The times., 1898-11-20
TINY TALKS.

1t was during the performance on Mon
day night that a Times man wended his
way TO regions behind the scenes and
sought out Charles b. rianIord, whom
he had not seen since the last local en-
gagement OF Thomas ". Keene. A few
moments of general chit-chat brought the
dead actor up as a topic for conversation
and Mr.. Hanford grew quite enthusias-
tic regarding his merits. Tom Keene
never really had justice while alive he
said. ''and yet no man ever deserved it
more richly Few Shakespearian actors
have had the qualifications for success
possessed by Mr.. Keene. His was an in
telligence that was nothing less than re-
markable and. while the work done just
prior to his demise was hardly up to
what it should have been, he achieved
much during his earlier life. The star
had positively no equal in three of his
Characterization. He was very sensi-
tive and suffered great deal by the un-
kind criticism OF which he was frequent
ly subjected.
Tom Keene was certainly a wonder
ful man. whatever his ability as a player
may have been. Always laboring for the
interests of his friends. he never seemed
TO weary OF kindnesses done in their he
half My representative. Mr.. Mckee who
handled his personal accounts for several
years, has told me that no one will ever
know how many hundred dollars
were spent in unostentatious charity. No
man ever asked the actor for money and
was refused. A big heart and a lavish
hand were his, and those around him
knew It.
THE last few years Of Mr.. Keene's life
were shadowed by . rather singular
dread Of death. The performer had at
different periods suffered two paralytic
strokes, and realized keenly that the third
might come at any time. The second had
brought with 1t complete loss of MEM
Ory, and after recovering Mr.. Keene was
forced to recommit all his parts-no easy
task for a man of his age. Naturally he
was much worried about the final and IA
tai touch. As soon as he had gotten to-
gether any money he would make it over
to his wife, and so kept his business mat
ters constantly straight, in order that
his demise might be followed by as little
trouble as possible. The slightest pain or
malady would bring 10 him fear of an
other stroke and this feeling was, as you
may understand. speedily allowed to af-
feet his work. So it was that Mr.. Keene
was often a better actor on one night
than on that preceding or following it.
When death did come it was the re-
suit of an operation for appendicitis and
its effect upon his heart. Mr.. Mckee
thinks the treatment was unnecessary,
and I-there's my cue.''
Did you ever hear the story of how
31r. Keene happened to starr" continued
Mr.. Hanford after the act was over. He
had been playing for some time as
member of the old California Stock Com
pany, in which were not only Edwin
Booth and Lawrence Barrett, but many
other men of note. Mr.. Keene's work
had been very successful and. for this or
some other reason. MIR. Barrett and he
We're not on the best of terms. The fee
ing ram pretty high until the year of the
great International Shakespearian Fes-
tival, when actors from all parts of the
country enlisted in the ranks to play
with the magnificent combination formed
Mr.. Barrett had begun series of stellar
appearances in Chicago ouJ left to join
the company. One night he was taken
ill, however. and Mr.. Keene was assign
ed to his role. Upon hearing of this the
man rose from his bed. dressed and re-
turned TO the theater declaring that no
such ''illiterate buffoon'' should read his
lines. Mr.. Keene felt the slight
and. after the engagement was over, de-
termined upon reminding his enemy of it
forci5ly. He organized a support of his
| own and opened in Chicago at rival
house, beating Mr.. Barrett's musiness
by several hundred dollars a week His
success was so great, indeed, that never
after that period was his position below
the rank of star"
''Ill tell you one thing I'm about to do
and that's no joke. I'm going right out
IN, eroo of hat ond;o-Ca ard e{rer
1t was elongated Dan Daily who spoke.
and his tone would have implied that he
was stating a fact of funereal aspect.
This same Daily was engaged In the fe-
licitous occupation of making up when a
Times man was presented to him In his
dressing room the other night at the La
fayette. Continuing. the comedian said:
mo matter who does the various roles
in The Belle of New York the piece
draws with its usual vigor. y month or so
ago in London Edna May. George Daven-
cast, and a few of the other principals
| were out of the bill, but the people con-
tinued flocking in like sheep. and when
| the week was footed up the receipts were
| found to be considerably over $1,000.
| Nothing takes the conceit out of a man
| so much as seeing piece so right along
making money after he has left the COM
pany. / should have lost my big head by
| now. but I'm little differently construct
| ed from most people, / guess.
| "How do ideas of humor average In En-
| gland and American" Well, 1 can't see
| that I noticed any variation worth men,
| tioning. although. of course, my experi-
ence has been rather limited The only
| perceptible lack of appreciation I noted
| over there was in their failure to under
| stand American slang. OF course, the
| Britishers don't hear much of that and
| SO haven't learned to enjoy it. But you
| know phrases are not similar even in c
| town like this. There IS great
| difference between the pronunciations
| and vocabularies used at the whits
| House. at the postoffice and down on the
| river docks.
| "You want to know how got my start
With Washburn's Great Sensation.
away back in the early seventies I DID
a song and dance In the first part of that