The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1898-01-28
BooTH's TRANSITIONS.
As Jolly Companion and az q
Great Actor

| $NsN0t FtSt0Hs
A good many years ago while Edwin
Booth WAS playing successful engage.
ment in one OF the leading theaters,
dropped into his dressing room one
light during the course of the perform.
apce. He chanced to be In q particular.
| ly happy frame of mind and he was
often cheerful and happy, tradition to
the contrary notwithstanding. lie was
smoking the inevitable pipe, and he was
arrayed in the costume OF R:cheliau.
with bis feet upon the table, submitting
| patiently TO the manipulaiIons of his
wardrobe man or dresser After a
lew wolds OF greeting, the cailhoy
knocked at the door and said that Mr..
| Booth was wanted at the curtain tsleft
| lower entrance The pfotaeonist
jumped up quickly, and asked IL would
stay where | was and keep bis pipe
alight. or 20 along with him and see him
''ldnch the cuss OF Rum" quoting the
words Of George L Fox, who had been
producing lately ludicrously clever
burlesque of Booth in the same part.
followed him to the wings, and stood bv
his side while be waited for bis cue.
1t was the fourth act OF the drama, l
remember, and the stage was eet 90 a
garden. nothing Of which was visible
from our position but the flies and the
back Of the wings, and we might have
been placed in great bare barn, 80 far
as any scenic effect was apparent.
Adrain, Baradas and the conspirators
were speaking, and at an opposite en-
trance, waiting for her cue, was the Julie
OF the evening. She was good woman
and an excellent actress. but nnfOrtnn.
ately, not personal favorite with the
star, who called my attention to the bis
muth with which she was covered, and
said II she got any Of II on ais new scar.
let cloak he would pinch her black and
blue, putting volnmes Of smoke into MY
face as he spoke.
When the proper time came he rushed
upon the stage, With parting Injunction
not to let his pipe 20 out and with the
great nneerchaum In my own mouth /
saw the heroine OF the play cast herself
into his arms, and noticed to my great
amusement, that she did smear the
robesSQf Ny Lord Cardinal with the
greasy white stuff be 80 much disliked. |
| winked back at the half comic, half.
angry glance he shot toward me over
tHlAN . 0uVWy DbUntQpaos A1AA bARbEL' |
ed to hear the real ecresm he had threat.
ened to cause her TO utter Thought OF
nothing but the humorous, absurd side
of the situation ] was eager to keep the
pipe going.
And loI he raised his hand and spoke
those familiar lines: Around her form
draw the awful circle Of our solemn
Church. Place but foot within that |
hallowed ground. and on thy head, yea,
though II wear crown, III launch the !
curse Of RomeW Every head upon the |
stage was uncovered, and found my |
own hat In my hand; forgot ell the |
tomfoolery We had been indulging in; / |
forgot his pipe and nv promise regard |
ing IL; forgot that had been . habit
ual theater-gosr ell my life; / forgot that
| vas Protestant heretic, aud that II
was nothing but stage play; / forgot /
everything. except tho fact that / was
etending In the presence OF the great,
visible bead Of the Catholic religion In
France, and that wss ready TO drop
upon my knees with the rest Of them at
bis invocation.
That Vas Edwin Booth, the actor.
Critic, 10 Portlani Tribune. !