him so. He sent me that book, and
there I thought the matter would end.
He is a master of his place in the pro
fessiOn 1 suppose, and well fixed in it.
But Just because we had a little friendly
correspondence, such as any two men
might have, he wants something. What
do you suppose he wants." could not
guess, and Lincoln added, 'Well, he
wants to be consul to London. Oh. dear"