The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-18
]. H. Stoddart's Lifetime On
the Stage.
"Reminiscences Of His Career as an
kc or in This Country.
This Defects of Stage Training Of the
Present Day.

Devotion for twenty years to an orchard
Of pear trees is regarded by j. II. stod-
dart as the most striking feature OF his
life off the stage. In that long period be
rememb bers nothing else that he thinks
worth telling the public.
Can't you remember some anec-
iotes?' is the question that am often
asked" he said in New YORK the other
Jay, "but looking back over my career
there are no incidents that stand out con-
ypicuously enough to lead me to believe
that they would be interesting. 1t has
been a long one, my career on the stage,
but ii has always moved along such quiet
ines that actors who have been on the
stage q much shorter time have had
experiences more interesting than any OF
mine"
When Mr.. Stoddart does talk OF his life
off the stage 1t is never without dwelling
chiefly on those twenty We ars In the
country. Daring that time he was
member OF Wallsck's company in the
theater at Thirteenth street and Broad
way, and OF the old Union Square Thea
ter Company when Sarah Jewett, Charles
Thorne, Mrs. ilkins, and some other
members we're making the Union Square
,amous Mr. Stoddart then moved out
to Railway and bought a fruit farm.
Eyry night after the theater he went out
to the country, often returning early In
the morning to attend rehearsals, and
reaching home again so late in the after
l.k - k.I .Iy for aet "
dinner before he was on the train once
more bound for the city. But even in
such case he had time enough to look
at the pear trees and be with his family,
and those two pleasures seem TO have
been what he has valued most. Perhaps
the explanation OF his unevcntful career
lies in the fact that he has passed most OF
il in the society of his wife and two
children, with the accompaniment of the
pear trees.
II had 5000 of them," he said, "and i
expected that they might accumulate q
little fortune for me which would sup
piement my earnings as an actor. But
they did exactly the opposite, SO was
glad enough to exchange them few
have never regretted those 20 years OF
sountry life"
At thu old Wallack Theater, at the
corner of Broome street and Broadway,
Il years ago, Mr. Stoddart acted first in
America. Since that time he has played
almost continuously in New York. For
. time he was at the old Olympic with
Laura Keene. where, ~ Lawyer Money
penny In 1.-The Long Strike" he made
the first hit OF his career. Then he acted
with Booth in tragedy, and through a
long line of comedy parts at the Thir-
teenth Street Theater. The success Of
'The Long Strike" gave him his first and
last ambition to be star, and few
weeks OF travel settled it. Mr.. Stoddart
has been as well knowr to New York
thestergoers for the last 80 years as Old
John Gilbert was, but when they were
playing together in Wsllack's Theater
nobody thought of either Of them as an
old actor. This was particularly the case
with Mr.. Stoddart, who was consider
ably Gilbert's junior
"Eyen the way in which / went on the
stage first" Mr.. Stoddart said, "was
entirely free from any romantic circum-
stances. was born 6s years ago in York
had six brothers, and when we were
very young my father moved to Glasgow
ynd became the manager OF the thester
here, so am rather Scotch than En-.