Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-11

4 An autograph copy of the toast from Rip Van Wrinkle, by Joseph Jefferson, brought S7.An interesting letter of Dor othy Jordan, the English actress, de clining theatrical engagement be- cause of ill health, brought $14. A vehement letter of Edmund Kean in regard to q quarrel he had with G.. | Wynne was bought by Eyert Jansen l Wendell for $25. Another letter of with d fine portrait by Meyer, and a playbill of the Drury Lane theatre, for Feb 29, 1916, went for $24. A let ter of John Philip Kemble to Sir Thomas Lawrence brought $8, and one of Tyrone Power was sold for So to MT Wendell. A letter of Edgar Allen Poe, dated New York, 1914, brought $50; one of John Howard Payne, brought $9, and a power of attorney signed by Mrs Clenm, Poe's mother-in> law. sold for $25. Two letters of John Wilkes Booth brought SIP and $11. The letters of eminent literary men fetched, as a rule, far higher prices than those of noted actors.
 Fl:
 Edward Goodman, formerly mana ger of Polls theater, contributes a strange tale of Sunday spent in a typi- cal town in Alabama's rural section, in the Mirror this week. It might sug gest ideas for some of our amiable farce writers, although, probably, no one would believe that such an epi- sode ever occurred in real life. Says MT Goodman: While spending Sun- day ata Sylacauga, Ala, I went to the hotel that appeared the better-they have as many as too hotels there-and was assigned to the best room, which afterward learned was the star board. CTS room, the parlor, and bridal cham ber It had two beds, a piano md two chairs, one rustic and the other rusty. The negro porter pounded bottomless tin boiler to announce din- ner and being hungry I hastened to the dining room and encountered corn dodger, a clay biscuit, piece of roast beef about the size of four liver pills, side dish of grits, slice of pie that hadn't labored in many moons, and a cup of coal drippings that answered to the name of coffee After my re- past I went to my room. About half past two three young girls came into my room. without as much as knock on the door. They took possession and began to play on the piano and to sing. Later came a few part-their- hair-in-the-middle lads who joined in to help the good cause along. The room was carpetless, so they danced to their hearts content Finally they called on me to tell them story, and, not knowing any, was forced to tell them of my travels. Eventually, they all left to my great delight. I was about to take a little slep when was interrupted by two little girls. who in- formed me that they came in to pre- pare the room for a wedding which was to take place after supper. I told them had not thought of any such thing and furthermore I did not care to have any dust raised in my room. They re- piled that their sister was to be mar ried and it had to be done. so it was done. After supper the natives began to gather in my room until it was al- most crowded to suffocation. The minister said his little piece and crack ed a few jokes. Then, when the cou- pAe were pTOuOuuC6Q AdH dHu WllS, everybody in the room, with one ex- ception, and he was legless, made a leap for the pair to congratulate them, and a man with a grizzly beard and bell-boy voice cried out. Everybody take drink with me- So they hustled out to the drinks while the newly welded couple remained in my room until about 10:30. cooing and wooing, and paying no attention to me at all. Having an early train to make the next morning, I wanted to retire, and there they were. I called for the landlord and he said might retire for the night and leave an early call with the bridegroom. but preferred to make my call right then and there. and that did, after which l was left in solitude."