The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-03
WILSON BARRETT AS cHATTERToy.

When young Barrett was II he begged his
master to let him leave work mt 3 o'clock for
ono evening III each week in order that he
might attend evening school at charge OF
twopencc This request the merchant granted
to him for about six weeks, but at the end OF
that timc finding that the boy was too much
missed, he withdrew the permission. And
this was the extent of the schooling of Wilson
Barrett. But his mind was developing rapidly
without the aid of teachers. lie had been
trying his hand nt little dramas, and on his
way home from the store at night ho fre-
qucntly used to slip into tho theatre and see
the last part of whatever play was Oh. Then
he would "shin up" the water pipe and into
his low bed room and undress as quietly as
possible so rs not to awaken his parents, who,
he knew, would not approve his conduct
But this growing love for the stage became
stronger and stronger. in him. One night he
saw Henry Neville, then the lending actor at
the Olympic, in "Camilla's Husband" 1t
was very warm evening Young Barrett
sat in the galleries and then ran all the way
home after the play. He took chill which
resulted in inflammation Of the lungs and
plcurisy, and for n long time the poor child
waveretl between life and death. During
this sickness, tue sum of sixteen shillings,
which he had been saving up penny by
penny rs a starting fund for entering the
dramatic profession, and which hc had al
ways kept in his pocket by day and in little
canvas bag under his pillow ut night, was
discovered and paid over to the doctor. Very
recently, when Mr.. Neville told Mr. Barrett
that English actors looked to him rs the head
of their profession, the latter said: "That's
good to- hear from you, US you nearly killed
me at the beginning!"
After his convalescence young Barrett
went back to the corn dealers, and shortly
afterwari to large bank note printing
Office. Here he rose rapidly, receiving ut the
start fifteen slIillinSs week, and us the
hours of work were not so combining as with
his former employers hc found time to write
bis first completed drama, "Robin Hood
He was now IL years old, and with some
other lads of about the same age accom-
plished an extraordinary thing He arranged
an old she'd in the buck Of garden as
theatre, with stage and scenery, and in lieu
of gas or footlights devised scheme of oil
lamps whose wicks could be turned up or
down oil at tho same time by pulling wire.
For the boxes board was painted and cut
out in the shape of curtains, so that man
standing outside looked from tho stage rs If
seated III q regular theatre box. There were
six members in young Darrctts company,
and, after several rehearsals, tickets were
issued to fifty or sixty friends and relatives
of the actors. The play was great success,
and the amateur theatre was nightly crowded.
The actors did tho scene shifting, and Mr..
Wilson Barretts brother George, the now
wcll-known comedian of the Princess theatre,
had for his inspiring portion Of the work to
sit OH a narrow board up over their heads in
the flies, the ladder by which he had mounted
being taken down in order TO. make sure OF
his staying there till the end Of the play. 1t
was very hot on his perch, and he sometimes
rot very tired, and had to be poked with
long stick in order to be kept up. to business
They purchased calico and stained and cut
and stitched their own costumes young
Wilson doing all the deviSing, designing and
literary work. Their orchestra consisted Of
a VIOLIN English concertina and flute. They
wanted drum; but, the orchestra being too
small to accommodate tho real article, the
plan was hit on of covering a small square
box with thick brown paper, kept taut by
spirit lamp. This was fair drum if not hit
too harl
About this time a very large robbery OF
bank notes occurred and detectives were fol
lowing every person connected with tho
printers firm where young Barrett was chi.
ploycl One night. being a little late. tue
boy ran oil the way from the Office to his
theatre, which awakened the suspicious nf a
detective, who dogged him and nIaryrl'rl to
see him slip IN among score ur two Of lrcpls