The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-02
A Bright Star.
A SKETCH OF THE MAN WHO LED
MARY ANDERSON TO FAME.
Played Leading Roles With Booth, Bar
rett and Thorne-Now the Proprietor
of Two Theatres and Leader in
Many Theatrical Ventures.
From the st. Louis Clronicle,)

| from the st. Louis Cltronicle,)
| One of the most conspicuous figures in
the stageland of America to-day is John W
Norton. Born in the seventh ward of New
York City forty-six years ago, the friends
of his youth were Thomas W. Keene and
Frank Chanfrau. Frank or Shanty, as he
was known, was ten years the senior of Nor
ton and keenc. This trio of Got ham boys
destined to cut so prominent a figure in
theatredom were born within block ot
each other.
We find Keene star at the age of twenty
| five and Norton in the flower of early man.
hood. the leading man for Edwin Booth
at the famous Winter Garden Theatre.
He was starred with Lawrence Barrett
carly in the 70s, and alternated the leading
roles with Charles The ONE at the Variety
Theatre in New Orleans. EARLY in the Cen
tennial year. in Louisville. Norton net our
Mary Anderson. then "a fair young girl who
aspired for stage fame. So we'll did she
| plead her cause that Norton took her under
his guidance and as everybody knows led
her TO fame.
salina Fetter, Walter Mathews and vir-
ginia DIeher, formerly of Augustin Daly's
stock Company also the pupils of this
gifted player. Mr.. Norton is now the pro-
pIietor Of the Grand Opera House in ST.
Louis, the Du Quesno Theatre. Pittsburg,
and one of the stockholders in tie Ameri-
can Extravaganza Company.
During he past eight years Mr. Mort on
has been afflicted with periodical attacks of
rheumatism which untitled him for his
many duties. He consulted the most
famous physicians in New York, Boston
and Philadelphia without obtaining relief.
He was pale, emaciated and sick almost
unto death.
One afternoon early in Juns he hobbled
| into his New York Office on Broadway and
| encountered his business manager, George
McManus. who had also been rheumatic
su fferer for TWO years. Norton was surprised
that McManus was as straight and erect as
a branch of brier and had discarded his
cane. Who cured you? he asked, Il cured
myself replied McManus, with DR.. Will
liams' Pink Pills.
81 was encouraged by Mr.. McManus' cure
and as a last resort tried the Pink Pills my
SELF said Mr.. Norton to Chronicle re-
porter. ''You have known me for five years,
and know how have suffered. Why during
the summer of 1898 was on my back at the
Mullanphy Hospital,l in this city. four
weeks. l was put on the old system of
dieting. with view TO clearing those acid
ulous properties in my blood that medical
theorists say is the cause of my rheumatism.
left the Hospital feeling stronger. but
the first damp weather brought With it those
excruciating pains in the legs and back.
1t was the same old trouble. After sitting
down for stretch of five minutes, the pain
screwed my legs into knot when l arose,
and hob6led as painfully as ever. After ]
had taken my first box of Pink Pills it
struck me that the pains were less trouble
some. l tried another box, and | began al
Pills. | improved SO rapidly that ] could
rise after sitting at my desk for an hour
and the twinges of rheumatism that ac-
companied my rising We're SO mild that
scarcely noticed them. [ adhered to the
Pink Pills, but dreaded the damp weather,
as | thought IL would bring back the awful
disease in its usual vile form.
During the past two weeks we have had
some downpours of rain in ST. Louis. But
the dampness which had coached my rheu-
matism for SO many years had no influence.
This ! consider a sufficient and reliable
test of the efficacy of DR.. Williams Pink
Pills. The most remarkable feature of my
cure is this: while l was taking the Pink
Pills I did not cofine myself TO any fixed
also say that the Pink Pills have acted as
tonic on my ST omach. which thong ut was
we'll nigh destroyed by the thousand and
one alleged remedies l consumed in the
past five years.
These pills are manufactured by the DR..
Williams Medicine Company. schenectady,
y. y. and are sold only in boxes bearing
cents box or SIX boxes for S.. 50. and are
never sold in bulk. They may be had OF all
druggists OF direct by mail from DR.. Will
Hams Medicine Company.