The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-02-19
SALLJE.


Bile man-alwayS gave an intelligent
reading of any part he undertook, but
never seemed to create in his audience
that intensity of attention, that ''creepy
sensation up the back which comes TO
one when listening to an actor of great
talent or genius.
Tom was leading man at the old Hol-
born theature in London some fifteen
wears ago. That was before it was
burned down and when it was devoted to
the production of sensational melo-
dramas. | think it was then under the
management of Clarence Holt, but am
not sure of this.
Tom PLAYED heroes. He was fine
looking, handsome fellow, and when he
enacted the part of a Jack Tar, and just
as the Villain with capital Y please)
was about to rush off with the sweet
heroine, weighing a hundred and sixty
pounds, after having instructed his band
to carry off the treasure and murder the
old "parientS,' Tom always was sure of
tremendous roar of applause from the
gallery by rushing down the stage from
some unexpected locality, shouting:
"Never! finland the girl, rutfian!
Never shall it be said that British sail
or deserted his ship OF failed to rescue
pretty girl in distress" Then he would
90 for the villain and beat him and his
''dastardly crew. off the stage.
Tom Clarkson was married man
with one little daughter, a poor, delicate
little thing of six years, who wOrshiped
her father in way simply rivaled by adj
Grafton. There could not be many more
completely attached families than Tom
ClarksOn, his wife and little Sallle. 1t
was positively beautiful to see them at
rchearSals sometimes, when Tom would
bring little Sallie along to keep her out
of harms way" as he said, while his
wife is doing the marketing" 1t was
question who loved Sallie more, the
father or the mother, and it was pretty
to notice how the child endeavoreG to
share her favors equally between them.
SO sweet. too, were Sallie's ways and
so amiable and loving was she, and so pa
tient when all knew how she must suffer
at being unable to romp and play like
other children. for her mind was as
bright as star, that every member of the
company down to the meanest super and
smallest stage hand was IN love with her
and ready to go to the end of London, or
England for that matter, for the sake of
Mr.. ClarlISOn'S Sallie." "OlT little
Salie'' most of them called her, for she
seemed to belong to them.
Two years ago, when i'll London, the
story was told me bya prominent actor
at the Adelphl, who had been member
of the IIolborn at the time Clarkson was
''in the lead"
1--WE were going to produce new play
that night he said, land Tom was in
high feather, for he had a part which
suited and pleased him, and he thought
his chance had come at last. Something
also excited pleasurable feelings within
his breast. He had obtained couple of
dress circle tickets, and his wife and
our little Sallie were to be in front to see
the first performance.
tom came down to the theatre in
great spirits. We all knew in very
short time what was the matter. He had
all sorts of funnY-like yarns to tell about
Sallie and her excitement and delight at
the idea of coming to see father act He
told us fellows in the dressing room how
she had put her little arms around his
neck and had insisted upon giving him
the last kiss before starting him off to
his work. That's for good luck, father;
don't you wipe that off. I'm coming to
see you tonight; mind, you make big
hit. And Tom laughed with delight as
he initiated the baby voice using the
quaint theatrical slang expressions.
"The play was highly sensational
one, and Toms big voice and fine figure
had plenty of opportunity to make CAPT
tai for themselves. This was always a
source of great fun in the theatre, for we
knew Tom to be the most gentle-hearted
fellow that ever breathed. AS the say
ing goes, he would not hurt fly. Why.
he was tender and kind as a woman, and
a kinder nurse never lived. | was only
playing walking on parts at the time,
but he had always a kind word a gentle
suggestion of advice for me, and | have
been to his little home in Holloway sew
eral times. He was like a big elder
brother to me. Little Sallie used to call
me her sweetheart.
Tom was dressed quickly that even
ing and down on the stage looking out
through the peep-hOle to see his darlings
arrive. 1t is not always so very easy to
distinguish people in the front of the
house from the stage, though, and when
the first act was called Tom had not b. cen
able to find them. lie knew they were
there, though, and full of the feeling
that he was acting for their delight he
did his very best.
II never saw him act so well before.
The manager was heard to remark that
he didn't believe it was in him. We
fellow actors knew all about it, though.
and when the applause came at the end
of the act, and Tom, nervous and ex-
cited. stepped before the curtain, he and
we felt sure we could hear above all the
noise the clapping of tiny pair of hands
i'll the dress circle, and little baby
voice saying: "Look, mother! There's
father! Isn't he beautiful! Oh, I'm so
happy"
''By and by some of the rest of the
company began looking through the
peephOle for Toms wife and child, but
no one could see them.
Then as the play went on we noticed
that Tom himself was getting anxious
lie had pot been able to find them either
and he had begun to wonder why they
were not there and what had become Of
them. Still hope had not left him. He
felt sure that somewhere in the vast au-
ditorium pair of bright brown eyes
were following his every movement and
he did his very best, though with a
somewhat heavy heTrt.
"He had big change in dress to make
before the fifth act, and as he had been
on the stage up to the last moment of
the fourth he had very little time to
make it in. Therefore he did not get
time to take last peep at the auditOri-
UNI. think some kind of a PRESENT.
ment must have filed his mind. for he
seemed to have grown careless and did
not act with the same spirit as hereto
fnra His thoupbtc saar,o1 c,,,....l. -.