The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-20
Barrett in HIS Dorhooa Days.

The following brief sketch of Law
renee Barrett, the great tragediaD, is
from the pen of @. w. Morgan, a clerk
IN tle general postofiiee department:
The writer of this article was at
one time an employe in the Detroit
Times office, daily paper publish, d
and owned by Mr.. Sherlock, the pro
prietor and manager of tie Metropc
Titan Theatre, located en- jefferson
avenue, Detroit. / remember very
well on one bright and beautiful day
in June of handsome young lad en-
tering the office and making applica-
tion tc the editor for Il situation to
learn the printing business. He ap-
peared to be manly little fellow of
prepoSSesslng appearance. Satisfac-
tory arrangements were soon made
and the young lad was assigned to the
case with stick in hand to learn taa
mysteries of fhe devil's part in the art
preservative of all arts. And now,
kind reader, occurs one of the most
important events of this young lads
life-he falls in love-not like 7 or
ick's love, but real, genuine love-
with one of the most beautiful and
bewitching women that probably ever
appeared upon any stage. To be brief
about 1t, the lady in question becom-
ing acquainted with the fact encour-
aged these little romantic fiirtations
upon his part more for the innocent
amusement it afforded her than for
anything else, and carried it on with
all the fervor and spirit of the two
lovers in the balcony scene of Romeo
and Juliet"
Being a constant companion as well
as a roommate of Lawrence Barrett
| had good opportunity of studying
the character of the boy. He soon
became regular attendant behind
the scenes, watched every movement
and gesture of the actors and took in
every play. 1t was no uncommon
thing for him to arouse up iu the
night, jump up out of bed and walk
up and down the room personatIng
Richelieu or some other great charac-
ter in Shakespeare's plays. In these
midnight performances / was the
only spectator present, but / made
the old house ring with applause
when Barrett warmed up and threw
his whole soul and mind in the play.
Young Barrett was a boy of very
limited means. With no Iriends W
help him he had to depend upon his
own exertions and work out his own
salvation. Born an actor, with love
for the profession that knew no
bounds, with plenty of ambition and
pride to carry it out, with him there
was no such word as fail.
After an absence of nearly fifteen
years from Detroit, what was my
great surprise, in walking down Penn
sylvaniA avenue one day during the
rebellion, to see announced upon the
theatre bills, in large capital letters:
First appearance of Lawrence Bar
rett. the great tragedian, in Ham
let. >" That night L was again a spec
tator, but not alone in small room,
but in Il fashionable theatre, packed
from the orchestra to the gallery with
a discriminating and intelligent au-
dience.
The next day had the pleasure to
meet my young friend, talked over old
times, and congratulate him on his
great success. To-day he stands at
the head of his profession, without
probably a rival in this or any other
country in Shakespeare's characters.
No one has watched his career with
more pride and satisfaction than your
humble correspondent.