The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-07

ever had any reasonable excuse for going to
sea except the patriarch Noah?'
well, well-ah, noah, Mr.. Forrest
stammered the captain. and then recovering
himself and entering into the spirit of the
occasion, he asked, What was Noah's ex-
cuse?'
To which Forrest at once replied, 'rWhy,
damme, sir, if he had stayed at home be
would have been drowned"
OF John Gilbert the following are related;
Toward the close of one OF their trips
through the border States the company to
Whlch Mr., Gilbert was attached played in
o. Louis, then an insignificant town of a few
thousand inhabitants, paved principally with
mud six inches deep, and boasting one theater,
Transformed out of an old salt-house, the
only entrance to which was by way of long
and rickety fight of steps built on the out
side OF the end wall. From his share of the
receipts of a performance in this establish
ment young Gilbert bought pair of very
tne-looking boots and on account of them
was Tor the moment the envy of his compan-
ions, several of whom were without adequate
covering for their pedal extremties. They
said very little regarding his purchase, how
ever, until some days afterward, when, on
the way down the Mississippi to New Or
leans the boat on which they had taken
passage stopped at Vicksburg for a
load of cotton. There two or three of the
actors, knowing that the boat would be de-
tanned all night determined to give per-
Torrance on their own account and hired a
negro to go through the town, ring bell,
and make the announcement. Toward even
ing it became evident that the tumble-down
shed in which the entertainment was to be
given would be we'll filled; and old "Sol'
Smith-''the original Sol"-who was to be
one OF the performers, came to Gilbert, and,
dolefully displaying pair of shoes through
which a torn stocking was only too plainly
visible, said, in tones which would have done
credit to Forrest or the elder Booth:
John, friend of me YOUTH let me have
your opinion of these shoes"
They are very bad Shoes" replied Gilbert,
with equal solemnity; exceedingly bad
shoes, my friend"
I'm fact, it would be injudicious, as it
were to appear before the culture and fash
ion of Vicksburg in such .shoes?' queried
SOL" and Gilbert beginning to see what
what was coming reluctantly admitted that
1.-THE culture and fashion of Vicksburg''
might, indeed, object to SO lavish display
of worn stocking.
Then, me friend me noble friendp' con-
tinued the inimitabe Sol' with increasing
animation, there is absolutely no help for
1t. Me very soul revolts at being compelled
to ask the sacrifice, but, in the name of our
friendship, l con- ure-nay, l command you
to lend me your new boots!"
What warm hearted man could have with
stood such an appeal? Certainly not John
Gilbert. Without further ado, he pulled off
the new boots and gave them to his friend
They were several sizes too large for SOL"
still, happy in their possession, he hurried
away to take part in the performance.
The house was we'll filled. SOL" received
nearly twenty dollars as his share of the pro-
ceeds and having the night before him,
wandered about lust to see the town, you
know" happened into a gambling-saloon,
lost all his money, took a brandy-smash or
two, became happily Obvious to what was
going on about him, staggered out into the
street toward his boat, and at last arrived in
the very best of health and spirits, but with
out anything on his feet.
He had left John Gilbert's new boots stick
ing in the black mud of Vicksburg During
the rest of the trip to New Orleans that emil
nent comedian was obliged to wear the
"holey" shoes of his friend SOL, ;" while
SOL" himself "a wiser, if not sadder man)
was obliged to walk about in pair of dilapi-
dated slippers furnished by the liberality of
the steamboat captain.
Another OF Mr.. Gilbert's recollections of
the Princess Theater is very amusing J. w.
Wallack was playing Don Caesar de Bazan,
one of his famous characters, and was just be-
ginning his best scene, when a seedy-looking
old gentleman, who had a seat near the stage,
rose, and, with much ado buttoning his
threadbare black coat about him, was on the
point of leaving the theater when Wallack
half annoyed and half amused at the stir
which the old fellow was making, stepped to
the foot-lights and, addressing him, said:
Don't be in hurry; the performance is
not yet over"
To which the old gentleman, not at all dis
concerted in a broad Scotch accent replied:
II ken that vera weel, but I've had a. l
can stan o't," and then, amid shouts of
laughter, marched out of the theater.