Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-24


effective" After this performance Thomas
Hamblen offered Owens "a certainty or good
| sharing terms" if he would sign articles to play
| Shylock and Sir Giles OreTredch. drop
comedy" he said. ''You have struck the key
note of your forte. l have nothing
to surpass this mastery performance"
| Owens could not be prevailed on
to forsake comedy for tragedy. it was SO con-
genial to his sunny nature. In his book he
| tells Of travelling through New England with a
Davenport, VIM. Wheatley. John Gilbert and
George Ryer and others. What delight to see
| one of the old comedies cast by such COM
pany.
After successful engagement at New York
he returned, as always, to the Baltimore
Museum, where he played Uriah Heep. and
then wilkins Mica,ober. which have seen him
| in and enjoyed the unctuous humor of that
character more suited to his STYLE Owens at
| this time prod uced, with splendid scenery by
Charley Getz, the spectacle of the Forty
Thieves" but the stage was too small, only five
| of the thieves could get foothold. To remedy
| this defect Abddlldh, captain of the robbers,
| was given additional line, and on his en-
| trance. followed by five of the band. he cries:
"Halt" and adds, 1.-The rest OF the band will
remain in the woods" have enjoyed Owens
| story of that event and its application often
STORY OF BArEMAN.
This book is full of enjoyable memories of
my old friend, and he tells story of Bateman,
whose judgment and energy made him a most
successful manager. 1 remember him very
well and most pleasantly. He brought out the
first and the best opera bouffe company we
have ever had with Tostee, and then he man.
aged the tour of Pareppa Rosa and other dis
tinguished artistes. He very companion
able and genial, full of keen wit and humor.
Owens says he was very sensitive about his
Christian name. which 'Hezekiah Lin
thicum." 1t was so obnoxious to him he always
signed his name H. L., and presumed it was
Henry l.. On one occasion some business dis
agreement occurred, and correspondence
ensued. and Bateman became wrathful and
voluminous, and Owens declined to reply,
but Bateman persisted, and finally
Owens wrote: IF you write to me again on
this subject will return your letters addressed
'Hezekiah Linthicum Bateman. A telegram
came, II will stop The next time they met
Bateman said, John, you wouldn't really have
been SO cruel as to direct letter to me 'Heze-
kiah Linthicum?
Indeed would" said Owens.
81 don't believe you capable Of such deliber-
ate wickedness," said Bateman seriously.
WIDE RANGE OF CHARACTERS
Owens John Unit in ''Self." Perkyn Middle
,oick in ''Our Boys" and Major Wellington de
Boots in "Everybodys Friend" were SO en-
tirely unlike and yet perfect, and his DR..
OllepOd, Paul P,'y and DR.. PdngloSS were
cellent approximations. Who but remembers
his Scion Shingle and Caleb Plummer? He
exhausted the whole range Of comedy, and
Shakespeare's immortal creations found in
him fitting representative, such as Ldunce
lot GO5bo. TOuchStOne. First Craze Digger
and Dron,io Of Syracuse to Joe Jefferson's
Dromio Of Ephesus. To such characters he
added Grdres in money" and Si, Peter Tea
gle and Grinaldi. Nothing seemed beyond his
power of assimilating. The whole range of the
drama during his long career on the stage
seemed at some time to have found in him an
interpreter.
In 1858 i met Owens in New York with his
lecture and paintings of his ascent OF Mont
Blanc" The London Times gave long de-
scriptive account of his achievement, saying:
"Mr. John E. Owens is the first American who
has accomplished that undertaking for upward
of twenty years" The views illustrating the
lecture were painted by James Hamilton. the
famed marine painter; Charley Getz and Hill
lard, and were exquisite productions. He gave.
his lecture, alpine Handles" at the Chinese
Museum, now hardly remembered and l was a
nightly attendant. and they most anus
ing. embellished, was everything he touched,
by his racy and lneXhaustible humor.
SUCCESS IN LONDON.
Owens success in London was very great
He opened in Scion Shingie at the Adelphi to
large audience. among them Charlotte Cush-
man and Charles Dickens from whom he re-
Sci'eo letter. Inc type OF
character was unknown in England, but the
powers OF the actor were recognized. The
Standard spoke of HIM follows: The worst
play We have had from America, but the best
comedian" And another journal said: The
play-goers will find Ovens Scion Shingie the
diamond in the dust heap. The piece is
not worthy a second thought. The diamond has
a bad setting; but anything more brilliant than
the gem itself we have never seem"
have seen him in all his characters in the
fifty years Of our friendship. but none to me
was more perfect than his Caleb Piun,mer in
the "Cricket on tho Hearth" l first saw it
when it was most admirably cast Owens as
Caleb Ptumn,er, Harry Pearson as John
PeerybinJ,e, Sara Stevens as Bertha, Agnes
Robinson Dot Tears and smiles alternated
during the performance Each new character
he assumed seemed the one best suited to him,
and he was for the time being the individual.
He was Bditie Nicol JdrUie. with his broad
Scotch accent: GrimdlGi. in his charming
broken French; Scion Shinqle. with his Jesse,
jesso;" John Unit. with his at won't paw,
| sir;'' Old Caleb, with Tears in his voice"
he said, God bless US all.''
JOHN f. CoYLE.