Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-09

he proposed to pay the expenses OF his education
| at L MON college, Schenectady.
| ENTERS COLLEGE.
| Young Payne accordingly entered Union college
In the year 1906 and remained there until the en-
OF the following year, when his mother died In
Boston. His father becoming financially embar
rassed at this time, he left lege with a determf.
| nation TO open career for himself, which wou.d
enable him, In time, to relieve the necessities OF
his father By adopting the profe S5on cf an actor
| Tor which he had alrraiy eXaibtet decid I'd
| talents, and which had for him the strongest at
| tractonS Returning to Boston early I'm the year
ioOo ne thero devoted year to careful study and
training for the stage. being also engaged a
portion OF the time In literary pursuits and on the
| @4th OF February, 1909 made his
| FIRST APPEARANCE ON THE PUBLIC STAGE
at the Park Theater, in New York, as Young
| Norrdl In the tragedy OF Douglas"
The debut was acomplete success. The applause
! OF the audience was unbounded, the genius mant-
tested by the debutant being surprise to all who
| witnessed his performance. He was engaged at
the Park Theater for six nights prior to his de-
city; but gave q seventh performance In New
| York for his own benef1t, on which occasion his
| share OF the receipts amounted to fourteen nun
| drei dollars
APPEARANCE IN BosfoN.
His first appearance In Boston was at the Old
FEDERAL street Theater on the 81 OF April lSO9 in
| the character of Young Noroal, and during his
engagement he appeared as Romeo, Rolla
Zdph'sd, Selim and Octapa,l His success
| In Boston was even greater than 1t had been In
New York. He was pleasantly remembered as the
youthful captain and boy editor, ami his recsp-
ton W as enthusiastic In the highest degree While
to perform In Philadelphia, Baltimore Washing
| ton and other southern cities On his way to the
south he remained short time In New York, and
played second engagement at the Park Theater
With Still greater success than on the occasion or
his 1rst appearance.
VISITS BALTIMORE, PHILADELPHIA AND THE SOUTH
Prom New York he proceeded directly to Balti.
more where the announcement OF his first appear
ance created degree OF excitement without pre-
cedent in the history OF the drama in that city
Here be played for twelve consecutive nights, the
theater being filled to overfowing at each per-
formance, With an enthusiastic audience. At the
close or his engagement In Baltimore he visited
his success being In all respects, repetition of
what he had experienced In other cities where he
had previously performed. He attelw ards APP
peared In Richmond, Va. and subsequently in
Charleston and other cities OF South Carolina
Wherever he appeared during this tour he " re-
ceived with much enthusiasm, and his rem arkabe
performances elected great applause.
HIS VISIT TO WASHINGTON.
1t was In the summer OF 1909 that he visited
Washington and played several nights at the only
theater then existing In the city, and which was
afterwards known as Carusi's saloon. and is now
residents OF Washington retain pleasant memories
OF his tmpersonations OF Young Ncrual, and other
characters, In which his acting was so true TO
nature that his delighted auditors soines time lost
sight OF the actor while looking Cpon the ideal
creations which his wonderful genius had for the
time made living reality. Mr.. William W. Cor
cordn, then boy OF eleven years, attended his
performances nightly, and to this day cherIshes
vivid recollectonS OF the youthful actor and of the
various characters which he assumed during his
brief engagement In Washington.
At this period of his life young Payne was as
a hn rrff nA tvf
and intellect. One OF his most intimate friends In
writing Of him says: Mature bestowed upon
eyes glowed with animation and Intelligence.
more extraordinary mixture OF softness and In:
telligence was never associated in a human
heart. He was perfect Cupid In his beauty, and
his sweet voice and self-possesSed. yet modest
During hts % visit to washington % iikeness 81 him
In miniature was painted by Wood, one OF the
most noted water-color painters Of his time This
magazine entitled, 'sThe Mirror OF Taste and
Dramatic Censor" and appeared in the issue Of
his nineteenth year when he sat for this picture,
the engraving from which represents youth
whose beauty OF face and figure fully justihes the
1atter1ng description quoted above.
VISITS ENGLAND AND IRELAND
On the 18th OF January, 1918, Payne sailed for
England, and, after Q bolsterous passage OF
twenty-five days. reached Liverpool. but did not
proceed to London until nearly month later.
"A
introduced to William Roscoe who greeted him
most cordially, and subsequently presented him
to John Phillip Kemble, Campbell, Colertdge,
Southey, Byron, Shelley and many other noted
authors. II was with some difliculty that Payne
obtained an engagement to appear on the stage OF
London theater: but he finally succeeded, and
on the 14th OF June, 1918. made his appearance at
the Drury Lane Theater,l in the character OF Yo,ag
N0rual, the part OF Lady Randolph being sus-
tained by Mrs Powell, highly gifted and popular
actress. The performance from beginning to end
excited tumultuous applause, and the house rung
with thunders OF appreciation at the power exht6-
ted by Payne In the death in the last act OF
the play. Many Americans were present on this
occasion, among whom were the artists BENJAMIN
West and Charles r Leslie, who sat together In .
stage box.
Payne performed at Drury Lane every night for
month. his last appearance being In the char 40
ter OF Romeo. In which his success was complete
He next appeared at Liverpool. where he was. II
possible, more successful than he had been In Lon
don. He Afterwards played with equal success In
Birmingham and Manchester, and also IN sew
eral smaller towns. and then proceeded 70 Dublin,
where he was most kindly received, both publicly
and privately. Hero he became acquainted with
Daniel OConneiL Charles Philips and other gifted
Irishmen, who Afterwards became famous In the
history OF their unhappy country His nrst ap-
pearence In Dublin was In the character OF R0t1.
Throughout his engagement the leading female
characters were played BY the Afterwards cele.
br1ted Miss OyNaif. who was Is remarkable Tor her
beauty a. for her dramatic geniuA
m afu nA1A In