The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-29
EDWIN BOOTHS APOLOGY.
He Made = Handsome One when ne
Discovered His Error.

He Made q Handsome One when ne
Discovered His Error.
During the early sixties, relates J. II.
Rogers In the New York Times, occu-
pied rooms, or. TO be strictly truthful, n
room, in the old Studio building, on
Tenth street. 1t swarmcd with artists Of
all descriptions, and n more delightful set
Of good fellows never got together under
the same roof There was not single dis
cordant element and the gatherings held
from time to time in the different studios
will remain with me among the most val
ued memories of a somewhat eventful life.
On these occasions people from the outside
world frequently dropped in; other artists,
literary men of the Bohemian sort, with
perhaps an actor or two on the of nights,
all men whose presence gave an additional
flavor to the mixture, until 1t came to be
like the old Century club punch, JOY
to be remembered, and too subtle TO be
analysed.
One evening Edwin Booth was present
and, finding the company congenial, made
himself 80 agreeable that / was very sorry
when an engagement took me away at a
comparatively early hour The next even
ing dropped into the Century club for a
little gossip and found Mr.. Booth there.
He was the center Of group Of men with
whom was on such terms of intimacy
that did not hesitate to join them. The
usual greetings were passed until / came
TO Booth, when received n look that went
through me like cold steel. Supreme con-
tempt was never so expressed before or
since. just one look, and then, without
further notice, he turned his back on me
and began to talk to the other members of
the group. OF course there was nothing
to be said, and l got away as soon as pos
sible. Presently, however, began to be
angry. This is not simply cut, thought
/, but premeditated insult. / became
furious and was ready for an explosion
then and there, but just at that time
Launt Thompson came up and took me
one side.
How in the name of common sense,
said he, did you come to play practical
joke on BOOTH" Now, of all disagreeable
creatures, detest most heartily the prac-
teal joker, creature to be kicked out Of
any respectable community. I resented
even the implication and refused to stoop
so far as to deny that had been guilty of
such thing, expressing In good set terms
my opinion Of those who believed it. 1t
seemed, as 1t came out afterward, that
during the previous evenings entertain
ment, which took place In Thompson
studio, man about town who had been
dining heavily, thinking 10 get joke on
both of us, took the opportunity offered by
my departure 70 play shabby trick ON
Booth and throw the blame on me.
The upshot of the mater was that In
day or two came a note frpm Booth asking
me to accept his box at tie Winter Garden
for certain night and meet him in his
dressing room between the third and
fourth acts OF Hamlet. OF course &C.
copied the invitation and in due time ap-
peared at the door of tie little dressing
room on the left of the stage at the Winter
Garden theater. On entHring l found, to
my surprise, all the members of the group
that had witnessed the scene at the club
Booth, who had just come off the stage
and was in full costume, made an apology
so handsome that l blushed as I received
it and went away full of admiration for
the man who knew so well what was due
TO himself and when he necessity came
could make an apology so ample that it
left the recipient in his debt.