Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-14

plotted boldly. In music the loss Of tone or the
iSssnos Of gu.sy is unsrrnsly noted and pub.
public funeral and q public performance of
Shakespeare do We parade the relics Of de-
parted worth Mr. Wheeler speaks
of Booths entrance into New York when Edwin
Forrest was retiring, and says. Even
ders above any histrione the young country
had produced, and the memory of him even
now has heavy vibration in the drama like
that OF Webster in oratory and Bancroft and
Cooper in our literature" Mr.. Wheeler does
not acquit Booth of some share in the ISLANDERS
which pursued Forrest, and he compares
Booths failures, 1.-The tottering Mr.. Booth"
a. he calls him, to the historical parallel and
contrasts, but says: 1.-THE adjustments of time
are slow, but it must be said now that in Edwin
Forests ruin there survived the indomitabie
soul of an artistic hero who owed nothing to
laudation. Even when struck BY the lightning
of paralysis his iron will and uneonquerei am
bitlon blazed through the ashes Of his endeavor,
and at the last, when his great heart was broken.
and his majestic form was bent, he gathered his
resolute genius together and with a mighty final
effort gave to the American stage an embodi-
ment OF Shakespeare masterwork that was a
revelation then, and remains a stupendous and
unapproachable memorial to this hour" Mr..
Wheeler dismisses Booth by saying: ''Mr.
Booths frame Is not paralszed. His interest
Is He is not careworn; he is careless. He
shakes the old banner with Excelsior on it,
put ue uoes NOT paipAIato himself. we are re-
quested to take our memories with us and
honor him for what he no longer is and accept
the banner" With such an authority for his
condition we may congratulate ourselves that
we are spared the infection.
DINNER TO EDWIN FORREST.
A friend in Philadelphia sends me an inter-
esting account of dinner given to Edwin For
rest in 1888 on his return from his first visit to
England where he had met decided success.
The dinner was given at the old Merchants
Hotel on 4th street, so long the home of the
late Mr.. Mekibbin, whose death a few weeks
ago was announced at the age of ninety-two
The dinner was to have been presided over by
Mr. Nicholas Biddle, but indisposition prevent
ing the Hon. Joseph II. Ingersoll was selected
to preside. The list of guests surrounding the
tables to do honor to their young towns
man reads at this day like a chapter
from record beyond our memory,
but every name is engraven deeply on
their state and city. Chief Justice Gibson,
DIR. Samuel Jackson of the University of Penn
syivanla. Hon. Charles Jared Ingersoll, Hon.
John Swift. mayor Of Philadelphia; Charles B.
Penrose, COL James Page. Joseph R. Chandler,
Robert Morris. Morton McMichael, DR.. Robert
Byrd, the dramatist; Robert L. Conrad, John
G. Watmaugh and others met to greet the
young actor on his return. Mr.. Forrest re-
spending to the speech and toast of Mr.. Ingey-
soil, the Chairman. after returning thanks for
the honor conferred upon him and referring to
onced, among other incidents of his boyish
days related the following: Years ago some
strolling professor visited this city and at
Vauxhall Garden was administering exhilarating
gas to many persons. Upon one occasion this
gas was administered to q poor, friendless UNI
known boy who had joined the motley throng
instantly he assumed tragic attitude
and commenced to declaim passages from
well-knOwn tragedy. The throng gath
cred around him, some to smile only,
18th TO
the effect of the gas passed away and the boy
to his utter dismay found himself the center Of
attraction-'the observed Of all observers
His first impulse was to beat hasty retreat,
but the crowd had closed around him and his
only chance of escape was to shrink behind the
forms OF others. In this moment of fear and
trepidation he was aware of the presence of q
klnd-hearted gentleman, who, patting him
gently on the head, bade him be Of good cheer,
not to be frightened, that no one should harm
him, and then turning to the crowd added:
Gentlemen, this boy possesses the germs of
great dramatic ability and will at no distant day
make name for himself of which the country
will be proud From that hour to this,
through all the intervening years of change
and chance, that gentleman has been the firm,
generous, steadfast friend of the brave boy he
first saw at Vauxhall Garden. That generous
friend was the Hon. John Swift who il TODAY
the honored chief marshal Of Philadelphia, and
the poor friendless boy whom he first met
uuucT suCu pcCullitE circumstances ID the num-
BILE individual who now has the honor of address
ing you."
W. c. COULDoCKs FIRST APPEARANCE HERE.
Kind friends, to provoke my memory, send
me scraps Of the past which they find floating
in the tide Of journalism, affectionately remem-
bering threat have hanging over them of
publishing some day a volume Of these remem-
brances. One now before me is of the olden
time, recalling the first appearance here Of that
capitol actor. Mr.. W. G. Couldock. He ap-
peared here in 1849 with Charlotte Cushman.
The first piece l saw him in was Macbeth"
1t was not q successful performance and the In
tettigencer said SO the next morning, but before
that engagement ended Mr. Couldock was COM
mended very highly. He still lives to show the
present age of sensational and not generally
commendable performances what was re-
garded as legitimate drama thirty years ago,
when Forrest, Murdoch, Davenport. Gilbert.
Brougham. Blake and others trod the boards
Mr.. COuldock bridges the period between
US and that of Macrsady,, Charles Keane,
Madame Vestries, whom he married. Co
leste, Fanny Kemble, Charlotte Cushman
and Mr.. Fitzwilliam, with all Of whom
he played before coming to this country
long engagement from Mr.. Macready to play
second parts to him. Mr.. Couldock was the
original Abel Muroon in the American
Cousin" and, disliking the part, like
SOtnern, as L0Td Duadyed1y, determined
to guy" it-but it was success and gained
for its creator considerable credit. Mr.. Coul-
dock, it is mentioned in the article kindly sent
me, in 1859 joined Jack Owens company at
New Orleans, where he played John Pee1'ybinqle
to Ovens Caleb Pi,un,ner in Boucicaults
dot in the Cricket on the Hearth" Such
performance as that is now impossible. as
Jack Owens Caleb has never been surpassed. if
equaled. l have heard it commended beyond
Jefferson's famed personation and that, too,
in mouths of wisest censure'' have seen it
and recall it with delight and 1 can well
imagine what Mr.. Couldock would make of
John Peeyybingte. The best of John Perry
GingLes have ever seen was that Of Harry
Pearson, who played it here with Agnes Robin
son. and at Winter Garden, New York, where
1t run for long time under the able manage
ment OF the late genial VIM. Stewart. and where
Sara Stevens, who afterward became the wife
of John Heenan, made such a hit as BERTHA,
the blind daughter of Caleb.
1t was one of the jokes on Burton when he
was on Chambers street and Mr.. Cookbook was
in the company that the school of reform"
was pasted in the green room and Couldock
asked who plays Boo Iyke, and Burton said he
did, and Mr.. CouldOck emphatically said il was
his part and refused any other. / never saw
him in that character, but he must have made
an admirable Bob Tyke. 1t is an old drama of
the long ago but one in which John s. Clarke
made success. 1t was somewhat heavy and
not popular, and he said he always PLAYED it
for ME, one else seemed to like it, It was
think, one of his best presentations Mr.
Couldock still remnips unop hoa I'd. h. x;,,.x