The times., 1899-10-22

of Juuius Brutus Booth near Belair, Nd,
where. free from the excitement OF the
worlds applause. the eccentric genius
passed the happiest day Of his life Here
his children were born; here much Of their
childhood was spent; here John Wilkes
romped, and gentle Edwin played. The
vehemence and tempestousness Of tragedy
were here laid aside The place was always
a haven Of rest for BooJh-a place Of
tenderest memories for his children.
Belair is reached from Washington by
way OF Baltimore. and is O. the Balti-
more and Lehigh Railway. It is a mar
row gauge affair. and consumes one hour
and a half in going twenty-seven miles.
The cars are ''scr0ochy and not over
clean. and the conductor talks familiarly
10 the heugers-op at the various stopping
places.
Belair is really a pretty town, and has
800 inhabitants. Main street is clean,
and dotted with cheerful homes. There is
a noticeable absence of delapIdatiou and
a supcrabuudauce Of churches. II is a
local option town, but mo gentleman as is
& gentleman. remarked one OF my sources
of Information, has ever died of thirst
within BelaiT's boundaries. To prove that
be was q Maryland gentleman, he smiled,
As he walked away ] thought ] heard
gentle splashing from within that pocket.
Most Of the people Of Beiair are .ond Of
the play, I learned and they patrOnize the
town hall literally when show comes
their way but companies rarely bravs the
Baltimore and Lehigh. Once is enough,
even for 2 ty- by-niEhJ T. I. c. company
Enquiry brought forth the Information
that the old home OF the Booths wassabOut
TWO and a half miles from the town, and
that ID was U0a occupied 10y blind pro
fessor Of music. who is the uTganist al ST.
IEuatiUS Catholic Church q composer.
graduate Of the New York Conservatory
Of Music for the Blind and a gentleman
Who upheld Naryland.s S fame for hoSpi-
tality.
or course Belair has a livery stable, and
thither I went The genial proprietor
was told that a horse was wanted for a
fve-miIe dTive-one that would not walk
continually on its hind legs or shy al au-
tumn leaves. He said he had just The
animal ] wanted. 1t was named Sallie.
SaIlie was brought forth and harnessed 10
q buggy and I was provided with heavy
robes. tor The day was rainy and chilly. II
took her two hours TO travel TWO and
half miles cut and two sud half hours 10
cover the same stretch in. HC~ hide was
as tough and as iusensible to chastisement
as linoieum and her ears deaf 10 entrsaty,
command, OF eXecration.
Tudor Halls Isolation.
Tudor Tall the old Booth homestead.
nestIes down iu a clearing half a mile
from the road. The two hundred and sixty
acres surrounding it are deusely wooded.
4 more isolated home could not he mag
iued. When Booth planned fo- sezI-sioa
he planned we'll Even al this late date
il is a yeritahle hermitage. As drove
through the woods and approached the
fence that incloses the cleared acre OF
Two j WAS greeted by d loud eachliag of
geese. ! sal ana watched the house Tor
Few minutes. thinking that someone
would come forth and invite me in out OF
the rain. As ne one appeared however,
! approached the front door and knocked.
TIE second knock resulted il the opening
Of the dCCr by q miss of sixteen or seven
teen. I TOLD her that 7 had come from
Washington and through many difficulties
Just TO see The home OF the famous Booths.
talk with The present occupants, and lis
ten 10 the stories they had TO tel OF that
family Of geniuses. She smiled eucourag-
iugly and said Jhat the professor would
soon be IL. The young woman proved 10
be the stepdaughter Of Prof. GaLoney,
Miss Kyle, whose mother is the present
owner OF the place.
FrcE- j. +. EIahoney came at last He
Is siehrless and has been since be was FIVE
years old. He welcomed me cordially
and talked entertaiuiDgly As we dined
the professor said that he was no per
solally acquainted with any II tie Booths
but his ears had always been open 10 sto-
Tles relating 10 the famous family par
tlcularly since be took up his residence
al Tudor Hail Prof Nahoney, though
shut Cut from the light OF the world is
distinctly Of the world. 4 long residence
iu New York. where he has taught both
vocal and instrumental music. has kept
him IN touch with the world Of harmony,
and the drama, art and the sciences.
Though now removed IL part from these,
his yearnlug for educational acquisition
is satisfied through the assistance o. loving
friends
Within sight Of the front door Of Tudor
Hall stands an old stump with five upright
projections, the whole having the ap-
pearance Of an outstretched hand. This
wreck Of q once great tree. with its butts
Of limbs is called by the country people
Booths Fingers Tradition has 10 that
the great genius was won't 20 thunder
forth his fercest SAakespeTeau speeches
from che branches Of this woodland giant
when preparing 10 once more astOuish the
world With his impassioned uttersnces-
When Booth drst sought seclusion here
he lived iu rudsly constructed log house,
Only few hundred yards from the pres
ent structure. Here the post boy came but
once g week and locks and bolts on doors
were unknown. Here the children were
born. The new home was built about 1870.
X was designed abroad. Booth was not an
American by birth, adoption or at heart
He was born in London iu 1896 and came
70 America ia 1921 While the Americana
heaped upon him every honor, palliated
broken engagements, and welcomed him
more cordially each succeeding year. he
was intensely un-Americau.
Description OF the place.
In this new house, the one still standing
was spent most Of the childhood Of the
younger boys II is a two-story structure
and a. present contains sixteen rooms. A
substantial, covered porch extends across
the front The windows are churchly in
appearance. The panes being very small and
diamond-shaped. There is but one Chin
ney, that Us iu the centre OF the house
The structure stands today practically as
the Booths left it. A bow window has been
added TO the parlor and the diniBz-Io0ln
has been somewhat enlarged IN ali other
substantial respects IL stands as the Eng
Iish architect designed it The frolt CooI
opens into d square reception hail, H ith
the library on one side and the parlor on
the ether. The home is built principally
o. brick and fronts the northeast Tudor
Hall, even on z rainy day, is an extremely
cheerful place
The Farm, as Booth always called g.
is blessed with a fine spring. IN the days
Of EuTfhE fFra4f rr-aar hu11f-gs