The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-04

much she may take it so. And she does take II
10 or Nat Goodwin would not trouble himself
% assert that there is no show town ike Boston.
So young Nat went to school there, and. being
ike all persons OF his complexion, quick to
learn, kept going till he knew too much for Bos-
ton and went to Maine. After establishing
I reputation among his college friends and
professors as q charming practical joker and a
most alarming mimic, not to speak OF those rare
qualities Of mind without which no man would
be worthy OF success, much less reach it, Nat
Goodwin graduated from the little "Blue Col
Iege" In Pennington, Me-, In 1873 Charles
Thomas, chief assistant TO Charles Hoyt In the
manufacture of "Parlor Matches" "Tin Sol
diels,'' and "Brass Monkeys" was one of young
Eathanieps, classmates Having taste for fine
clothes and being popular with the ladies, young
Nj. Goodwin upon his graduation secured posi-
ton In a Boston dry goods store a clerk. After
along and faithful service here of two months an
upholstery firm bid for and secured Mr.. Good
win, aud he remained with them upward of one
month. About this time the Thorne family, OF
dramatic renown, were living next door to the
Goodwins, and Nat and the Thorne boys,
Ned and Charlie and Bill, became
very intimate. 1t may be imagined
Goodwin was in his element. His parents had
always thought that young Nat was meant for
the stage, and when he made his ambitions
known he received valuable encouragement
!rom both his father and mother. He shortly
received a place In William Henderson's
P1ovdence opera-house company, and was
an for Sir George Hounslow, in "The
Bottle" amelodrama. Young Goodwin immedi-
ttzI won his way to the admiration OF his
brother actors by learning his part in two hours
Hhperformance at rehearsals was most excel
fcnt and Henderson predicted great things for
him So the time for the first appearance on any
snge OF Mr. Nat Goodwin drew near and the
young gentleman was not frightened. The
evening came, the audience gathered, the or
chestra got through playing and the curtain
went up Goodwin's cue came, he walked upon
the stage and waited for his speech. 1t never
came. It was lost. The leading lady
uttered a scream where Nat Goodwin
thought his lines were-she hadn't done
this at any rehearsal; 1t was an inspiration
and when he raised his arm and moved his lips
to speak, no sound came He simply couldn't
speak. He thought he should do better in the
next scene, but did worse, and still worse in
the third. At the end of, or at least some time
during this scene, Nathaniel rushed from the
theater, down a back street to the railroad
station, and just as he was-costume, grease
paint, wig and all-took the first
train to Boston It was a good while
before Goodwin again ventured on the
training If not positive chastisement, and so he
studied elocution for the next six months under
Wyzeman Marshall, an old friend of Edwin
Forrest Presently he blossomed forth as a
dramatic reader, which profession he followed
for some two years. Then the Boston Howard
Athengum secured his services mimic. In
1875 Mr.. Goodwin was engaged by Tony Pastor
to come to New York and give his
limitations He made his New York
debut at Tony Pastors old theater, OPP
posite Niblo's Garden. His performance
was a hit from the start, and his salary rose
from SIS week to $50, and from $50 to $780, He
was the talk of the town. During this New
York engagement Goodwin used to do a turn
with Denman Thompson, who was then on
the variety stage; in fact, many now well-known
stars were popular variety fayortes at that time.
Neil Burgess, w. j. Scanlan Sol Smith Russell,
Minnie Palmer, and many others were just be-
ginning to be famous. Mr.. Goodwin's
first comedy success was with Minnie
Palmer, under the management OF
Matt Morgan at the Fourteenth Street
theater, in "The Little Rebel" He was next
engaged by E. E. Rice, and created the part of
Captain Dietrich in ''Evangeline." He after
ward assumed the part of lie Blanc. and played
Il for one year. During this engagement Mr..