The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-05

John I. Ford managed the theauer then
few squares below his old playhouse. where
the youngest of the Booths assassinated the
President of the United States.
Edwin Booth was not much of fav rte
with his distinguished father John W lkes,
dashlng, brilliant and dramatic, hoEged the
family creed, to use a theatrical parlance
Edwin was always too melancholy and re-
served to please the old tragedian, and he
was serious, if not severe with him. While
Edwin was proud of, yet he was timid of,
MS father, whose caprices of mind made
him aggressive, and rarely ever tender.
Consequently he was not always pleasant
TO the thoughtful boy who dressed him in
his different characters and pandered to his
pendants as only dutiful son would.
Edwin Booth was we'll educated. Private
tutors taught him the theoretical, as well
as tie thoughtful lessons of effort. He in
herited the Booth talent for languages and
played the fiddle and the ban 10 we'll Many
good story is now told of the whims of
his father for the musical talents of his son,
lie loved to hear Edwin play the violin but
the banjo was his favorite In tae dress
ing room at the theater, or in his bed
chamber at his hotel, he was always de-
lighted to hear his son play a negro Jig,
"Old Zip Coon" or other old negro melo-
dies. Ii there were no broader impulses
involved than the affection which ca rices
called out, it was enough to show that the
son was bred of great sire, and that is
enough fer any man, no matter how great
one may grow in his maturer years.
My store OF "reminiscences is filed with
tales of the elder Booth and his boy, who is
just now filing the public eye and yet pass
ing off the stage of action. Junius Brutus
Booth was timid of Forrest, and the older
Charlie Thorne told me a story recently
winch Stuart Robson, who played in the
cast at the time elaborated afterward.
Here it is:
Thorne was managing the Chatham street
theater at that time. the chief play house of
the metropolis. He had engaged Edwin
Forrest, after whom the present Booth is
named, to play three weeks for him. For
rest thought the time too long, but Thorne
did not. The first weeks business was
good. Nine hundred and fifty dollars was
taken at the box office. The second week
fell off and Thorne thought he was going to
get into trouble and told Forrest he feared
that he could not run the three weeks out.
The great tragedian was a harsh man, and
every night after the performance went to
the box Office and insisted on having his
per diem. Twice, if not more, he had
quarrel with Thorne about the percentage.
and Thorne never for1ave him. He had
the same difficulty with Joe Jefferson, who
played with him, and Stuart Robson once
told me that he was the harShest man whom
he had ever met, although he regarded him
as the greatest actor Of the world.
Aow things have changed since then.
Think of Edwin Booth, Forrest and the
great Booth playing for S125 a night and
81, 900 week-a good revenue. There is q
curious story how it came about. Thorne
thought he was in trouble, and while walk
ing up the street dreary and respondent
Nnk Ac hsa hfrv1r of,,nr he
said to himself:
''lf l could get Booth to play with Forrest
can fill out these three weeks to playing
business" Booth approached and he asked
him if he would help him out.
Certainly" said the great tragedian, "if
Forrest ill play with me-"
How much do you want a nightr said
Thorne.
Fifty dollars" said Booth.
The terms we're accepted. Forrest was
consulted He gave Booth the choice of
characters, and the balance of the engage
ment was played between these two great
men and Mr.. Thorne made four hundred
dollars on the venture
At this time Ed win Booth was travelling
with his father. His penchant for the ban 10
broke out at all time, and one day tue son
was playing away at a great rate for the
edification of his parent. A knock came at
s:rode Mr. Forrest. Booth, half Disconnected,
motloned Edwin to put the banjo away
But Forrest objected and said in a thun-
der IS tone:
LII e IS n, do you play Nellie BlyP"
y IS, sir, was the response.
Play Nellie Bly, then"
The dignified tragedian of to-day thrum-
med "Nellie Bly," Then Mr.. Forest asked
b m to play halfsa dozen familiar melodies,
U Mr. Ronfh Wit
DO you play negro jig" said Mr..
Forest.
Eyes, sir" said the younger Booth.
play a negro jig then, Edwin"
All this time the elder Booth had been
standing, half dazed. wondering that Mr.,
Forrest would thus let down on his dignity.
In a moment Edwin began to play the negro
jig requested. Forrest stood it for awhile,
aud then began to shake one foot aud the
other. The elder Booth followed suit, and
before he had finished his melody both these
great tragediaus were dancing a break
down in true Virginia style. Many such
incidents might be piled up to illustrate the
fact that the lives Of the great actors Of old
were not always tragic, but frequently friv-
olous.
Edwin Booth developed rapidly in his
artistic career. 1t would have been remark.
able had he not risen. He began life with
his father, and while yet boy watched and
waited and studied his magnificent repre-
sensations from behind the footlights aud
in practical way Had he not imbibed
much of his fathers spirit he would have
been dull lad indeed. While John Wilkes
vas regarded the flower of the flock, be-
tween Edwin and his father there was a
bond of sympathy such as never existed be-
tween the younger genius of the family and
his parent John Wilkes developed to early
and was too restless and emphatic to suit
the grand old man from whose loius he
sprang, and who caught more satisfaction
from an association with the thoughtful Ed
win than with the son who was handsome,
talented and capricious. 1t was quite nat
ural then that the last of the Booths as
actors began his career early. In 1S49,
when he was 16 years Of age. he appeared
as "Tresseln in Orchard I'LL" at the Boston
Museum, his first real work on the stage.
His father thought he had done very well,
but was by no means inclined to give the
young actor much encouragement.
In 1851 Mr.. Booth made his first appear
ance on the stage. His father was an
nounced to appear at the old National
theater in New York in Orchard ILL., At
the last moment he took caprice that he
would not play, and ordered Edwin to 20
to the theater and act the part. While he
had seen 1t played many times, the propo-
sltlon startled him; but there was no other
as the father would not ap-
pear. Edwin Booth acted the part to the
Of all concerned, and it is a
generally accepted fact that the elder Booth
sat in the au1iepca he 49,