San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-09-07
PARSON AND PLAYER.

Prof. swing Enjoying His summer vnca.
ton at Lawrence B.rrett's Delightful
Home. ,,,,,
One more letter Of summer gossip.
Having studied and enjoyed Newport, l
accented an invitation from Lawrence
Barrett, and came hither, to find in a
cottage the friendship and peace and
fun which hotels can not give. And it
was rather delightful change to pass
from great material things over to the
mental and spiritual and social good
under the Barrett roof. My heart had
formed quite an attachment to this good
actor and good man in the last days
of Gen. Custer, when this pair of in
separable friends called, at times, ut my
Chicago home. The tragic fate OF Gus
ter lends to Barrett charm of memory.
Lawrence Barrett learned, years ago,
that the sea could help him over his va
cations and reconstruct his mind and
body, and bought piece OF its edge
and built beautiful cottage on its
rocks. In infinite kindness the sea runs
inland every few miles, to make places
for homes and boats and fish-nets and
lighthouses. The vast Atlantic fringes
itself, and each tassel of this fringe be-
comes summer resort. Mr.. Barrett
owns an acre or two of the sea-Washed
ground, and from solid high wall, all
his own, he steps down into his boat or
into the water or takes in the life-mak-
ing air. His house overlooks the watery
scene from rocks which stand perhaps
40 feet above the highest tide. The
house has spacious porches, and is in
deed all that taste and common sense
can ask. 1t is large and inviting.
The inmates so far surpass the
house, or any house, that only an archi-
tect or a carpenter could study the
porches and gables and forget the NOR
tails within. | shall leave COhasset with
out knowing how my room was frescoed
and carpeted, and of what kind of wood
my door was made; for the family mo-
nopolizes my thought and regard. MIR.
Barrett is star with four satellites
Mrs. Barrett and three daughters, and
in all the universe no group moves in
more perfect harmony. The eldest
daughter is near 20, the second about
16, the youngest about 9. Mrs. Barrett
seems as young as her children. The
affection that binds these five is so strong
as to be beautiful to behold. The oldest
daughter has already acquired quite q
perfect acquaintance with the German
and French languages, and with the lit
erature of her own English. She has
translated and written out the "Don
Carlos" of Schiller, and is busy at all
hours with books, or music, or rambles.
The popular Barrett does not make
his home stage. There are clergymen
who seem always preaching, and so
there are actors who always seem tread
ing the boards, but Mr.. Barrett packs
his art away in vacation with his ward
robe. 1t was with difficulty we could
induce him to read aloud u few simple
verses night or two since, and then he
read with the modesty of a parlor in
stead of with the enthusiasm of the
stage.
l find that the mind of such an actor
in its book relations inclines to history
and biography. The library in this cot
tage is rich with the records of the past.
As the lawyer is partial to works in juris-
prudence and philosophy, and as the
naturalist delights in Button and Audi
bon, so, nationally, the true actor loves
most that history in which parade the
men and women whom he must recall
to life. Mr. Barrett's shelves are laden
with the best accounts of the worlds
yesterday from the men of Shakespeare
to the men of Sophocles. All these
volumes have been read, for the speech
of the owner shows that he is not one of
those mental beings who buy wooden
books by the square foot. This fact |
learned in the cool air of Cohasset; that
the actors profession compasses the
preachers calling in developing the
memory. The many professions called
learned can depend much upon notes
and books of reference, but the actor
must make his memory carry u heavy
load. Such brains rs Barrett's and
Booths are compelled to know by heart
vast quantities of prose and verse.
| must not philosopher my reader to
sleep. We have had plenty of happi-
ness and rest and fun here. Night be-
fore last Mr.. Barrett was deceived 10y
his own art. After dark, while we were
at late supper, n rap on the outside de-
an answer, and Lawrence him.
self went to meet the caller-for it
might be some lawful tramp. There
stood most forlorn and almost fearful
girl, who must see Mrs. Barrett. Mr..
Barrett attempted mild request that
his wife be excused, but the stranger
continued to advance and To demand an
with the chief lady of the com
pany. | thought of Charlotte Corday,
and began to look for the CLEAN of a
dagger. With quick boldness, Barrett
was about to grapple with the mad girl,
when one of the daughters cried out
.Oh, it's Lila" What laughter fol-
owed, 1t is sufficient to say that the
Z IL. 4.