The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-07

the remarkable assembly which gathers IN
about 1.-The Duke of y ork' that famous tap
room on 1.-The corner where good beer is
kept with pretty barmaids to pull the
pumps.
Hard as is the life that those humble PEG
pie of the stage and would be stars lead, 1t
is vast Improvement on the years ago
when all players were looked upon as vag-
abonds, liable not only to poverty, but TO
all sorts of indignities. The days have
long since passed when they had to be
called This maiesty's servants to protect
them from outrage. Some OF these poor
people lind here may some day represent
a still higher advancement OF stage lie
than we are even now knowing. The hap
py-go-ucky seeking OF today may make
the beginning of many good If not great ca
reers. | am reminded by looking over
these strange people that
JUNIUS BRUTUs BOOTH
and many other great actors sprung from
the most limited conditions of life, and
even after they had shown their quality
were willing or were forced to work for
pittance. Some interesting "reminiscences
of the early stage life of some of the great
actors who used to circulate about here are
recalled while listening in 1.-The Duke OF
York; to the talk among the talent gath
! cred there of their ambitions and prospects.
| Story and song help to enliven the occasion,
and the world is brighter to them by their
racy view oft.
Just across the Waterloo bridge and
within a gunshot of the queer place and the
queer people who have attracted my atten-
| tion is the Lyceum theatre, the home of
! Henry Irving and his superb company,
none of whom, | believe, ever knew or at
! least felt the eXactions or knew the pleas
ures of Poverty Corner Not far, in fact
only few turns, from where Mr.. Irving
and Ellen Terry represent the very highest
| advancement of the stage of this day and
do much for the humble people who labor
upon it, is Covent Garden theatre, towards
| which my thoughts are tending while on
| the Surrey side of the Thames. 1t is sur
rounded by great market house where
every morning the people of London flock
| to buy their flowers, fruit and vegetables.
! THE SURROUNDINGS ARE MOST UNGAINLY,
but its history is filled with the strangest.
romauces and some of the grandest achieve
ments of the stage. Were it in the United
States people could not be induced to visit
| it, but here traditions count for so much
| that although it holds some four thousand,
| it is the home of grand opera, the swell
concerts and large audiences. 1t is hand
some after you get inside and that is all,
but Covent Garden has great past and
may have great future. | seek only to
use its traditions to show how in the long
ago, ever the greatest actors received very
small compensation for their work and
their road was as rough as some of those of
whom have been writing. Among some
| old manuscripts in the possession of a
| friend, l found this letter:
Madame and friend: have had the pleasure
! to receive your letter of the 18th instant, and
am charmed, as is also my wife, to hear that
/ you are well. My engagement at Covent Gar
| den was signed on the 4th of this month. Here
| the For the first 10 frances
! q week: the second 80; the third 60; the fourth
| 20 and the fifth 50. Thus you will see that the
terms have been changed, and instead of 60
| francs per week. and for three years, my en-
| gagement is for five years, with an increase of
ten francs per week each year after September.
! We have told you that my Minnie would be
placed in a boarding house during my vacation,
! but have mad the happiness to obtain an en-
gagement at the Royal theatre, Brighton, be-
ginning in June, ana as my salary will be good,
Minnie VIII accompany me. have also written
TO Mr.. Williams Offering thanks.
Brighton is a city somewhat like BRUSSELS
and also gay. The air is the purest to be found
in all England, and as sedentary life will not
be healthy for Minnie at present, she being
! enc elten Brighton will give her fine opportu-
mites to amuse herself.
Send me some news from France and of that
/ monster Bonaparte, who has, fear, too many
friends in your city.
Meat here is ten to twelve cents a pound, and
everything is extremely dear.
You have by this time undoubtedly received
by letter OF the Sth instant, with n written copy
OF the certificate OF our marriage, which had
started before your letter was received.
say 10 my uncle and my sweet sisters that I
embrace them, does my wife also. As she
viii not have time to write you her long history
to-day. as the gentleman who will mail this is
about 10 leave, she viii have TO wait some days
for your reply. which hope is now on the road.
Tell Mr.. Williams that l have bought two of
his pictures one small and the other large.
Present our compliments to all our friends
who enquire for us. am meantime, your affec
tionate son, j. Il. BoOTH.
The letter was addressed to MIR. Booth
mother-in-law who lived in Brussels, Bel
GUM, and represents the harsh conditions
of his life, even after he had obtained a
good position on the stage. Beginning at
eight dollars a week he was to creep up by
such slow degrees that after five years of
effort he was to get only sixteen dollars.
When this contract was made the great
actor had Just come from Brussels, where
he had been PLAYING with an English speak
ing 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 10
get out of the profession. He finally con-
cuded to be a soldier and doubtless had
some vague impression that he would win
distinction 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 ambi-
ton. Her reply illustrates her temper as
! well as his:
My dear Junius: At all times when I do no,
hear from you almost to the very day / expect
have thousand auXieties, but now most par
ticularly l can be reconciled to your silence
when I can hope your time is wholly taken W
by pleasul ole occupation, but every day and
|, moment feel u wish to hear from you wher
! you have veXationS Dearest Junius, how much
unhappinesS has your last letter caused 2nd
February; what wounded spirit breaths in 1t
Why cannot be near you to hear and under
stand every thought and feeling they rise in
your bosom: a word or look will often open the
heart and by word look we often receive
j consolation, or advice more grateful and more
exactly anSwerable to our feelings than perhaps
l hundred cold inanimate letters. Iincessanti y
ponder on the subject of that letter-do moi
then entertain a thought that it is possible
for you to occasion in your heart one thought Of
displeasure towards you-every pursuit yot
5 have must be laudable, and | can never have 81
, cruel wish as you should pass whole life il
a profession that you cannot be happy in, only
j because had once placed my whole sum o.
/ happiness for you in that profession. / am mo-
= one of those prejudiced people. / have Otter
: heard said "a young man should never change
and mo good can come of it'-all that woule
J ask you is that it should be well considered
| and there should be reasonable grounds fo