Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-28

conclusion Of the play Col. Forney and myself
and some one else, whom I cannot recall Just
now, were waiting for Mr.. Forrest to 60 with
us to Gen. Armstrong; to party such as used
to be given in those days. and when he came
into the box Office Q bear with Q sore head
would have been Joy, plaything, to the great
tragedian. Any Of your readers who have seen
Forrest in one of his moods may form some
idea of his manner. Poor Fenno. all smiles and
geniality, not knowing that he was the cause of
the i'll humor Of the great tragedian, augmented
1t by his manner to Mr.. Forrest After some
argument, in which Forney felt authorized to
indulge with a good deal Of vigor, We got under
way for the residence of Gen. Armstrong, but
Forrest was a wet blanket to all enjoyment, and
to the remonstrance Of Col. Forney, who talked
very plainly to him. he would answer: ''What
did you bring me here for?" And poor Fenno,
the unconscious cause of the anger of Forrest
rather aggravated it by trying to soothe him.
Fenno and Forrest, and now Florence, have
passed to their long home, and these incidents
serve to recall their peculiar traits. The next
night however, after this one in which For
rest utterly unfit to join the social circle
he appeared at a party at Marshal Hoover's
and was the life and light Of the evening.
He told inimitably, as only he could tell them,
some quaint French stories. recited poetry. and
made himself, in fact, the entertainer of the
large crowd who in those days filled the perlors
SO marked between this night and the night
before that the enjoyment was enhanced.
MEMORIES.
One Of the attractions of Washington in the
days of which write were the members Of the
theatrical companies which wintered here
can recall SO many Of them that their names
would ill a column Of The STAR, now alas,
passed off the stage Of life, leaving in the men,
DRY Of but very few the incidents which made
us cherish their memories long after the grave
had closed above them.
Florence's compeer, Joseph Jefferson. re-
mains veteran who does not flag superfiuous
over the stage" but as full of life and vigor as
when, years ago, he graced the boards of the old
National and officiated stage manager for
that other veteran, John T. Ford. These two
theatrical magnates are the connecting links
between today and the long ago. Amid the
pelting storm of last Monday Florence was laid
in the vault until the return Of Mrs. Florence,
who Is familiar to some Of our old play goers.
THE CAPTURE OF sLIDELL AND MASON.
had occasion while in New York to visit my
old haunt, the Astor library, and while there
my eyes struck upon the headlines of New
York paper of November %, 1861. Thirty years
ago! These display lines announced with the
most cheering ordinations the capture of
Slidell and Mason by Capt. Wilkes of the San
Jacinto. 1t was hailed as the most stupendous
success and its importance was deemed equal
to great victory. followed up the file and
varying editorials of boasting and determine
uOn 10 90 sometnlng-tney did not seem to see
what they would debut the usual parade of cap
itals and dashes and exclamation points were
used; but at last, not until December II, did the
English news come, and then there was change.
There was great excitement in Liverpool and
London, consols and cotton fell, mass meetings
were called and the peremptory demand was
made on the United States to place Messrs. Mason
and Slidell again under the British flag. The de-
mand was an unconditional one. Artillery was
sent to Canada and reinforcements SO the
papers of that day announced and there came a
more quiet time in the daily press-perhaps, it
was said, Capt. Walker committed a breach of
international law, &c, &C., but q change had
come.
In the meanwhile Capt Wilkes was not dis
posed to remain silent under this change of
opinion, and he wrote very lengthy and adj
mlrable letter to the National Inteuigencer ask
ing to be heard. l took the letter to Gov. Sew
ard, as We did all matter referring to the State
or War department, and the governor desired
we should withhold it from publication for
few days, and in the meanwhile the confederate
commissioners had been transferred to the pro-
lection of the British flag. How tamely it all
reads now, but at the time the capture of the
commissioners. and with them their secretary,
the Hon. George Eustis, was regarded as a
great thing, and Capt Wilkes was extolled to
the skies.
Mr.. Eustis is most agreeably remembered
here as member of Congress before the war,
and on his marriage to Miss Corcoran, sole
heiress to the benevolent banker, he resided
abroad for the last years of his life and the in
cidents which recall him have passed out of
the memory of many of his countrymen. Not
one OF the actors in that exciting period of our
country history whose name l can recall re-
mains among US. JOHN F. CoYLE.