The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-26

w iti oHt NOtCt, tlltu III WOULD DC l1QDOS-
sible anyway, but the manager was heart
broken The house was crowded to suf-
location. People had come from quite
distance to see the great tragedian, and
many of the men about town and
grandees of Waterbury could be heard
cracking their knuckles impatiently in
the third gallery as time wore on and
the costumes did not come.
Tears came to the eyes of the manager
rs he addressed Mr.. Booth in his dress.
ing room. The great, sad solemn orbs
OF the traGedian rested Oh him as he
nervously cracked the big rubber band
which held bunch of general admission
tickets and roll Of dumb but eloquent
greenbacks.
"Do not be cast down." said Mr..
Booth i'll that deep and mournful voice.
do not send the people away" said he
as he began reversing his cuffs "We
will play Hamlet this evening, as usu-
al"
The property man was sent out to the
different stores, and Horatio ran over to
gents furnishing goods emporium
across the street
The place was called the Old City
Hall, and the hour was past for the cur
tain to ring up. 1t was curtain on
which the audience was advised to "call
on Aleck Beeswax for tea, underwear
and maple sirup; also hides, pelts and
caramels; also notary public and soft
drinks. -
Other literature was to be seen ON the
curtain and IL picture Of livery stable
man i'll high hat and fiery team taking
n well dressed lady and gent out riding
in victoria, with specEled dog trying
to keep up.
MIR. Booth took drink Of water ont
of IA tin pail and asked Horatio if he
could be ready in eight minutes. He
thought he could. He took off a pair of
red gloves and pnt on a pair of yarn nit
tens, better suited to the climate of Den
mark.
How would it do for the duel to be
fought with revolvers, Horatio?" asked
Mr.. Booth, who was practical man in
an emergency.
1t will not be necessary, said the
manager. II have sent to our lodge for
some Knights of Pythias swords. They
will be here very shortly. I'm a little
| sore about the skull, Mr.. Booth" he
| added dead sore. Doc Axtelle prom
| ised me Il skull he had in his. office, but
he had to return it yesterday to its first
husband, who is now leading better
life and wants all of his wives buried
together. But I've got chronological
head, with faculties all over it. That
the best we can do. "
Mr. Booth said that would do, and
just then the local property man brought
in IA prussic cafe to poison Hanlct's ia
Their with
The evening was very cold, and in the
poisoning scene Hamlet's father wore Il
pair of ear muifs, which, as he lay asleep
in the garden, had to be removed by the
| pOisoner before the deadly liquid could
| be poured into his ear
90 do not remember who played the
King, Hamlets stepfathcr, said Mr..
jacques. ''but he was the FUNNIEST
| crowned head in search of harbruSh
| that | ever saw. You know, Mr.. Nye,
that king is no good anyway without
his vcstmen!ts, and generally the King
i'll Hamlet, robbed of his reigning wraps,
| is merely a great big appetite with a
neaNT ncau OF WnlSkcrS lie wore coon
| skin overcoat, borrowed of one of our
leading livery stable Keepers and he had
the handle of IA croquot mallct wrapped
i'll Tin foil for Il sccctcr -
Mr.. Booth wore Il dark business suit
of black chcviot or some such stuff, and
| from the time the curtain rang up until
the great obituary congress of the Ham
let family there was not SO much rs ii
smile. Thus did the dignity of a truly
| great man overcome the almost fatal OBJ
staclc of the absolutely ridiculous. 1t
was tragedy in spite Of the temptation
for comedy.
With the phrenologist's checkered bust
and III the grave scene one could imagine