The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-01-05
STORIES BY ACTORS.

his time he has played many parts and seen
many cities and men, and his capacity for
observation and remembrance make him
one of the most delightful and chatty COM
panions imaginable.
One or two evenings ago reporter sat
on trunk in Mr.. Robinson's dressing-room
at the Boston Theater and watched his
metamorphoses as the young kentuckian
squire, while he told story after story of
the stage.
The conversation turned upon Dan
Naginnis, the great comedian, who was a
fast friend of Robinson, the two being
acquainted before they embraced the
dramatic profession. Yes | knew Dan as
well as | know myself and better, "
observed Mr.. Robinson. We were both
engine builders in Roxbury before we went
into this business. Dan was unique
character. All who knew him loved him.
1t could not be helped. Very pious, too, "
went on Forrest, with twinkle in his
eye, land he never missed going to
church."
" | remember once, not long before Dan S
death, we were at Chicago with The Run
OF Luck The boys had made night OF
it, you know, and Dan was right in it, as
he always was. When morning came some
body said to him, Now, Dan, its time you
we've in he'd and aslenn
- Sleep, sir he replied, with great
solemnity, 4" is impossible 1t is too late.
1t is my invariable custom to attend mass
in the morning at this hour, and he did
" In his house at Roxbury he kept twelve
bottles, containing various liquors, upon
his sideboard, They were each named
alter one of the twelve apostles, and no one
but Dan knew what each one contained
Instead OF helping a guest to brandy or
port, he gave him swig from st. Matthey'
or st. Luke
"He was playing the part of an Irish SER
want in The EXiles' once. You know The
ENiles' was first produced in the Boston
Theater in II by Ned Barclay, with Stow
ell, Louis James and Marie Wainwright in
the cast. 1t was Mr.. Tompkin's play, and
am told, he paid 50, 900 for it originally
Now the first deposit would not be cent
less than $4,000. But the time | was
speaking about was ten years earlier.
Il was just reminded OF one night when
Dan forgot his lines in the Russian court
scene and had recourse to IL monologue in
pure Celtic. Some OF the audience caught
on in IA minute, and there was an uproar of
applause,
"But he made a hit in a legitimate way
with that device of his by which he man.
aged to have a clay pipe broken between
his lips apparently by II bullet, while de-
Tending the ferry house in siberia against
the pursuing Russians. He used to tell
his fellow actors that the pipe was really
broken by a bullet and few of them ever
found out how he did it. As matter of
fact, the pipe was broken in several pieces
beforehand and the sections strung care
fully upon fine wire held between his
teeth. At the proper moment he just tilted
the wire downward, and the pieces OF the
pipe promptly slid off, seemingly shattered
10y II shot.
Then Mr.. Robinson went on to talk OF
other stage stars and accidents that hap.
pened to them within his experience. He
chuckled as he spoke OF the unhappinesS
OF Jim Drew in The Run of Luck who,
as lord OF the manor, was supposed to have
dozen horses and to be habituated to a
life in the saddle. He is supposed to be
thrown and killed and his supposed remains
are borne into the sight OF the audience on
IA stretcher, as guarantee that he is really
dead.
The funny thing about the whole bust,
n9ss is that Jim stood in mortal terror of a
horse, and every single night dreaded tt
mount the beast, which he had to while on
the stage. He had to have man at it,
head, and another at its tail, and then,
hisueto vi NduitlliS liShuly lHto tllt
saddle, he clambered up in labororls
fashion, which prompted local crit,
to slrcastically observe that g We all knew
he would be killed when we saw him
mount"
well, he's dead, too, now, poor fellow
said Forrest retlectively. ''In The World
we had some queer experiences. You know
that in that piece Il whole lot of people art
left on raft at sea when the ship zoe.
down. -Four OF us had to be on that raft
which rocked about to give the appearance
of floating, while waves oil stage cloth tossed
turiously about us.
Springer, Nina Cleary, who is now
singing with the Bostonians, Phineas Leach
and myself were on the raft, and precious
hard work it was to stick on. Springer
had to die of starvation, and we, the sur,
vivors, had to cover him up with bit of a
sail. 1t was ticklish business for him to
die decently and not roll overheard
One night Leach had been fortifying
himself with something-I think it must
have been pennyrOyal-and things were
worse than ever. Well, we got Springer
dead all right and covered up. Suddenly
tho raft ,raya a l,rnlt and I oo,b Loot |,