Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-06-14

1t was at the Queens Theater, on one
very foggy night forget the month
and even the year-that Mr.. Irving and
| acted together for the first time. The
play was katherine and Petruchio," a
hashed up version of the Tanning of
the Shrew." l fancy we neither OF us
played very well. From the very first
| noted that Mr.. Irving worked more
concentratedly than all the other actors
put together, and the most important
lesson Of my working life learnt from
him-that to do ones work well one
must work continually, live life Of
constant Sefdenial for that purpose
and, in short, keep ones nose upon the
grin9Stone. 1t is lesson one had bet
ter learn early in stage life, | think, for
the bright, glorious, healthy career of
successful actor is but brief at the best.
There is an old story told Of Mr.. IT.
wing being 'Struck with my talent at
this time, and promising that if be ever
had theatre of his own he would give
me an engagement. But that is all
moonShine. As matter OF fact I'm
sure he never thought of me at all at
that time. was just then acting very
badly, and feeling i'll, caring scarcely at
all for my work or theatre or anything
belonging to theatre.
Mr.. Boucicault had lately offered me
an engagement in America on what
seemed to me extraordinary terms, but
| declined his offer, and after acting in
two or three more plays under the
Wigan management, | left the stage for
many years.
When | returned it was the same
theatre. The Queens was now under
different management, and my old
! friend, Mr.. Charles Reade, was at the
head of affairs. Dear, lovable, aggra
waiting, childlike, crafty, gentle, obStin-
ate and entirely delightful and inter
esting Charles Reade! His play, 1.-The
Wandering Heir" was in the middle of
successful run, and Mrs. John Wood,
who was playing the principal part, was
leaving the theatre for some other en-
gagement. l took her place as Philip
pa Chester, and from that time until
the present have never lost zeSt for my
work.
That was delightful engagement.
Mr.. Reade used to go in private box
every night and watch the play and
send we around notes between each act,
telling me what had done i'll and what
well in the preceding act. l have the
letters still, and We're | to give them
here the readers of STRAY Memories"
would find very different and very in
teresting reading; but since / am Of the
opinion that to publish private letters
intended for only one person Is like
asking an audience to put their ears to
keyhole and listen to private con
versation, | must ask to be endured for
my own sake.
CHARLES READE'S MOODS.
never have met with anybody who
possessed so many characteristics as
Charles Reade. He was so big hearted
and guieless, and yet for moments as
suspicious as Old Nick. One moment,
with friend, it would be MY dearest
child - and the next (under some fancied
wrong -" Madam, you are a rat-you
desert sinking ship" have seen him
stand up and sing The girl left be-
hind me- in the most pathetic manner.
with the tears streaming over his kind
old cheeks. I've seen him white with
rage, and his dark eyes blazing, when
some one belonging to me has said
lightly and playfully to him: "Why did
poor Nell come home from rehearsal
looking so tired yesterday? You work
her too hard" He thought it was I'M
just, and simply famed in his wrath
but oh, it was so sweet, the reconcilia-
ton after the little misunderstanding,
and the rehearSals were ALWAYS shorter
afterward.
He used to say there should be no
such word as quarrel, and one morning
he produced mysteriously from his pock-
etbook slip of paper with these words
written in big letters
THERE DO EXIST SUCH THINGS As HONEST
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
"There, my Eleauora Delicia"--he al
ways called me that { my name was
Ellen Alica)-"S tick that up in. some
place where you will often see it. Better
put it on your looking glass" he rudely
added, land it will save you world of
unhappinesS if you get those words well
into your noddle." | think he was
right.
Not always so right were his theories
his was that everything should be real
in the way of properties upon the stage,
and he produced little play of his own,
called "Rachel the Reaper" ana tried
to put into practice some of his pet
theories. He had a short, real wall
built across the stage, but as there was
no real sun there were no real shadows,
and the absence of the painted shadows
made the real wall appear like anything
but a wall at all There was a real pony
who did his part beautifully; but the
real sheep, the real dog and the real
goat really deserved to be fined week
salary.
AND TIE REAL PIGS.
As for the real pigS-well, they never
appeared at all, Mr. Reade arrived in a
fOur-wheeler one morning at rehearsal
with goat and three wee pigs, The
goat was secured. but the instant the
cab door was opened away went the wee
pigs heller skelter, one towarG the
Strand. another toward the Endell
Street Baths and another here and there,
and dear old Charles Reade flying after
them. and in such deadly earnest, too.
for did not the success of the play de-
pend upon those real pigs? But no
not lone little piggie stayed at home, ]"
and Charles Reade in his rage declared
the pigs should be cut out''-and cut
out they were.
The roat-it was he, aud We called
/ il Rachel. after the play-waS taken by
| Charles Reade to his beautiful garden
at KnightSnridCe. a little matched
house was built for bins and HOOKS "Oa
Goats" were bought to know how 10
treat that animal properly. Bat the
uugratefGl wretch had no appreciation
OF the fine food bought him, nor OF the
velvety lawn. and even the matched
mousse failed to touch bis heart He
pinned away. getting thinner and thin
ner the better he was fed. Now the
dining room was on level with TIE