The evening world., 1890-04-15
IRVING PIYovER.
Shakespeatian Reader.

Fhakespeafian Reader, F.
You might imagine that the above card
belonged TO nome old stager with his his
tory in the past aud nothing to look for
ward TO but easy shoes, loose waistcoats
and long maps. My fancy pictured Just
such n character, wien the door opened
and q miniature gentleman entered and,
with ell the assurance of q cavalier, salts
fed himself that l was the individual
named in a letter of introduction.
He vas dressed in a little cutaway coat
of faultless fl, q pair OF knee-breeches
Cthat did not begin to have as much goods
in them as there was in the sleeves of nv
drcss), black silk stockings and P~iccadilly
shoes.
He wore q very high collar. with a
cream colored knot Of silk under his chin,
jewelled with an opal. and managed n pair
of loose link. buttoned cuffs ns gracefully
as Barrymore does in "A Man of the
World"
Are you Irving Pinover ?" I asked.
That is my name"
"You. q mere child, q S~hakespearian
renderg"
I'm twelve years old, and l hope loon
to be something more than a mere child"
laying emphasis ON the scornful noun.
tried to soften the insult by telling
him that he was very brave to venture out
alone after dark in q big. bad city like
New York. and the pretty, rosy face
beamed and the brilliant black eyes
spark!ed with pleasure.
"Oh, no. I'm not afraid of anything.
Since | began to study Hamlet l don't
think / have known what fear Is. II
the Now York boys would study
the ghost in : Hamlet and the dagger
scene In Macbeth they would DO entirely
cured Of fear. Nobody Gun be q coward
who understands Shakespeare. used TO
be a perfect scaredycrow when I was
little, and II I heard Q noise at night |
got under the blankets and stuffed the
sheet in my ears. Now, IL 1 hear any
strange noises l sit up in bed and listen,
hoping TO be scared. l do that to analyze
my feelings for my work, In the study
of Shakespeare we analyze everything. l
didn't know this until my teacher told
me. Now | study with a dictionary at
my side and ! look up the meaning of
every word. Did YOU ever study Shake
speare5"
Never"
Then you have II great deal to learn
before you die"
l sighed, and asked the compliment
young Roscius to tell inc something about
his home life.
"Well." crossing his little legs and
knotting his small brow austerely, there
isn't much to tell. My father il q French
man, my mother is u sweet woman, and |
am tho youngest of six children. l was
born in Detroit. and next year | shall
he thirteen years old. | go to school.
| am in the third grammar grade, but
society and study take 30 much
of my time that | think papa will
have to got me a private teacher.
Society Is very hard OH a fellow, harder
than study, ! can learn twenty lines of
Shakespeare in hnlf an hour and twice as
many rhymes in that time my lessons
are lever over two hours long, but when
l go to n reception | have to study to
please people all evening, It's necessary
in my judgment To please, and men who
don't think SO shouldn't 90 in company.
In business and society one must be pop.
ular II he wants to be a success, aud that
is what | want aud why | say it in hard
work to so to parties aud receptions.
Ma Dlar No nnvar ,laV
haven't time for such nonsense. I'm a
worker. Every morning | wslk in tue
Park, but | haven't a top. or a hoop, OF
even a marble. Those are not serious
things. and one must be serious 10 study
Shakespeare. No; | haven't N boy
friends. But I'd like to meet hegner,
am tcld that We look alike, only hs Is
fairer than | and much better looking,
Then, too, he is great, l would like to
hear him play. l do not care for the
piano il has heart, sweetness, tender
ness. but tine violin, the king of instru-
ments. has soul. l a never resist it,
The sad cords make a baby of me, aud
when II dance is played | can't keep still,
You see | must have music; at least
my teachers have told me to listen to il
AID let it carry me OF for mental deyel.
opment, II there is any fine feeling or
sensitive emotion in me music will surely
have an effect. 1t will refine me, aud
that's what | want.
Yes, / go to the theatre a great deal.
| have heard Booth many times. lie is a
o...sE~. w.