The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-09-13

priest whom ne nearQ delivering a SER
mon in Montreal. But the best of all
OF this dialect delniations was an imi-
tation of Daddy Rice, of Jim Crow
noterIety. 1t was true TO life. In fact,
Forrest was an actor in vary emenant
degree. Upon nv complementing MIN
unon his Irish brogue, he said, II think
must have some Irish in me, for when
I was Young man | was constantly
ge ting into fights. l used to get the
scene painter to paint my face, to hide
the marks.
Jefferson was held in high esteem by
the old man. He remarked that he
came of good dramatic stock.
II think the grandfather OF the pres
ent Joe one of the finest actors l ever
saw. l have a bill in my possession at
home in which Jefferson played prom
inent part with David Garrick. For
Bourcicault, he had a profound con-
tempt. He never wrote an original
play in his life. and as man 10 do bust
ness with, he is a rascal. As the great
est Of poets" he remarked, Il rank
Homer; then comes Virgil and then
Shakespeare. Byron could write de-
cription finely, but could not write
dialogue. SHAKESPEARE excelled in
both"
Forrest told a story connecting with
his trip TO California. He was deathly
sea sick, yet it did not prevent him
swearing. A preacher who was on
board undertook to admonish him for
his profanity, but Forrest only answer
ed that, "his Lord and Master, when at
sea, was devlish glad to get out and
walk The captain of the ship now
approached them and sought to 500 he
ha nl1 ri ha
loved the sea; that he went to sea as
matter OF choice, and would not live on
shoren
That's dam lie, SIR" said Forrest;
~ know of but one man who went to
sea as a matter of choice, for If he had
remained on shore he would have been
drowned-and that was Noah"
One night, during the war, Forrest
was in Washington. The play was
RIcheieu." President Lincoln, ac-
companied by Forney, Seward and
several prominent members of the adj
ministration, was seated in a private
box at the left of the stage. In politi-
cal opinions, Forrest was directly OPP
posed to them. When in the grand
apostrophe to the "pen," Mr.. Forrest
rose, solemniy and deliberately. facing
the Presidents box. With the pen held
maiestically aloft, his eyes flashing fire,
! the tones of that wonderful voice yibrat-
ing through the theatre and speaking
with unusual deliberation and emphasis,
he gave such 2 rendering of Buliver'S
lines as must have astonished the Presi-
dent:
Beneath the rule OF men entirely great
The pen is a.i9htter thsn the sword,
Take away the sword;
States can be saved without it,"
He looked the party squarely in the
Ease, as much as to say: And that's
my opinion, too
The shot hit its mark. There ensued
some whispered remarks between Lin
coin and Forney, and deprecatory
shake of the head on the part of the
| former, accompanied BY e dubious ele-
vatIon of the eyebroBs, as much as to
say: We'll, I never heard that passage
read that lOay before"
Forty years ago the American stage
contained several actors of no mean
prOmice. Among them was Augustus
Adams. OF HIM, Forrest said: He
was 4 splendid fellow, and had he not
abused the gifts OF nature, he would
have soon acquired a prominent place
upon the stage Of the day-but he was
to the actors bane-stIong drink. An
other actor who promised to take q
front rank was Charles Eaton. Forrest
| said OF him he committed the too COM
mon error of copying from others. He
not only initiated Booth on, but off the
stage. He was killed while in state OF
intoxication by falling from balcony
OF hotel.
Forrest did not shave in the general
opinion of Edwin Booth, and said, sig
nifcantly: He had a father born be-
fore him and that he had brother
both of which facts helped to make his
reputation"
ltwas nearly daylight when was
about to take my leave. | asked HIM if
be intended to come to New Orleans
next year,
What do we know about next year"
said he.
Sure :enough. he died the following
spring.
Forrest was q very singular man. Be
meath his rugged, stern manner. which.
perhaps 1.-THE rude Bullets OF the world
had given him, there was deep well
Of natural tenderness. The simple ut
terance of the word "Cordelia," as the
king kneels by the body Of his dead
daughter, seemed to bubble up from his
very heart. There was something in
the subdued pathos Of his utterance of
the line: Her voice was ever soft, gen
tie and low" which went straight to
the heart. And now that wondrous
voice is stilled; and 1.-The noblest Roman |
of them alp is laid away in the silent |
tomb forever.
During our conversation, Joe Nc |
Cardell was packing up the trunks, pre- |
paratory to the old mans departure for
Galveston.
"Joe," said Forrest, don't put up |
that volume of Shakespeare, I want to |
read it on the road"
What Do you read Shakespeare
at your time Of llfe2" I asked.
"Read it." he replied, II read it every
day. Shakespeare was greater man
than Jesus Christ
After hearty shake Of the hand, he
said: "Give my love 10 your pretty
daughter and don't forget to come and
see me next June in philadelphia"
l took my leave. little thinking then
that man OF his physique was so near
bis end.
'Out, out, brief candlel
Life is but a walking shallow poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then Is heard no more"
Dr.. KANE.
SALT LAKE Cry, September II, 1885.