, 1896-01-08
MRS. KEELEY'S GOTH BIRTHDAY.

The attainment by MIS-. Kelley of The age
If 80 was celebrated on Friday at the
Lyceum Theatre by a mixed entertainment,
comprising scenes from Romeo and Juliet,
IrilJy, The Squire Of DAWES, Gentleman Joe,
and Liberty Hall. in the midst Of which Mrs.
Keeley held a reception on the stage, and
was presented with a congratulatory address
hy Mrs. John Wood. Mrs. Ke ley, in her
few words of thanks was able to recall The
fact that she made her first appearance in
i ondon on the stage Of that same lhcatre.
then called the English Opera-house, a, long
ago rs 1925, in u now forgotten operetta.
The old lady, who wore a ruby velvet gown,
and alone among the company appeared
without a head-covering of any kind. looked
hale and hearty. disdaiuing the chair which
had been placed for her accommodation, ana
spoke her words 50 clearly that they were
heard all over the hushrd aud almost rever-
ential house. Mrs. John Wood, in her
address Of congratulalion, adup:ed a banter
ING tone at the expense Of the New Woman
as compared with the Old Woman. and this
was taken up by Mrs. Kelley, who affected
to treat the reference to her age as some
what Spittful. at is - long. long time
she said, since I have had the chance Of
saving nv little say to the dear old public
but as you say you have given me the
chance, at the risk of being thought egotisti-
cal will Just say q few words. But FIRST "a
word in your ear. There was no occasion to
allude to my age it was hardly kind.
Naughter) But it is not your fault it is
She fault Of the biographors and those ever
accusing playbills. They have agreed, indi-
yidualIy and collectively, to inform the
world in general that | am 80 years old
to-day. Ninety years to-day 1t seems
only yesterday, and yet it is 20 years ago
since I stood on this Stage, a trembling no
vice, waiting the verdict of il London audi
ence. 1t was fav0urable-whe'he deserved
or not you must be the best Judges. Since
that e%ventful night for it Was eyentful TO
me-what a galaxy Of talent have seen,
with what giants | have been connected in
my humble way | have sung with Kitty
Stephens, Malibran. Brahlm ] have acted
with Macready, the KembIrS, the Keaus,
and a host of great celebrities of the past.
and | have also had lie great honour Of act
ing with many celebrities Of The present day.
The last time was with our dear old friend
Toole, the great pal Of the profession asst
and present. But. my dear friends, 70 yeats
of stage life world fill a volume. Unjust con
dense mine in a few lines, written 10y my very
kind friend A~hby Sterry -
'Iye shaken Henry Irving by the hand.
And Edmund Koon's I've cIasped 50 UNDER
stand
81 feel I'm hither brought on mission vast
"A link between the present and the past;
And now | feel that here my mission ends.
The veteran says, Goodbye, God speed to
all her friends.
The applause folIo wia4 every sentence,
almost every p rase.af the reply was loud and
enthusiastic. and at the close Of the recpp-
ton all who were near Mrs. Kelley pressed
forward to wish her many happy returns of
the day. Mr.. Hayden Coffin then sang Aud
Lang Syne,' in the refrain Of which many
Of the bystanders Joined, and the proceedings
were wound up with three cheers called fer
by Sir Augustus Harris.
An Illuminated address has been sent to
Mis-. Kelley from New York by Sir Henry
Irving and the other members OF the Lyceum
Company.-Times, 29th Noo.