St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-15
STORIES ON AN ACTOR.

There are any number Of good stor-
les told On Stuart Robson" said Berrie
Jarrett, Mr.. Robson's representative.
the other day, land two of them, which
are Immediately connected with preach
erS, were almost snubs upon the actor.
But Mr.. Robson could not be affected by
any slight. Intentional or otherwise,
which they might perpetrate. While in
New York once Gen. Custer, Lawrence
Barrett and Mr.. Robson went OH Sun
day trip over to Brooklyn to hear Mr..
Beecher preach. After the service the
trio went to the house of Il friend, wuere
they were to meet the great preacher.
When MIR. Beecher arrived he was given
the name of the gentleman in the hall,
and as he entered the drawing room he
said, Mr.. Robson% inquiringly. The
comedian stepped forward and Mr..
Beecher shook him warmly by the
hand. Il am delighted to see you,' said
he, but you are much younger man
than l expected to see.'
"'Well, l am forty-live years old, Mr..
Beecher.' said the actor.
81 shouldn't think it, indeed l
shouldn't responded the minister.
You are very young man to be sec
rotary Of the navy
"But am not Mr.. Robson, secretary
of the navy. l am Mr.. Robson, the
actor
'''Oh, indeed said Mr.. Beecher,
quickly. We'll, | am glad to see you,
Just the same But Robson noticed
that he very quickly left him and de,
voted his time almost exclusively to
Gen. Custer.
"Remarking upon the narrow-minded-
ness of some people, Mr.. Robson tells
another preacher story, in which he was
a central figure. Il was in the South,
said Mr.. Robson, 'and was visiting some
| friends. At the same house l u.et a
| fairly wellmeaning country minister.
We chatted together for an hour or
| more, but | could not fail to note that
| he was apparently uneasy about some
thing. 1t certainly never struck me that
| it was fear on his part of being con-
| tamnated by my presence. But he let
| the cat out very soon, for he said to me
| as though twas not very pleasant
| called upon to perform: MIR. Rob-
son, you appear TO be fairly
| intellectual man. Your friends here
tell me you lead respectable life. |
| learn that you perform the duties Of a
| husband and father AS becomes reputa-
| bic citizen. | am even told that you
| have brother in the South, and that
| one of your brothers was killed while
| serving in the Confederate army. l
cannot. however, reconcile those state
ments with your daily conduct. 1t
| doesn't seem to me that man entitled
| to be regarded as good citizen should
| be monkeying around the country as
| You are in the show business.'' Nh.
| Robson laughs when he tells this story,
but at the same time one can see the
contempt in which he holds such mar
| row-minded intellects.
"The comedian does enjoy a good
| Joke, however. He can take one. too
| when it is on him, or he can appreciate
one when he hears it on some one else
| He has never been given much to prac-
| teal joking, but an irresistible impulse
| seized him one night to play prank on
| all audience. Robert Craig, the Won
| derful mimic genius, now dead, was a
few years ago playing an engagement
| at the Boston museum. He was giving
limitations Of Dickens, Jefferson and
many others, including Mr.. Robson.
| Craig and Robson were great friends,
| and one evening the comedian dropped
| into the dressing room OF the mimic.
Asking what was to come next, Mr..
robson was told that it was the
representation Of himself, and
was also informed by the mimic
| that he wished it was over, for he was
| tired out. An idea popped into Robson's
head. and with hardly an explanation
he began to make himself up as The
| Wandering MINSTREL Presently the
call came for Mr.. Craig, and Robson
stepped from the room and before the
audience. He was received with great
favor, and left the stage amid the most
vocferous applause. Mr.. Craig. how
ever, after said that an old gentleman,
a friend Of the manager, remarked to
him that night: You did first rate as
Dickens, and jefferson was fairly good,
but as Robson you were not in it. l
have seen That comedian time and
again, and it was not a bit like him.
Robson initiating Robson was certainly
a great novelty -