The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-09

the actors of the company grouped on
the stage and with them a legion Of
actors from the other theatres. Con
Spicuous among them were c. w. Coul-
dock, Mrs. John Drew, Maggie Nit
chell, Leslie Allen, Tony Pastor and
Aunt Louisa Eldridge. Every com
pany playing in New York and Brook
Ign seemed to be represented
Mr.. Roberts again stepped forward
and introduced Manager A NJ. Pal
mer. who had been selected to make
the presentation speech. Mr.. Stoddart,
still in the costume and makeup of
Joe Aylmer, the old trainer, came for
ward tC Mr.. Palmer and every hui
man being inside the academy clap
ped hands till the very rafters seemed
to ring with the applause. AT last
| there was silence again and Mr.. Pal
mer spoke.
Mr.. Palmer made beautiful speech
and presented Stoddard with a loving
cup, the gift eli his fellow players.
Mr. Stoddard, visibly touched, re-
piled:
II know you will excuse me from say
ing much here tonight he said, "as
never in my life made a long speech.
having difficulty to say even what was
told me. [ wish to thank here Mr.. Pal
mer, who for twenty years was my
manager, Charles Frohman and Joseph
Jefferson, who, [ understood, has done
me some honor here tonight. 1 have
watched his career for years, and re-
gard him as the greatest American
comedian, and one who has added dig
nifty to the profession.
AS for me, 1 am only an ordinary
actor, and I have been on the stage
so long that the public knows mora
about me than I know about myself"
n I,-;o Il
his theatrical past. For the last twenty
years, he said. he had acted nearly al
ways under the management of A. NJ.
Palmer. and had left him only last Au-
gust to play the part of Joe Aylmer
in THE Sporting Duchess"
In closing his remarks Mr.. Stoddard
referred to his professional friends who
had passed away, and said that he had
only one wish and that was that when
he died his children would know that
his position as an actor had command
ed respect among his associates, added
dignity to the profession, and gained
the respect of the public
Agnes Booth, the Duchess of Mil
ford of The Sporting Duchess" then
presented to the old actor a silver pitch
err from Joseph Jefferson, who sent it.
as the inscription said, For Aud Lang
Syne."
The orchestra taking it's cue from
these words struck up the old Scotch
song and everybody on the stage joined
in singing it.
An Informal reception followed and
the actor was overwhelmed with affec-
Tomato congratulations The cup is of
massive design and has three faces and
handles It stands upon three lions
feet. The pedestal is of ebony. On
one of the faces is etched the head of
the actor. On another is this inscriD-
ton:
JAN. 80, 1S33-JAN go 1896.
Presented to ]. II. Stoddard by The
Sporting Duchess Company and Man
agement.
LONDON, Feb. Sc. S. Willard has
now definitely decided as to his future
plans. 1t has frequently been stated
in the papers that he would re-engage
the Garrick theatre, taking the lease
OF that house from John Hare upon
the latter's return from America. Mr..
Willard said: These reports are not
true. L shall remain at the Garrick
during the season, but I am already
arranging for another American tour
in the autumn. L shall open my sea-
son in New York early in November
| am rather worried over the idea that
the next presidential campaign will be
a very exciting one and that will I'M
doubtedly have a bad effect upon the
theatrical business
Augustin Days London representa-
tive asked the Associated Press to
deny the report for some time current
return from America Sir Henry Irv-
ing would leave the Lyceum theatre
in the London press, that upon his