The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1898-03-19
a STORY OF EDWIN BOOTH.

Illustrating IIis Easy Transition from
the Ridiculous to the Sublime
A good many years ago. while Edwin
Booth was playing successful engage
ment In one Of the leading theaters, I
dropped into his dressing room one
night during the course Of the perform
ance, says Lawrence Hutton In Har-
per's Magazine. He CHANGED to be In
particularly happy frame Of
mind-and he was often cheer
ful and happy, tradition to the
contrary Notwithstanding. He was
smoking the inevitable pipe and he
was arrayed In the costume Of Richie
lieu. with his feet upon the table, sub
hitting patiently to the manipulations
OF his wardrobe man or dresser" AZ
ter few words of greeting the callboy
Knocked at the door and said that Mr..
Booth was wanted at certain 'left
lower entrance" The protagonist
jumped up quickly and asked II would
stay where l was and keep his pipe
aiight, or go along with him and see
him lunch the cuss Of Rum" quoting
the words OF George L. Fox, who had
been producing recently a ludicrously
clever burlesque OF Booth in the same
part / followed him to the wings and
stood by his side while he waited for
his cue. It was the fourth act OF the
drama, I remember. and the stage was
set as 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 a great bare
barn, so far as any scenic effect was ap-
parent. Adrian, Baradas and the con-
spirators were speaking and at an op-
posite entrance. waiting for her cue,
was the Julie OF the evening. She was
a good woman and an excellent ac-
tress, but unfortunately not a personal
fayorite with the star, who called my
attention to the bismuth with which
she was covered, and said that IL she
got any of 1t onto his new scarlet cloak
he would pinch her black and blue,
putting volumes of smoke into my face
as he spoke. When the proper time
~@hAC AC NhC cld6C8 Win
a parting injunction not to let his pipe
go out; and with the great meerschaum
In my mouth saw the heroine of the
play cast herself into his arms and no.
ticed. to my great amusement. that she
did smear the robes OF my lord cardi-
nal with the greasy white stun he so
much disliked. I winked back at the
half-angry glance he shot
toward me over jules snowy Shout
iers. half-expected to hear the real |
scream he had threatened to cause her
10 utter. / thought OF nothing but the |
humorous, absurd side Of the situation;
| was eager to keep the pipe going. |
And To- he raised his hand and spoke |
hose familiar lines: Around her form |
draw the awful circle Of our solemn
church. Place but foot within that
ground and on thy head, yea,
hough II wore a crown, I'd launch the
'urse of Romer' Every head upon the
itage was uncovered and I found my
,wn hat in my hand! / forgot all the
omfoolery we had been INDUCING in;
forgot his pipe and my promise re-
,arding 1t; forgot that had been a
labitual theater-goer all my life; for
,ot that was a protestant hereto and
hat it was nothing but stage play;
orgot everything except the fact was
landing in the presence Of the great,
isible head Of the Catholic religion In
rance and that was ready to drop
pom my knees with the rest of them
I his imprecation. That was Edwin
Tooth the actor.