The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-21

The tragedian Forrest had ever an
ungovernable attachment for the circus
arena. not merely as a spectator. but
as a participant in the athletics Of the
place. To him the ring and its assocla-
tions was a charmed circle" A few
of his admiring friends. stu living.
probably know OF his great love for
the destinations OF the circus. but the
great majority never heard of it. and
will, perhaps. deny the assertion as an
implied stigma on the fame of the king
of the stage TO initiate that he ever by
experience of circus life and actual con-
tact with the ring and the acrobatic per-
Torrance therein, imbibed such an af-
lection for such associations as to have
caused him regrets that ne ever chose
his profession on the mimic stage be-
fore the footlights and orchestra Of the
theater.
James Rees CChoney Cibber). the
biographer of Forrest. says: He had
decided inclination for comedy; indeed,
for a time he actually hesitated between
tragedy and comedy, as he did seri-
ously on one occasion between sawdust
and the stage"
An authentic narrative of a passage
of Forests public life. told by Rees.
shows evidence of the truth of the little
known fact that he was an accomplished
tumbler. and on several occasions during
his professional career he gave striking
proof of his penchant for the sawdus,
arena and it's sports.
James II. Caldwell was great southern
theaterical manager. He was known as
the Great Napoleon of the southern
stage" and had theaters in the princpa;
southern cities. the best. he boosted. in
New Orleans, and the best company IN
the country. Forrest wrote to CaldweiI
Tor an engagement, and the result OF the
correspondence was he was engaged a
the enormous salary of SIS per week. This
was at an early period of in the dramatic
career OF Forrest Ills engagement to
enter the service of Caldwell was sew
eral months of. In the meantime So;
Smith, rival manager, was getting up Il
company in Cincinnati. To him Forrest
applied for a situation, but was refused,
when Smith learned that he had previous
~ signed with Caldwell He was told that
ms future prospects In the south depend
ed on strict adherence to first contract.
with the great southern manager. But
Forrest insisted upon an engagement with
Sol Smith, observing: II ID rather remain
with you for $40 a week than with q
stranger for SIS" Another reason for
ms preference to play in Sol Smiths com
pahy' besides his acquaintance with and
friendship for the manager, was that the
company embraced a nne collection OF
players; its associations We're talented
and attractive, particularly the Riddle
family, for one of the lady members OF
which, young and beautiful, IL appears,
Forrest entertained warmer regards tnan
spect.
Provoked with Smith and determined
to break his engagement with Caldwell
Forrest sought and effected an engage,
ment with the management of a circus
company as a tumbler and rider for
Twelve months. "a
Smith, who had changed his mind and
concluded he had made a mistake in re-
Jecllng forrestS application, started out
to find him, and after considerable inuuiry
found him in circus ring, surrounded by
riders acrobats, Vauitcrs grooms and
numerous auXiliaries. Forrest threw sew
erai nlp,Haps, and running toward the as
tonished spectator he shouted What
do you think Of that?"
Smith remained during the perform
ancc an admirng and fascinated specfa-
tor and was compelled to admit that had
Forrest remained in the ring he would
nave become one of the most daring rid
eIs ana yaulters that ever appeared in
the ring. After much difficulty Forrest
was induced to give up his engagement
with the circus company, II was the most
momentous period of his life. Even after
lengthy engagement with a theatrical
manager, says Recs, this desire for the
ring did not die out" II still had its at
fractions, and the youthful athlete often
imagined that he was better adapted to
the performances Of a circus than he was
TO the more intellectual requirements of
the stage.
cinnau did not put an end to Forests
desire of becoming a vaulter and rider
ON one occasion. in another city. he APP
peafed IN the ring for a wager in n still
Naulting act, it being for the benefit of
Bill Gates a well known attache of the
circus. He was disguised so as not to be
recognized by his theatrical friends. He
had on an enormous pair Of Turkish
trousers, breastplate AID fly; on his feet
a pair of sheepslkin pumps like those worn
by a numerous train Of auxiliaries Very
few of his theatrical friends knew him
On another occasion he appeared in the
benefit of Charley Young, a favorite ac-
tor. 1t was the last time that he ex-
hibited his acrobatic agility. The prin-
ctpai and concluding feat was a flying leap
through barrel Of red fire, in which his
hair and eyebrows were terribly singed
Forrest had all the true instincts OF
an athlete. ITO the last moment of his
life says Rees., he, exercised with
dumb-bells, dead weights and Indian
clubs, ETC.; the spirit of the boy of IS
only died out with the man of 66."
A writer Of "reminiscences says that
Forrest admitted, in reply to his ques-
ton, that he had been circus perform
er. How did Forrest acquire HIS ability
to appear in the ring as an acrobat and
membered, he 'leaped and tumbled with
the best of them % is a question thas
may have occurred to many readers. i
am able to throw ray of light on that
point, and will give the substance of
story / have heard my father tell at va
rious times in my life founded on his ex-
My father Otis Fernald, who died in
1889, in Harrison, Ne, aged 81 years was
in the year 1924 working at his trade a. a
carpenter in Boston He was employed
either by the proprietor of circus es-
adjustment or by the owner of the large
building occupied by said circus com
pany TO make sundry repairs and
changes in the building. as the require
ments of the circus business demanded
Being all over the premises he was fire.
quently and almost constantly a wit
ness of the gymnastc performances of
the circus people, and was often pres
ent during the hours of practice and
training of young aspirants to the hon
ors of the ring.
Among the more youthful of the ath-
letes was a slender lad of IS or IL years
who, although gentle and apparently anX-
ious to excel In the difficult feats for
which he was training, sometimes IN
CURED the ire of his trainer. who, pos
sessing an irascible temper, easily re-
scented the mistakes or blunders of The
youth with oaths and blows of his long
whip. The young man bore IL with much
patience, seemingly determined TO CON
quer all difficulties and deserve the praise
rather than the censure of his teacher
But all his manly efforts and struggles 10
gain the better viii of the unreasoning
master of the ring proving without avail
he resolved to escape from the scene OF
his maltreatment, and one day young