Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1890-08-25

who are certainly competent to express
an opinion concerning his artistic work.
know how effective he was with the
public, as many nights l have stood
upon the stage in humble capacity and
wondered at his power to move and
thrill vast assemblages. To his in
feriors he was ever gentle, considerable
and kind. The sorrowing heart of many a
struggling, disappointed and poor.young
actor has quickened with pulsations OF
hope as he spoke words of kindly
encouragement, and his purse was never
full enough to meet the requirements of
his liberal character. For several years
in that theatre in Cleveland, hardly
knew the value of name, as l was
always called that little girl with the
hood | was not rich enough in those
days to afford a gay hat or spruce look
ing bonnet, and generally wore little
hood; and from that fact as 1 have said,
that little girl with the hood 1
remember one day, when the bill for the
night was to be Hamlet, and The actress
who was to play the player queen was
incapacitated. l cannot tell you with
what thrill of satisfaction heard Mr..
Booth say, Couldn't that little girl with
the hood do it?' | was cast to 90 on for
the part. After I had spoken a few
lines, l saw Hamlet turn round as he
laid prone on the stage and swear at me.
felt that something was wrong with
me; that my dress was not all right or
that something had displeased the star.
However, l rallied and went through
my speech, but left the stage feeling GER
tain that for something, l did not know
what, was to be reprimanded. With
fear and trembling l saw Mr.. Booth
approach. He paused, and in presence
OF several members of the company,
complimented me and said that for a mo-
ment after 1 had begun speaking he
thought he detected tears in my voice.
Only the young actress can understand
what that compliment was to me. Too
few OF our great stars think of perform
ing these little acts, which means so
much to those who are striving to work
on to the place which is the goal of
young ambition. l remember another
night when the performance was dis
tressingly bad, and everything seemed
to go wrong as it sometimes will in a
theatre, and Mr.. Booths best scenes
and greatest situations were utterly
ruined. Everyone expected storm
and some vigorous language when the
curtain fell and Manager Ellsler, of the
theatre, was there expecting his share
of censure. To the surprise of all who
had seen other stars in similar circum-
stances and who had seen the air blue, as
the saying is, Mr.. Booth simply said to
Manager Ellsler, it's too bad, too bad
you must do better for me tomorrow.
His kindly heart would not permit him
to berate the poor actors, who had done
their best even though their best had
made him appear at his worst.
DIxey's Difficulties.
"Adonis' Dixey is sued for divorce,
and therein is the end of his stage
romance. Dixey closed an engagement
started for San Francisco. Mrs. Dixey
is at Palenville, in the Catskills, with
her sister, Amelia Glover.
Twelve or thirteen years ago there
were in Rice's Surprise Party" two
pretty sisters, Amelia and Ida Glover.
Henry E. Dixey was then adding to
the reputation he made in "Evange-
line
On June 3, 1873, while playing an en-
gagement III Chicago, Miss Ida Glover
became Mrs. Dixey, and promptly re-
tired to private life. She came to New
York to live, and after whilea little
boy was born to her. Then came a little
sister for the boy.
Dixey and his wife and children lived
at the Gedney house on Broadway, and
at first everybody used to remark how
happy they all were. By and by these
remarks began to grow less frequent
and then ceased altogether. But Dixey
danced aid sang for the public just the
same, and deserted his pretty wife and
children in September, 1888.
Theatricals Thirty Years Ago.
Edwin Booth was then playing an en-
gagement at the Howard Atheneum, at
the conclusion of which he and his bride
were to start for Europe. Mr.. and Mrs.
Bartney Williams were preparing for
tour OF the south and southwest. Laura
Keene was playing in London. Miss
Mary Mitchell was leading lady for the
Montgomery (Ala.) theater. Edwin
Booths younger brother, John Wilkes
Booth, was just starting out on his
theatrical career, and gave promise of
becoming great actor. Five years later
he met his death for the assassination
of President Lincoln. Charlotte Cramp-
ton and Angela Seton were at the Bos-
ton Museum. Charlotte Cushman had
just been engaged at Winter Garden.
Mrs. John Wood was under engagement
to appear at the Haymarket theatre in
London in October. Davenport was
playing in Boston, assisted by his wife.
Nine. Ristori had just been engaged for
three months at st Petersburgh by the
Car, for which she was to receive $780,
600. Mr.. and Mrs. Florence were draw
ing large houses at Wallack's, New York
in "Toodles.'