Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-07

SUNDAY, DECEMBER
for five years, with an increase of 10 francs
per week each year after September.
We have told you that my Minnie would be
placed in boarding house during my vaca-
ton, but have had the happiness to obtain an
engagement at the Royal Theater Brighton,
beginning in June, and as my salary will be
written to Mr.. Williams offering my best
thanks. Send me some news from France,
and of that monster Bonaparte, who has, l
fear too many friends in your city.
Meat here is 10 to IL cents pound, and every
thing is extremely dear. Say to my uncle, and
my sweet sisters that L embrace them, as does
my wife also. As she will not have time to
write you her long history to-day. as the gentle
man who will mail this is about to leave, she
will have to wait some days for your reply,
which l hope is now on the road. Tell Mr..
Williams that have bought two Of his pictures,
one small and the other large.
Present our compliments to all our friends
who inquire for us, and am, meantime.
]. B. BOOTH.
AND HE WAS THEN FAMOUS.
The letter was addressed to Mr.. Booths
mother-in-law who lived in Brussels Bel
gium, and represents the harsh conditions
of his life, even after he had obtained a
good position on the stage. Beginning at
So week he was to creep up at such slow
degrees that after FIVE years of effort he was
to get SIG. When this contract was made
the great actor had just come from BRUSSELS
where he had been playing with an En-
glish speaking company for the officers OF
the allied armies, that fought the battle of
Waterloo.
1t was while he was fulfilling this contract
that he became famous, but it would seem
from his own words that his struggle was so
hard that he was constantly desiring to get
out of the profession. He finally concluded
to be a soldier, and doubtless had some
vague impression that he would win distinc-
tion more rapidly in the army than behind
the footlights. Some two years later from
the date of the letter already quoted, he
wrote to his young wife, then in Brussels,
telling her of his strange ambition.
BOOTHS MILITARY AMBITION.
Fer reply illustrates her temper as well as
his:
My dear Junius:
At all times when I do not hear from you
almost to the very day expect, I have thou
SAND anXleties, but now most particularly. so
can be reconcled to your silence when can
hope your time is wholly taken up by pleasure
feel wish to hear from you when you have
vexations. Dearest Junius. how much unhap,
p1ness has your last letter caused-February 2;
what wounded spirit breathes in it.
Why cannot be near you to hear and under
stand every thought and feeling as they rise in
your bosom? A word or look will often open
the heart, and by word or look We often re-
celVe consolation, or advice more grateful and
more exactly answerable to our feelings than
perhaps hundred cold, inanimate letters. 1
lncessantly ponder on the subject of that let
ter-do not then entertain a thought that 1t IS
possible Tor you to occasion in my heart one
thought of displeasure toward you-every pur-
suit you have must be laudable. and can never
have so cruel a wish as that you should pass
a a
happy in, only because I had once placed my
whole sum of happiness for you in that profess
sion.
ASKS CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.
1 am not one of those prejudiced people. I
have often heard said, "a young man should
never change" and mo good can come of it,
all that would ask you is tbatit should be we'll
considered, and there should be reasonable
grounds for thinking the one to be will be pro-
ductlve OF more satisfaction than the one that
is. How often do people say they have consid-
cred 1t only because they have INDUCED their
compass such thing? have seen so much of
military life in these days that once acquainted
with the prospects You have formed in your
own mind, can determine whether you Will be
| happy in it or completely miserable.
Ponder well, dear, on all the reasons which
cause you to hate the profession you are in-is
it neglect. injustice? Do you feel more poign-
antly than others in the same situation dof
Above all, what is the grand aim you had in
that-and what will it be in that you have de-
cided ON, or are meditating to decide on? Is it
an ambition to be distinguished At present I
cannot but feel sorry, should say grieved. at
| the bent of your inclination. nor can do less,
when never creature was more ardent for fame
than am for yours nor felt more assured than
l have done at being in the right road, for
GENIUS POINTED OUT THE PATH,
thought, and opportunity was at least par.
TALLY afforded to display those talents which,
not myself alone, but everyone whose judgment
or feeling can prize, discern and value equally
!. with myself. thought, though all we desired
| had not yet been attained, there was enough to
cheer and enliven the way toward it. feel
that in the army you will have nothing to en-.
courage you on but your own consciousness
that time shall come when you will be known
or do you really prefer the simple military lIfei
| Oh! how little do you know OF yourself if you
think you do However, dear. only make your.
self sure that you do prefer 1t to the one you
are in, and shall be content. What 1 most
| fear is that, feeling unhappy in one place, we
fancy any change must be for the better.
could yourself address him, there might be
| fame and honor fast as such an impatient
spirit could desire, and feeling that, could at
| least be silent Now can neither be that nor
| yet can say half what feel. Write me di.
| rectly Affectionately. MINNIE.
THERE WERE STRUGGLES ALWAYS.
These old relics of a wonderful past in
tue "a thC otdSC duu VI d REedt dCLOI
came back through the mist of years to fur
nish, not only an interesting view of its
conditions at that time, but an apt illustra.
tion of the fact that in all generations among
those who labor on the stage there has been
severe fight in gaining foothold. These
struggles which Mr.. Booths letters Sc
clearly portray finally drove him out oi
Covent Garden Theater and brought him to
the United States to win fame and fortune
second to few men who have ever trod the
boards.
Some of those who gather at Poverty Cor.
ner may some day have this said of them,
but now the weather OF their future is foggy.
While this is true there are many bright
places in the theatrical sworld of London.
1t is by no means all darkness, and there
can be some delightful pictures drawn oi
the many meeting places of actors and
actresses in the great city where they have
great chances for enjoyment as we'll as work.
FRANK A. BURR.