The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-23
SOthern.

of the stage Mr.. Sothern was a graceful
and accomplished gentleman and a charm
ing guest at dinner-table, where he never
failed to set the company in a roar by his
admira5ly-told anecdotes--that is il he were
not CALLED upon in any pointed or offensive
way to amuse the company. / was once
present at dinner party, says a Paris cor
respondent, where he was one of the guests
where a gentleman who knew him well
turned to him in all abrupt way and said:
"Sothern. tell us q story" To this tactleSs
and injudicious appeal Mr.. Sothern made
answer merely. glancing up from
his plate, II never can be
funny on compulsion," and went on eating
his grapes without further remark. Nor was
it till he had joined the ladies in the draw
ing-room after dinner that he gave free scope
to his usual wit and gaiety. The story told
respecting his action at. the meSs-table of a
swell English Regiment under similar cir
cumstances has often been told, but will
bear repetition here. He was dining there
as the guest of the officers, when some of
the younger of them insisted in rather q
rude way that he should act something for
them. At first he refused but when urged
i'm peremptory fashion he finally consented
He rose TO his feet, gathered the end of the
table-cloth in his hands and dragged it from
the table, sending the costly service, with
the wines. fruits. glasses etc, crashing to
the floor. Drunken scene from David
Garrick,' gentlemen he cried, drawing
himself up to his full hight, and looking
around him. "Will you have an. thing
moreTi
He was one of the most painstaking of
actors. Every point in Lord Dundre9 w
had been studied out in the mnutest l. ;, IL
ner. For instance, Sans letter was always
q bona-fide letter, written out In precisely
the words of the text. ''Why have il writ
ten Out2" l asked him, 'since certainly you
know il by hearth Because" he made
answer, IF did not have the actual letter
before me, my eyes would not follow the
lines properly and I should not turn over
| the page at the right moment" He also
told me that many of his Dundrearyisms
were reproductions of silly acts or sayings
that he had noticed in real life. He then
related, in his inimitable way, an anecdote
which had struck him as amusing, though
up to that timehe had been able to make no
practical use of it, A young English gen.
tleman, who had resided for some years in
China found himself seated at a dinner
party beside an obtuse and
old lady, who piled him with
| questions respecting the manners
and customs of the strange people among
whom he had dwelt for so long. In the
course of conversation the narrator alluded
to the singular fact that in China, Grim
lDal condemned TO death could, IL rich, OBJ
tain substitute to be executed in his stead
| by paying a handsome sum to the family OF
such substitute. This idea filled the old
lady with amazement. "What! could any
man be found who would be so foolish as to
suffer himself to be put TO death for a mere
pecuniary recompense? She could not un
derstand it-she could scarcely believe it.
These phrases she reiterated so often that
her nearer grew tired and a little provoked
81 assure you that such is the fact, Madam
And men really sell their lives in China
for money! "Oh dear, yes-lots of people
make their living by it," OF course, that
reply was mere slip of the tongue on the
part of the much-bothered gentleman, but
/ it was true Dundrearyism for all that.