The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-24
BEHIND THE SCENES.
A Visit to the Property Rooms of
the st. Charles Theatre.

leaned against the doorway OF the old OIL
Charles, Theatre. and, accordingly, upstairs
VA vent IN search Of the ever-siniling lace o
nah strong who now is the major dOmo "
the Old Drury. There was sort OF misty
twilight resting over the large auaitoiihn
thro,gb which the stage as far back as the
rear wall could be seen. The curtain, which
had fallen upon the last act OF last seasons
performance, had been raised, and on either
aide Of the stage. silent and moody, rcstce
the homogeneous wings 81 some forest scene
mixed in delightful confusion with portion
al a drawing room set piece. Through the
skyllghts overhead the bright light ct noon,
fiay endeavored to penetrate. but Its best
efforts resulted only In reaching the upper
\ tier. The vacant chairs, the unlighted foot
lights, the profound silence made one, per
force. stop for d moment to look around
j There was the chair from which the dazzling
beauty Of the charming Miss 4 captivaUod
the whole house on Christmas night Ia 1851
there the box where the divine Miss Some
Body Else tlirted SO openly with the dashing
Col. $50, who was afterward killed In duel
on her account The longer we looked the
more faces came out of the half shadow, and
soon memory filed the house. The foot-lights
burned brightly. the dress circle and par
uuette were iammed like the waving OF the
leaves on the aspen the iuttering of fans gave
life and motion to the picture. The orchestra
were all In their places; tho leader gave the
invariable prcmonitory squeak to his violin,
then tried the bass string, while the bass VOL
brought out mu1cd groan from that ele
phautne instrument. An lnsririting intro
duction seemed to float out and drift away.
when the tnkle OF little bell was heard, and
Enthusiastically the curtain rose. Fans ceased
their motion, eyes were rlveted on the stage,
and, after some small talk from two gallants
near the left upper entrance. In there walked
majestic figure III majestic attire, and the
whispers ran through the audience: There's
old man Booth!" "IIow grand he ISL An
auction drum over the way broke the spell.
and gone were the ghosts of the lang sune
gone the beauty, the ehivalry and the mystic
f0Ot~lights that but moment ago seemed to
be there. That leaders fiddle has poured out
its last cyesceHdo, the cUrnet has sounded It's
last flourish to an advancing Richmond, and
the fingers that handled the drum-steks are
dust and ashes out here IN some of our cemc
teries. Thrty-iive years have worked sad
havoc iii the ranks with its canister and grape,
and those who remain of those elegant audi
enees Of bygone nights might almost be put
In the private boxes.
There Is saddening feeling comes over
one In these daylight views OF those deserted
rows and blank stretch of stage. The ''has
been creeps In upon the IL, and involun-
! tarily one makes comparisons not always
complimentary to the present. 81 am hero,
old fellow" came voice at our elbow, and
our guest Major Strong, shone out from the
darkness. -= =
TO THE PROPERTY
was our first departure Entering a long, mar
row passage way, into which a window here
and there let In q winking, blinking kind of
light, we reached the stage and stood ut last
MI the prompter's table, il table ii can be
called. small fiat board, just large enough
to hold a book, WAS fastened to the wall to the
right OF the stage, aud just beside ii the gas
cocks which regulate the several groups of
lights throughout the theatre. 1t was we'll
years service In veteran scars 10 this spot |
has Booth, the father, Edwin and j. Wilkes,
the sons oft looked when treacherous memory /
cOvishly played truant with them. 10 this
spot Charlotte Cushman, Maggie MITCHELL
Door Winning Bowers, VI RS. Farren, julia Dean,
Boucicault, Barney Williams, good old Zen
DeBar, Fechter, looked for a helping hand
when astuck." After leaving the prompters
place, up three flights of stairs, the lower |
world disappears, save here aud there where
d glimpse can be caught OF the stage through
the flies. a door y reached and to O slight
push Ii opens. The room Is about ten by
twenty, with an L Of about the same dimen-
sions, and running around it are rows Of ca
pacious shelves. Like the confused half-wak-
Ing dream of Christmas morning, when the
boy looks toward his plethoric stocking with
visions OF jumping jacks and Santa Claus, SO
one looks IA upon the heterogeneous O1t5um
gGthefum before him.
MONSTERS HEADS GRIN
at you from top shelf red-eyed demons
shake their fcrked tongues at you from the
floor, whilst group OF spears, stately guard
ians OF this weird sanctuary, look down III
solemn dignity. There is everything here,
from the pint tankard from which old Fail
staff quaffs his sack, to the armor OF poor
Hamlet's father ghost Whena window was
opened the garish daylight Hooded the room.
and the kings dladein faded into gilt and
paper and tinfoil, and old Neptunes trident
intoa tawdry three-pronged painted stick. A
huge club, made of wire and brown calico,
rested In one corner in sullen humor. We had
seen 1t before and recognized it. Many night
has Ben DeBar delighted his audiences as he
trod the boards, swinging his huge weapon
In "Pocahontas," when as the rotund Pow
hatan, ''the King Of the Tusearoras,' he
Cdlleu upouFHll MS ihpscdiioHS W SldLh
here iii the middle, and standing all in a row,
keeping their eyes On the man In the middle
while somebody rosined his bow. Mark
Smith, too, welded this club.
BuACkENED WITH AGE
and long use, snugly ensconced in one corner, !
lie side by side two sculs. What q troop or
Eancies they call up The graveyard
scene in Hamlet opens upon u.s. The quick {
Vitted digger throws them up and it NAV be
I Junius Brutus Booth, Davenport Forrest
81 Edwin Booth. in the dim light picked it
10 with an ALAS! poor Yorick. knew him,
Horatio-a fellow Of infinite Jest and most
aycallant fancy Here hung his Inns
mat have kissed / know not how Oft.
With poor Yorick most of these great actors
have returned to dust Near these relics :
stands the funeral urn with ''Nirginius' In
scribed upon it, used when Forrest held the
house spell-bound.
Still glistening beneath coating of dust
liza on the shelf the pObletS and tankards that