The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-08-23
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u.A. KanA ]. n saa FrA.eiseaa,l

vas smong tSe an11ence uAo cans eo see Dx. Bkr1s spaay q The GladiaGpr Fpexlorm>d as iAe Park Thessez, New York. Tie house vas packsd uisA New Yoskan anxious so witness the inisial pesfprmance of n original play by n AmeEican authcr, e vegy tew q our counuymen had Nwrisisn tcr the sage b. fore that time. Such gsntieznsn ss Ogdsn Hcffman, Julia (. verplanck, WasAington Irving, N. F. Willis, George P. Morrss, Theodore S Fay, James Fen nimors Cooper, Philip Hone, the CosserS the Ivingseons, the Astcrs, and others of equal nose. assembled to gree, the then rising young actor-E Edwin Forrest and the play. The piece did not run smoothly. h fact, the actou were far from being perfect in their lines but the people came to be pleased. and ,hey affessed sheir pleasure by hear.y and frequent applause. No actor ever on the Amezican sage tock such hold on the affections of the Ameucan public as did Forrest. The play was decided hit. |, vas given several nights during the sea- son, and has held possession of the stage ever since-having been received in Lon doa with unqualified favor, both in a literary and acting point of visw.
 ysood h the corner of the orchestra On the Srss night-a privilege 1 long en- loyed, as vas . very handy boy to run an eErand, when a fiddle-ssriag was broken, os when a glass of brandy was to be smueeled into the theaier.
 The playess in the cast were all young, ambitious people. Some of them have made their mark since, and some of them have not. Forrest was then "in the bloom of lussy youth" thought him the finest specimen of manhood had ever seen and now, after fifty-three years. have not changed my opinion.
 In the cast there was Joe Field, gay, bright eyed fellow, with ine head of curly hair. He was full of fun and brimming over with talent. He was an actor, aushc. cf plays, and m editor. Joe passed many years at New Orleanx and vas a great favoTite in the public and private walks of life. Field acted many years at the old Ss Charles, and managed theater at Mobile. He aho edited a paper a, St. Louis. It vas called the Rsvails. While in the Cres- cent City Joe wrote comic poetry for the New Orleans PieayKae. under the scbri- quet of Straws" His verses, like him. self, were very funny. Joe married Miss Riddle, lovely woman and an accom- plished actress, by whom he had a daughter, Kate Field-a lady of varied talents, admired on both aides of the At- lantic a, the present day.
 Then there was Jimmy Thorne, an ad- miraole comedian and vocalist. He was always the life of his company being witty himself, ard the canse of vii in others. Poor Jimmy! He died on ship- board returning to England to visit his kindred, and he lies " in the deep bosom of the ocean buried"
 Peter Richings, the Chesterfield of the stage, was among the actors Riching < real name was Paget. He was a son oi Admiral Paget. Peter, having marned for love was disinherited by his father He came to New York and went on the Stage. He was an ornament to it his society was courted. Peter went on the stage for all sorts of parts. To give an idea O: his versatility, i, may be stated that he played Mercusio, Jesse Rural, Bill Sikes. Figaro-in fact, he played fops, Irish parts. etc, could sing well, was a capital dancer, and was wi,hal a gentle man on or of the stage. He was never known 10 make use of an oath or a vul. gar word. He was for eighteen years al. tached to the Park theatre, On leaving which he went to Philadelphia as stage manager with William E. Burton, of the Old National, in ISII, and afterwards made the Quaker City his home. He formed an English opera company, in conjunction with his adopted daughte, Caroline. which met with much success through the country for many years. He retired from the profession over twenty years ago, and became . very devou' churchman. He taught . bible.class every Sunday for many years- Fe~ would have recognized the kvorise acso, as an old gentleman of 'S4, with patri. archai beard, holding New Testament in his hand, and explaining to his boy, and girls the senets of the Episcopal church. Poor Peter was thrown out o his barouche in the suburbs of his adopted home: the injuries he received were the cause of his death. He died an exem. plary christian.
 Obediah Woodruff was also one of the actors, and fine one he seemed destined to be; but juss e he had formed good style he died of cholera, in 1853. Wood. hull's real name vas Hull. His fathes vas a Quaker, and a celebrated manufac. ture1 Of soap. The firm is still in exist. ence in New York.
 Edwin Forrest made his 6ryt appear. ance in New York as a benefi; for Wood. hull, in Othello. lt was the means Q. keeping Woodhull's family from starva. ton, and caused Manager Cilfet to en- gage Forrest at the Bowesy theatre fos one year, at the same time placing in hia hand Eve hundred dollass Go bind the bArgain-mose mooey than Fouess had ever had in his life before. From that day his course vas upward and onward in fortune and fame.
 The next in the list of actors in the cas, vas Thomas Barry. He vas stage man. 1Sex for many vezrx zf the Park He