Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-09
EDWIN FORREST.
SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE GREAT TRAGEDIAN.
Joseph Jefferson's Description of an I'm
lucky Nights Episode in Wash
ington, d. c.

raphy OF Joseph Jefferson Is one OF th'
entertaining features of the midwinte
number of the Century Magazine of Feb
ruary 1st. Four portraits of the famous
tragedian accompany the article-two rep
resenting him in costume and two as h'
appeared off the stage.
Mr.. Jefferson describes Forrest as hand
some fellow, with the form of an Apollo
and strength of a Hercules; his deep musi
cal voice under perfect control, and, il
pathetic scenes, full of tears.
"During my long professional life l me
him frequently" adds Mr.. Jefferson, "anC
l should say thai much of his unhappines
for he was very unhappy man-camt
| from an irritable temper, under little con
troll"
From advance sheets of this article W.
quote the following-an amusing illustra
ton of Forests ungovernable temper:
"At the conclusion of the Richmond en-
gagement," writes Mr.. Jefferson, "the com
pany iourneyed to Washington, where We
we're to open with Forrest as Metamora-
character that he detested, and one that
the public admired. Forrest was alway:
in state OF intense irritation during the
rehearsal and performance of this drama
Irregularities that he would have over.
looked under ordinary circumstances were
now magnifed to an enormous size, so that
when he donned the buckskin shirt and
stuck the hunting-knife of the American
savage in his wampum belt he was ready
to scalp any offending actor who dared to
cross his path. The copper-colored liquid
with which he stained his cheeks might
literally have been called 'war-paint'
"At the rehearsal the poor property
man, old Jake Search, got into dreadful
state of nervousness, and everything went
wrong. The tragedian naturally held me,
as stage manager, responsible for these ac-
cidents, particularly as the unlucky Jake
would conceal himself behind set pieces,
or mysteriously disappear through traps as
each mishap occurred. In the midst OF
this dreadful confusion, principally
brought about by his own i'll humor, For
rest turned on me, saying that he would
not act that night, and strobe out of the
theater. / hurried through the front OF
the house, and heading him off in the
alley addressed him, as nearly as | can re-
member, in the following words:
"Mr Forrest, before you decide upon
this step let me state an important fact,
that perhaps has not crossed your mind.
He saw | was in earnest, and stopped
short to listen, as | resumed: MIR. Ford,
the manager, is absent, so | must take his
responsibility to the public on myself The
blunders on the stage this morning have
been unfortunate, perhaps culpable, but
you must pardon me for saying that your
excited manner and somewhat unreason-
able demands have contributed not little
to confuse the company and bring about
this disorder. But be that is a may, there
is another and still more important mat
ter to consider. Every seat in the theater
is taken for tonight; the audience will
crowd the house in expectation of great
dramatic treat, to which they have been
looking forward for some time.
"If you decline to ct,and so break your
contract with the public, what course is
left for me? Why, only this l must wait
for the vast eoncourse OF people to assem-
BILE and then go before them and explain
the reason for your non-appearance. |
shall have to make clear statement of
the case and say that you refused to act
because there were some slight discrep-
ancies and irregularities in the rehearsal.
The public are, you know, quite unreason-
able when their diversion is checked, and
it is likely that they will be indignant at
the disappointment, failing to see the
reason as clearly as you have done. Now,
consider moment. Under these circum-
stances will it not be more magnanimous
in you to overlook the shortcomings and
go on with the rehearsalY
Gle paused for moment and said: i
will not go back to the rehearsal. l am
too much excited, and my presence on the
stage now will only make matters worse
but if you will see that details are attended
to, | will act tonight
81 promised to do so, and we parted.
was only too glad to get rid of him on
those terms, in his then Incorporate state
of mind. l went back to the stage and
dismissed the rehearsal, cautioning the
actors to do what they could to render
the nights performance creditable. |
now began to hunt up the delinquent
and frightened property man, Jake Search
an appropriate name for fellow
who needed so much looking after-and
discovered him hiding under pile of old
scenery. is he gone i? said Search. Yes
l answered, but he will return tonight /;
SO see that your properties are in good con-
dition, or he will be the death of YOU
"The night came and matters progressed
favorably until the council scene. One of
the characters here, being overcome with
nervousness, reversed his questions to
Metamors, giving the wrong lines, and of
course receiving an absurd answer. The
audience, recognizing the confusion of the
dialogue, began to laugh, and course this
made matters worse. The act terminates
with the Indians great speech, From the
East to the West, from the North to the
South. the loud cry of vengeance shall be
heard and here he hurls his knife into
the center of the stage, where it quivers
defiance as the curtain falls. In his
anger and excitement the blade failed to
stick in the stage and bounded into the
orchestra, the handle hitting the double
bass player on the top of his head, which
was as innocent of hair as billiard ball,
so as the curtain came down the old fellow
was stamping about and rubbing his bald
pate to the delight of the audience.
~ realized now that the storm had burst
in earnest, and that a total wreck would
soon follow. Knowing that l could not
avert the catastrophe, and having no de-
sire to face the trsgedian's wrath, like a
polite but disloyal captain l de-
serted the ship and went in front to see it
go down. Byron says of a battle, oh,
what sight to him who has no friend
or brother therep to which Prentice adds
sand is not there himself The latter was
now my case. was not there myself, aud
| did not intend to be, so from the secure
corner of an upper private box | watched
the progress of the most disastrous per
formance had ever seen.
Gas the curtain rises on the last act the
| tribe of Metamora should rush through
the woods as their leader calls them; bu
| by this time the braves were so fright
ened that they had become demoral
| lied, and as the foremost rushed through
the opening in the woods his long
bow got crosswise between two trees
This not only precipitated the redskil
over it, but the entire tribe followed, tum
bling head over heels into the middle o
the stage. | trembled now lest the 'biI
Injun' would refuse to put in an ap
pearance At last, to my relief, tn