The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-06

pany plays the same piece for season. In
The Old DAYS of stock companies it was COM
mon to present farce, a comedy and a
tragedy all in one night, and to change
the bill nightly, a good memory was
an absolute necessity. No actor can
succeed without it, for it was no uncommon
thing for play to be put on at few hours
notice.
Leslie Wallack, in his recollections of the
stage, attributes much OF his success to
tie fact that he possessed remarkable
memory. Veteran Ben Baker, the her
day. ran over a list of the old time act jrs
when men were renowned for quick AID
good study
Edwin Forrest was wonder in his prime.
He would read over page of a book and
at once recite IT off hand He did it fire.
quently for amusement as we'll as practice.
In bis later years he lost this faculty to some
extent.
The elder Booth studied everything and
remembered everything that he studied.
The only language that he was unable 70
conquer was Russian. He triad hard
though, and Veteran Baker laughs still as
he tells how Booth used tn put a cork in his
mouth that it might enable him to pro-
nounce unpronounceable Russian words
But it didn't. The great actor did, how
ever learn French well enough to play
in the French tragedy "Oreski," IN New
Orleans some time in 1851, and to do it in
French too.
Thomas l.. Hambin, who in his time
played anything from farce to tragedy,
John Br0ugha as happy John Drew j.
w, WaIlack, G. l.. Fox, who thought moth
ing Of playing three or four parts ia the
course of night and at short notice too
Mrs. Shaw afterwards Mrs. Hamulin and a
host OF Others were also renowned for their
splendid memories.
Mrs. i. Is. Con ay, afterwards Of the i'll
fated Brooklyn theater, Thought nothing of
taking part home from the theater at
night and to be perfect in it in tie morning.
Edward Eddys name is still familiar to the
gallery god. The more arts he had to APP
pear IN Ia one night the happier he was.
Ben Baker LIKES TO tell Of Eddy's impotence
at long waits e5ween the acts After play
ing Orchard Ill" he would stride up ID
down the SC ne aud storm It'll the stage
manager would raise he curtain on His
Last Legs" OF solDe other farce in which
he was also to appear. He would hav.
no waits and the gallery boy still yels.
Eddy, Eddy" when he wants the curtain
ruDg up.
Z. l.. Davenport hada marvellous degree
Of reteutiveneSs and Fanny Davenport has
Inherited tue gift john K. swift who
after FORE was the greatest Rolla who.
sver trod the boards, PCS essed the same
faculty; SO did John Henderson, one of the
f,vori-e tragedia of the Old Bowery; 50
did William e. Burton, the great coined an,
and so did John McColloug .efore bis Nom
DRY gave way, and SO lad Frank Barry, who
is still above, but who has fallen OUT OF
sight of th alter goers.
OF the actors still on the boards, nearly
all those who were trained il the OLD
school have carefully trained memories,
capable Of obeyinG any reasonable call upon
them.
Ed win Booth was known as a great
study" but as ne now plays the same parts
continuously he has no need to exercise his
ability in this direction. His partner
Lawrence Barrett, enjoys the same reputa.
ton. So does that old time tragedienne,
Mrs. d. 2. Bowers; SO does that veteran !.
B. SJudley, who has played everything from
Rolla 10 ulelodrana; 50 has Nary Auaer-
son. So have John Glide t, Y liie Levick,
Mrs. John Hooy, j. II Stoddacl, Mrs.. JON
Drew, whose Nus Malepr0us Ia even no.
delighting our publ joe LETTERS was in
his day called a great study" by his fellow
actors, and Dion Boucicault hala SIMILAR
reputation.
There are any number Of the younger
actors who possess the Same faculty that was
so useful to the older members Of their pro-
fessioI, but they are not called upon 0 ex-
ercisa it, owing to the 10 runs OF plays,
which gives them ample opportunities to
prepare for a new play before they are
through with TIE old.
Louis F. Aldrich, Herbert KelcaY, Fran
els Wilson, Fred Warde, James O'Neil,
Frederick do Bellevile and others could
probably do as well as the old timers.
a d the gift is natural to all those men
toned.
In almost every walk of life good mem-
DRY IS valuable There Is &. head waiter IN
an uptown hotel wac can carry a score of
complicated orders 10 his head at one rim
and he as never been known to make 3
mistake in carrying them into execution.
There is laundry man in BrooGlyn, a
Scotchman, who does large business, a d
who has never adopted the check system l..
vogue with Chinese auadrymen.
He relies entirely upon his memory, and
vet makes 10 mistakes. He claims TO
have no private mark, and never gives
his customers any check. How be does it no
one knows. He says he doesn't know him
self
Instances of the possession Of this gift
might be multiplied. Those cited, however,
are enough to show that good memory is
good thing to possess.
Dawn WECUyER