The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-11-13
How an English Actor Receives his
Friends,

Friends.
Henry Irving has private supper
room of his own behind the scenes of
the Lyccum theatre. In this apart
mont-which is, in fact, suite Of
rooms, for the crimson curtains sepa-
rate the supper room from pantry
leading intoa kitchen-thc celebrated
London actor receives his friends al
most every night OF the week. II is
seldom that he sups alone, and on Sat-
urday nights he presides over quito
numerous company. This private sal
le munger is approached by crossing
the stage and passing through room
hungwith armor and weapons. Irying's
supper room is that where the members
of the Beefsteak club used to meet be-
fore they removed to their present
quarters, next the Folly theatre. The
Beefsteak club, which has for its rul-
inc spirit the duke Of Beaufort, does
not seek publicity, and surely no rem.
devious could have been better suited
10 its confidential character than the
rooms in which Mr.. Irving now re-
ceives his friends. The motto of the
Beefsteak is still inscribed in antique
gilt letters on the crimson wall of the
recess where pianoforte stands 1t
reads:
Let no ono take from ont this threshold
hence
Words uttere here IN friendly confidence!
This motto is like the oath of the
lover in "Tricocheet Cacolet," and pre-
vents my taking advantage of the sit
uation, but as | may not tell yon
what Irving and his friends said,
NAV at least describe the scene The
apartment, although not very large,
has lofty ceiling, and is paneled in
oak. There is a portrait of Charles l.,
which may have been lryings model
for his makeup in Wills play, AMI
Jack Bannister is painted, too, in his
habit as he lived, and knights armor
stands mounted in one corner. The
supper table is spread in the centre of
the room. Some of the guests have
been in front, and there is no limit to
their expressions of admiration over
their hosts acting as they sit chatting
prior TO his arrival from his dressing
room. They are all Irvingites to a
man. Besides Mr.. Stoker, young
Irishman. who is the enthusiastic bus
mess manager of the Lyceum, and to
whose energy aud tact considerable of
its success is due, there arc such men
as Lord Henry Somerset, son OF the
duke of Beaufort; Mr.. Farquar, broth
OF Sir James Farquar, and very pop
ular club man; Mr.. Armstrong, an
amateur critic and patron of the dra-
ma, from Manchester, and a number OF
others, including u witty Irish NJ. t.,
who tells many amusing anecdotes Of
his countrymen, and occasionally in
fuses a dash of politics into the whis-
ky-and- water Of his humorous eXpe-
Fences. To them enter after time
Mr.. Irving, followed by curly dog
known as "Charlie," who is wont to
sit upon q chair during the repast and
make known his wants in the most
unmistakable fashion. Charlie is
of q breed undetermined, but makes a
very smart appearance with his close
ly-clipped light hair and expressive
brown eyes. Mr.. Irving comes into
the room with swinging tread and
shakes each guest cordially by his
hand. His manner is extremely SIM
pie, unassuming, and friendly, and he
has much the same personal magnet
ism as that exercised by the late Ii.
J. Montague. He does pot wear even
ing dress, but is quietly and comfort
ably attired in gray morning coat
and dark trousers. His eyes look out
piercingly through blaclArimmed eye.
glasses; his hair is worn long, but, if
make myself clear, without any af-
fectation of being 50. lie eats with q
relish and talks very little, but he is a
capital listener. His favorite excla-
nation is, Dear mcr' lie is, fancy,
much interested in American theatre
Gals, and was greatly absorbed by
some of the accounts OF the magnetism
of our favorilc actress, Clara Morris.
With Booth and Mccullough he is
quite familiar. Cor. Ph'Iadelphta
Times.