The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-08-06
THE NEIGHBOURS BARN.
ny HENRY IRVING.

The following little sketch by the famous
English actor Is from the " Green Room "
annual:
AT the present time, while the progress of
realism is making an epoch in stage man
agement, a little special attention may not
inoppOrtunely be given to the humanitarian
branch Of the stage realsm--that of food.
The old days of paste-board pie and wooden
chickens are gone from good theatres-let us
hope forever. The real "veal and ham'er "
in the interesting reproduction of Dot" at
the Folly was quite 4 success, and brought
the dinner hour instincts of all present to
the aid of histrionic effect. | was much
struck, not long since, by the thoughtful
consideration manifested by charming
young lady in a successful opera bouile, who
took care that the vast amount of real bread,
which she had cnt 80 gracefully, was ulti-
mately distributed TO that portion of the
French army in the rear, who seemed to have
been hitherto inadequately supplied with
rations, and to whom the nightly addition to
their present emolument may have been at
some little service.
When year ago We produced at the Ly-
ceum, as a first piece the old Scotch drama
of Cramond Brig" the various members of
the company playing in the piece had full
choice of wherewithal to wash down their
heed and harrigles," (of which, by the
way, over a hundred were consumed during
the run,) and the miller's supper became a
nightly jollily, except, perhaps, to the Scotch
nobility and the kings huntsmen, who, with
watery mouths and eager eyes, crowded
the wings, forbidden by the irony of dra-
matte fate to enter upon the scene until tina
supper had been cleared away.
This piece reminded me of an incident
which came under my notice good many
years ago. In the off season of a large pro
vincial theatre, in which was a stock actor,
took an engagement at small town, then
known as one of the most Thriving seaports
of the North. The salary was little, the
parts were long, and there was not much
opportunity for gaining renown. However,
is was better than remaining idle, as, at the
worst, the amount of debt to be accumulated
was minlmized. The manager was not a bad
fellow, and having been good actor in his
time, was only too glad to be surrounded by
class of actors whose service he could only
obtain by the opportunity afforded by the
bright summer--in those palmy days the
darkest and wintriest season to the airy
comedian or the thoroughly legitimate ira
gedan. Our opening bill consisted of
g Cramond Brig" "Lord Darnley," Wal
lace, the hero of Scotland" and "Gilderoy,
besides contributing my share in national
anthem, which was right Loyalty and loudly
sung by the entire strength of the company.
After the rehearsal of Cramond Brig " our
jolly manager said, "Now, boys, / shall
stand real supper tonight no paste board
and parsley, but real sleeps head and a
little drop of real Scotch A tumult of
applause.
The manager was as good as his word, for
at night there was a real head, well equipped
with turnips and carrots, and the "drop of
real Scotch" The neighbor's BARN." an
important character in the scene, came in
and took her seat as usual beside the mil
ler's chair. She was pretty, sad eyed, in
telligent child OF some nine years old, In
the course of the meal when Jock Howson
was freely passing the whisky, she leaned
over to him and said, "Please, will you give
me little :" He looked surprised. She
was so earnest in her request that | whis-
pered to her, " Tomorrow, perhaps, if you
want it very much, you shall have thin
bleful."
Tomorrow night came, and, to my amuse-
ment, she produced from the pocket of her
little plaid frock a bright piece of brass, and
held it out to me. said, whats this ?"
" thimble, sir"
81 But what am to do with it ?"
g You said that you would give me a Thin
blefnl of whisky if wanted it, and do want
it,"
This was said so naturally that the
audience laughed and applauded. looked
over to the miller, and found him with the
butt-end of his knife and fork ON tho table,
and his eyes wide open, gazing at MS in
astonislment. However, we were both
experienced enough to pass oil this unre-
hearsed effect AS a part of the piece. filled
the thimble, and the child took II back care
fully to her little " creepy " stool beside the
miller. watched her, and presently saw
her turn hnr back to the audience and pour
it into little halfpenny tin snuff box. She
covered the box with a bit of paper, ana
screwed ON the lid, thus making the box
pretty water-tight, and put it into her
pocket.
When the curtain fell our manager came
forward and patted the ohild's head. "Why,
my little girl, said he, "yOu are quite a
genius. Your gag is the best thing in the
piece. We must have il in every night
But, my child, you mustn drink the whisky
No, no that would never do"
"Oh, sir, indeed won't | give you my
word won't !" she said, quite earnestly and
ran to her dressing room.
" CramoId BRIG" had an unprecedented
run of six rights, and the little lady always
Bul heI lhlhlbltlul ol whisky ana hef round
of applause. And each time | noticed that
she corked up the former safely in the
snull-boX. was curious as to what she
could possibly want with the spirit, and who
she was, and where she came from. asked
her, but she seemed so unwilling to tell and
tnrned so red, that did not press her /; but
found out that ii was the old stery--no
mother, and drunken father.
Still it was strange; what could she want
with the whisky-a child like herr 1t could
not be for the drunken father. was com
pletely at fault, | took fancy to the little
thing, and wished to tathom her secret, for q
secret felt sure there was. After the per
Torrance | saw my little body come ont.
Poor little child there was no mother or
brother to see her to her home. She hurried.
up the street, and turning into the poorest
quarter of the town entered the common
stair of tumble-down old house. | followed,
feeling my way as best could. She went
up and up Till in the very top hat she en-
tered little room. A handful of fire glim-
mering in the CRATE revealed a siokly boy,
some two years her junior, who orawled to-
ward her from where he was lying before
the fire.