The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-12-31
Anecdote of Edwin Forrest.

| received letter from him lat Cleve-
land, postmarked st. Louis, informing
me that he was ready to fulfill his
promise, made two years previous. upon
the conclusion of his st. Louis engage
ment. Of course I was delighted, aud
Immediately replied; and as be had not
stated how many nights he would re-
main with me, I asked that question.
This, be it remembered, was in Deem
Der, 1857, and very cold December at
that. His answer was characteristic, and
was rs follows:
''MY DEAR ELLsLER--You ask me how long
viii remain with you. If the weather Is
warm ten nights; if it is cold ten minutes.
EDWIN FORREST"
He came, however, and after we had
settled all details pertaining to business
matters, he asked me if I was a good
pedestrian. I answered that I liked t.,
take walk occasionally, and he then H.
formed me that lie liked to take long
walk every morning before breakfast,
and made it a habit, and asked me to
accompany him. / consented, and the
next morning We started ct 7 O'Clock
to walk out Euclid avenue.
wanted to show him the town,
as he had never been there
before. Well, we walked and walked;
was nearly persisted with cold, and won
dered whether or not Forrest was ever
going to stop. Finally he asked me
where we could get breakfast. I said
that we were near Jimmy Wright's place.
four miles from town, and could get
nice breakfast there Tony disgust, he
said we had not walked far enough, and
asked where we could get breakfast fur
ther on. I said the next place was Nc
Elrath'S, seven miles ont. "Oh, well,
said he, "we'n just walk out there, and
we did, had our breakfast, and walked
back again. The same thing occurred
for the next three or four mornings, and
then Forrest wanted to take new route.
That was terribly cold morning, and
we went up along the lake shore. For
rest wore o big light-colored overcoat,
and I had only short coat, and, COM
paratively, was thinly clad Along the
shore there is point that juts out into
the lake, and ont onto the point where
the icy winds were keenest went Forrest.
I, of course, had to do likewise. For
rest stood on the extreme point looking
out over the dreary waste Of water; the
violence Of the wind had dashed the
bosom Of Lake Erie into foam, and
breakers dashed in continually with
sUllen and angry roar, the whole making
q scene at once desolate and grand.
The sharp wind seemed to go through
me, but Forests attention seemed to be
livited on the lake He stood thus in
silence for long time-it seemed an age
to me-and then he turned suddenly to
me and said:
"Ellsler %
''Well, sir?"
care there any heretics in this id
town."
The question was sudden and unex-
pected. Forrest was serious, and by the
expression of his face, I knew it. For a
moment hardly knew what to answer,
but finally replied:
II don't know, but I suppose there
are"
There was another long silence. For
rest, with a grave face, was again looking
over the mad waters, and apparently had
forgotten he had spoken to me. Ny
curiosity to know what was in his
thoughts was aroused, and after time I
asked:
"Why do you want to know2"
Because, said Forrest, slowly and
solemnly, ''if there are any infdels, let
them come here and look upon this mag
nifcent element, and let them go home
and pray" No more was said, and we
continued our walk -Nanager John
EILsley, IN the PjttSbo,g Leader.