The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-16


From the Philadelphia NelcS
was talking to lady day or two ago
and she gave me some "reminiscences of John
Wilkes Booth before the war; in Rich
mond. Here they are. l hope they will be
as interesting to you as they were to me:
81 don't remember the time when didn't
know Mr.. Booth, for he knew me before |
knew myself exactly. My mother" said
my smiling friend, twas a great lover and
patron of the drama, and she numbered
among her proteges many young actors
and actresses who have become famous.
Mr.. Booth began his career in Richmond
by playing Sir Rudolph in The Naiad
Queen spectacular production in which
Mr.. Joe jefferson figured. JefferSons first
wife also played in The Naiad Queen and
Mr.. Edwin Booths first wife, Mary Devln,
took the title role.
"John Wilkes, or Wilkes, as his intimates
called him, was thought to have inherited
his fathers genius. Edwin Booth was said
by those who had known JuniuS Brutus, the
father, TO be good imitator, but Wilkes
was thought to be the inheritor of his
fathers peculiar gifts 1t was in 1856 that
the 'Naiad Queen was first produced in
Richmond, and Wilkes Booth afterward
was called upon to play parts that were
more worthy the young aspll ant to tfagedys
crown. His 'Othello' is remembered by the
gray boards of Richmond as a noble CON
ception. and his brother Edwin, who played
'Iago' to Wilkes 'Othello, had to look to his
spurs to hold his own during the play.
Let me tell you one thing that my
mother told me about Wilkes Booths honor
and generosity: A young lady, well born
and wealthy, became stage struck and lost
her head completely about Mr. Booth. She
wrote to him again and again, and, re-
ceiving no replies to her love letters, the ro-
mantle young woman wrote and begged
John Wilkes to meet her in the Capital
square, where she would stand near Wash
ington's statue, and she also affirmed that
she would come prepared to fly East, West
or North, | care not whittier, 50 thou art
safe and with thee
"Wilkes Booth came to my mother and
put her in full possession of the facts, only
Withholding the name of the girl. He said:
I'm only boy, but want to do the right
thing. want the girl TO go home and be-
have herself. Now tell me the honest and
wise thing to say to her Eve tried silence
with no success; now | will see the young
lady, and want you to tell me how to talk
to her without hurting her feelings, but l
want the interview to be final
"Well, Wilkes Booth and his matron
friend talked the matter over and Wilkes
went off to the rendezvous i'll the Capital
square. He told my mother all about it;
how he had appealed to the young enthus-
ast's better nature how he had disabused
her mind of the idea that everything and
everybody was jolly behind the scenes and
how he had sent her back to her fathers
house a wiser virgin.
''This was in 1859, and a little later, when
the drums beat to summon the jefferson
l. 10 CD, &c,
John Browns insurrection was the most
alarming throb that had disturbed Vir-
ginias breast for many a year, Wilkes
Booth was one of the first to don his uni
form. He had always been 'one of the boys
in Richmond ready for fire or ready for a
fray. My mother, who was one of Vir-
ginia's most devoted admirers, and one of
the most rebellious of rebels, gave Wilkes
Booth her blessing, and even offered him an
ancient carbine that was rusty, not having
been used since the war of 1872"
"Was Wilkes Booth as handsome as his
brother EdwinW / interrupted.
That's according to ones fancy" an
swered my friend refectively "You see,
Edwin has the Italian style of manly
beauty, while Wilkes had the clearer,
cleaner-cut features and more intensity in
his expression. His nose was thin and
aqualine and his eyes smaller, but more
piercing than Edwin's ] was such little
top when | saw him that hardly remember
his looks. Ny mother had his picture.
which she always said was exactly like him,
Though | don't remember his looks, / do
remember him. Many and many night
he would return home with my father after
the play was over. There was always a
warm supper and a warm welcome for my
fathers guests after the theatre doors were
closed. Those were days of stock conn anies,
and Richmond has been the cradle in which
many of the now famous American actors
were first taught to test their strength.
Almost every night my father would drop
in the Richmond theatre, where he had a
box, and it was seldom he came home
alone. The first thing that Wilkes Booth
would do would be to make for the nursery,
where | lay asleep He seemed a giant to
me when he would hold me up aoft and
straddle me across his shoulders. | remem-
Der one night his taking me down stairs
and setting me on silver butter Salver
that stood embedded in flowers in the centre
of the table, whence | was rescued by my
colored nanny, whose muttered ejacula-
ton was: Them play actors is de debble.
''He was passionately fond of chidren.
I've heard my mother tell about a play he
used to act in, i'll which there was a child,
The Sea of Ice, | think it was, and she
said he was so loving to the little thing and
she would nestle in his arms in the wings
until her time came to go on the stage
"Just before the blockade began which
divided North and South, when the cannon
had announced that Virginia had seeded,
Wilkes Booth and the Richmond Stock
Company seemed to disappear in the mist
that was rising to overcloud the once united
country Masks and Faces was the last
performance given at the old play house
that had once sheltered so gay a crowd.
Just about that time | seemed TO dream
one night that somebody kissed me and put
something on my finger. was very much
surprised to find next morning a little gold
ring with Regard in blue enamel on il IN
my bed. My mother took the ring to keep
for me until my finger grew TO its size and
| she told me Wilkes Booth had gone away,
but she hoped to see HIM again Mr.. Booth
was such a favorite with those who knew
him, for he was brave, ardent and affection
ate-three powerful qualities which are
strong claimants upon the Southern heart
"Well, the days passed while | was run
ming around in my homo spun frocks, and
soon the South was a conquered nation, and
then came the terrible tidings of Mr.. Lin
coins assassination by the hand of him who
had ever been so gentle and loving in the
sun-lit past. All, those were curious days
when they took my little ring and hid il for
faat. " tonore MIGHT babbla of TINT which