The morning call., 1895-01-13

harmless dog with US. Two men at the
top of this bank had with them a sort of
m0ngrel bull-terrier, an ugly. vicious-look-
ing brute; the men began to set their dog
on ours. My aunt demonstrated; they
only laughed and urged on their brute. cit
came Iurching down the bank, hall crawl
ing down. toward our dog, and then sud-
denly bounced upon 1t. and gripped it
bv the back of the neck Call your dog
Off said ms aunt, while We children
yelled aud screamed and clung to our pet,
trying to get the poor wretch away from
its assailant, which was gradually strang-
ling it. The men grinned, but did not call
their dog OFF: they enjoyed seeing our poor,
little beast worried. My aunt half-walked,
balf-ran round a little pond that | well
remember. and went into farmers house,
and came out again with large pair of
shears, the kind they use for cutting grass
or trimming hedges. She went up to the
two dogs and thrust the snears straight
into the bull terrier, which almost the next
moment released our dog and rolled over
dead. I only spoke about this affair, the
last time / saw my aunt-that time she
came tn London. She said there was
great fuss about her killing the dog. and
the ill-feeling went on for long time after"
Educated among the rugged scenes of a
mining district. brought up IN family OF
a strong individuality, win sucn an aunt
q fanatical relative not unlike what a pro-
fessedly religious Granny Dixon in
"Howarths" might have been. the imagi-
nation of the future actor must have been
greatly Influenced in the direction of the
weird, hence his first study OF recitation
was THE Uncle" and MS Two greatest
melodramatic performances, The Bells
and Louis the Eleventh..
remember him telling me of that same
GarIock-like Granny Dixon. She was
tyrant to the children, and OF most stern
religion. that had birthstone in it and con-
slant threats of hell fire. He ana one of
his cousins who had suffered her persecu-
tions, surprised her one night IN hIdeous
masquerade OF horns and tails, and would
not quit until she had prayed that heaven
would forgive her all her sins, especially
those she had committed against the chill
dren.
There were stormy winter nights. loving
spring days and luscious summer thick
with flowers and the mystery OF the sea
far away to educate the youthful roman
cist Before he went to London the boy
lived for some time with his parents in
Bristol. and one of his keenest remem-
ORANGES of the grand old western city is
connected with a murder that was full of
tragic incident calculated to stimulate bis
love of the weird and the gloomy, to be
called upon later when he became man
and poured his soul iHtO tue pOellc cIea-
lions of Shakespeare.
From the west of England he was sent
10 school in London, where he soon learned
to love the great, mysterious city and find
out its strange holes and corners, its side
shows, its cheap theaters and its infibite
variety. In those days he INDUCED in
athletic exercises. was an expert swimmer,
fond of back streets and Slums, as he is
now, prowIer 10 queer places. From the
first time that be knew anything about the
stage be loved it. Before he left school
he had partly made up his mind to be an
actor. When he found himself sitting at
a desk to begin life as clerk, he re-
solved that nothing should prevent him
from going on the stage; and two worlds,
the Old and New, are glad that he had the
courage OF his ambition.
1t will be interesting 70 mention that in
the autumu of 1883 Irving asked me to
lunch at the Garrick 10 meet an old friend
of his. He introduced me to a tall. we'll
built man, with the manner and appear
ance of a traveller. he had lightish hair.
his complexion was rather ford and he
wore beard and mustache and imperial
OF sgoatee," something after the American
fashion.
This is my cousin, Captain Penberthy,"
said Irving. You will remem Der me tell
ing you all about his father"
My fellow-guest spoke with just sug-