The times., 1899-10-22

lessor, there are StlIl some people VINO De-
lieve or say they believe that he was never
shot; in fact some believe he is still living.
In the minds of the Belair people. however.
there is not the faintest doubt of his death,
for "Auutie" Rogers. his old nurse has
declared to them a thousand times that she
saw the body Of her boy just before it was
buried and that she attempted 10 cut lock
Of hair from the head, but was stopped and
threatened with arrest"
Just before the original Booth house was
removed some inappr5ciative person hay-
ing control Of the work, tore up trunk full
Of stage costumes which had grown faded
in the service Of the eccentric genius. the
elder Booth The strips were used in the
making Of a rag carpet. For several years
thereafter the royal robes of Richard and
other characters he had helped to immor-
talize were trOd upon daily by country
clouts The trunk was found with other
junk in the refuse room Of the house. To-
day these robes to the collector would be
almost priceless.
That the elder Booth was more than &c
centric al times is not doubted in Hartford
county al least Time, no doubt has ex-
aggerated the eccentricities and strange
acts OF ths man, but no one denies that he
was the central figure in many strange pro-
ceediugs No one who is interested IN the
unusual impeaches the truth Of the story
that recites the death Of one Of his children
while the actor was en- tour, its burial Oh
the home place, his frantic disinterment OF
the body on his return, the bringing OF the
dead into the house and his mad appeals to
the mother 10 recall il back 10 life
Some OF His Eccentricities.
tradition has it also said Prof. Ma
honey" that once upon the death Of a ia
vorite horse he in his insane effort to re
store it TO life opened the carcass of the
animal and forced his wife to crawl within,
in the BELIEF that she could breathe life into
il again. And the story that has come
down from father TO son in respect OF this
has il further that he stood by with dagger
and firearms to prevent interference from
outsiders
While this part OF the story seems too
unnatural 10 believe, general credence is
given to the report that when the burial
Of the horse became necessary he went for
miles about the country requesting the peo-
pie 10 come 10 The Farm" 10 attend the
funeral When they arrived, they found 10
their great disgust that II was the carcass
Of a horse he wished 10 have buried with
all solemnity. The crowd retired, some in
disgust others amused. This freak OF
Booths was quickly followed by a long and
serious illness. Often Booth would wan
der miles from his home at night INSULT
cieutly clad or dressed in stage robes, some
times through rain, or SNOW, only to return
/ apparently unconscious OF his strange ac-
tion.
When Edwin reached the age of fourteen
or fifteen ne travelled much with his father
and in his calm way eXerted great inf1u-
1 ence over. protecting him from bodily eX-
] posure and regulating his engagements.
( Yet, in spite Of this, Edwin was not his ia
vorite son The sad face Of the boy 1t Is
! said. always near him rather deferred and
quieted the elder Booth. Edwin was a boy
Z who commanded obedience with a simple
look Of protest
OF all the Booth boys John Wilkes is best
! remembered by the people in and around
/ Bslair he mingled with the people more
They say he was magnificent horseman
I q genial companion a true sportsman.
All Belair speaks lovingly Of Edwin
Booth. Just before he died he gave S50i
assist a free library movement Il ap-
pears that the sMasons Of the town, as
sisted by their wives and daughters, in
auguTared the movement by holding ba-
zaar. II was suggested that Edwin's in
terest be solicited. Mrs Young one Of The
foremost patrons, conceived the idea o.
cutting from the old Booth place a piece
OF cherry wood, dressing it into . panel
and upon Its polished surface painting
bunch OF cherries. This was sent to tht
idol OF the Shakesperean stage with a few
words about the movement. The tree from
which the piece WAS taken stood mmedi
ately in front of the door Of the home
The curve Of every limb was known e
Edwin. This little tribute touched III,
tenderest chords in his breast, and aIonl
with his letter OF appreciation came tht
$500 check. The library is now in success
fuI operation.
When Junius Brutus Booth. the elder
died on a Mississippi steamboat. the worl,
suffered a great loss. When Rufus Choate
who regarded him as the ideal tragedian
heard of the death he exclaimed sorrow
fully, There are no more actors''
j. BARTON MILLER.