Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-23

play or other IN private theatrlcalS,
and they fancy at once they are ready
to be brought out | shall reply to
the letter | have just read you and
advise the writer to wait several years
before she decides on her profession.
Among the many amateurs who come
to me to be taught was a young girl
you must remember-Imogene. She
paid me handsomely, but she has no
talent. She is now floating around
and spending her money. She has
plenty of that. Two years ago | helped
present an amateur play at the Ly-
ceum Theater. We had no end of
fun. One of the characters was as
sumed by james Haggerty, the poll
tician, and the other by Jerrold Nc
Kinney, a city journalist. One part
was played by "a gentleman who is
now James Gordon Benefits private
secretary, and, | assure you, he made
a Jolly mess of it. He came on in the
fourth act elegantly dressed, but he
was so confoundedly stage-struck that
he 'guyed' the whole thing. The play
was the Shamrock. In 1876 the Sans
Souci Club did good work, but there
was one drawback to its success.
There was in it a lawyer who, like
Bottom, wanted to play all the good
parts. One of the most enjoyable
amateur performances | was ever
connected with was at the house Of
Mrs. Bache, No, II East FOrty-third
street. 1t was the birthday of the old
lady. Each character in the piece
was played by amateurs, assuming the
names Of well-known actors and act
resses. You might be surprised 10
know that Lester Wallack. III. j..
Montague, Rose Etynge and Fanny
Davenport were down on the pro-
gramme. IcOached the players, so that
they occasionally got in a mannerism
Of the stars they were initiating.
The effect was ludicrous in the ex-
treme."
Did you not introduce Edwin
Booth to the New York public? I.
Il did. He and | were associated
together in San Francisco in 1856. and
it was through my influence that he
was persuaded to come East. Booth.
at that time, was my leading man
He was playing The Iron Chest. and
Richard. He was the original Ra-
phael in Marble Heart, and a fine
part he made Of it. But he don't
play it now. He has got so devilishly
classical you can't touch him with a
ten-foot pole. Booth also played then
Still Waters Run Deep. At that time
| was exceedingly busy. | used to get
play books direct from London, and
bring out the plays before they even
reached New York. l ran Still Wa
tiers three months before Burton pro-
+ duced it here. In Bleak House Booth
played Bucket, the policeman.
Fancy him doing that sort of thing
now. 1t recalls when Il. i. Dayen-
port danced a hornpipe in Black Eyed
Susan, when Waller and his wife sup
ported him. 1t was before Davenport
went to Australia in 1854 and made
his pile Of 100000. But his agent
made a big hole in it, I'm sorry to say.
TO return to Booth. He opened
as Hamlet in Baltimore about 1856.
under the management Of John T.
Ford, and was successful from the
start. OF course, the assassination OF
Lincoln by his brother brought him
much sympathy, and helped to brine
him before the public. | accompanied
him on his tours through Richmond.
Pittsbufg. st. Louis, Chicago, Mem
phis and New Orleans, but it was al
Boston in March, 1857, that he made
big money = $1,000, which, in those
days, was a small fortune. In New
York We opened at Burton's old thea.
8 ter, alterward Winter Garden" Here
= Mr.. Baker displayed a mu~sty-lookina
+, document. 1t was the contract signed
by Burton and Booth, and witnessed
by Henry G. jarrett.
t The Broadway Theater at that
e time, continued Mr.. Baker. eva,
under the control Of L. A. Marshall
e lie refused to give me an engagement
for Booth. He said he had had
enough trouble with the elder Booth
G and he didn't want any more with HI,
c son. He was willing TO play him onl,
y on condition that all expenses wer.
borne by me. | refused the offer. ant
d remarked In six months. Mr.. Mar
shall, you'll be making overtures your
self for Mr.. Booth to play here. An,
# so it proved.
II Booth is thoroughly the creatur
Of impulse. He never plays the sam
t part twice alike. | have often said }
d him just before the curtain was run
II up for a full house Ned you've 10
y to do your best tonight 1 can't tel
you anything about what | NAV do.
he would reply, Wait until on M
stage, and then you'll Sec I've know
r him to walk through three acts as Isl
Q Giles and his acting would not be a
: all remarkable, but in the last tw
p" acts his emotional power would fairl
n make you rise out of your seat. |
studying a part, Booth neve
Is 'crammed.' II came to him like
N Hash or not at all. lie lisa thorough
good fellow in private life, aud likes