Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-03-19

l twice the difident actor did as he was l told. That he had his doubts as to | Mansfield's authority fer the pronun- citation, or that he did not take the correction seriously was shown by his | remark to another member of the company a moment later, when the star was at the other end of the stage, out of hearing. 1T guess the old man was kidding me on that, wasn't he?' :Il:
 The following comes from Califor- ! mia, where so many younger sons of l the English gentry have settled down on ranches. One of these was some what proud of his lineage and posi- l ton, notwithstanding the fact that he l had become q ranchman in q demo- cratic country. He went up to San l Francisco for a little holiday, after the close of the raisin season, aid pro- ceeded to expend some of his profits | in having what the ranchers call q l bully time. This meant a free indul- gence in wine. which exhilirated the young Englishman to such an extent 1 that he began to brag obtrusively of 1 his position in his own country. 'Oh 1 gwan" exclaimed one of the party, 1 who was an Irishman, and who was also a ranchman of means, though his career had begun by his proficient use | of the pick and shovel. ''Gwan you're l no better than the rest of Us though your name is Percy. with a pedigree, am your father a squire "He is more than that" exclaimed the Eng lishman. ''he belongs to several noted orders. He's q Knight of the Garter a Knight of Bath and a Knight" 1<>$ &<,1I icsSs interrupted the Irish ranchman-''he's James O'Malley tonight, tomorrow night. last night. and every night comin', that what
 :lI:
 A group of members were the other day sitting in comfortable corner of | the Players club exchanging anec- dotes of Edwin Booth, whose former belongings are so largely in evidence in all the rooms of the club. Several stories were told of the tragedian's father, Junius Brutus Booth, whose 1 failing, as everybody knows, was the love of intoxicating beverages, but which weakness was always over looked because of the wonderful tal- ent of the man. Tn these days mana gers would not have the same pa- tience with a star. no matter how great that they extended to this tal- ented actor, who did about as ne pleased with them. At the time the elder Booth was playing in Baltimore at the Holiday street theater, he was missed from the theater one matinee day. when he should have been in his dressing room preparing for the per- formance. A search in the neighbor- ing saloons, where he was wont to take his glass of strong waters. did not result in his discovery. One of the stage hands passing the pawn shop of Gordon Benjamin, not far from the theater, casually asked the proprietor, who stood at his door. if he had seen the actor. "Yes'' said the pawnbroker. pointing his thumb lover his shoulder he's in there asleep. He pawned himself for a dollar, which he went out and spent Il then returned here to wait to be re- deemed" The stage hand rushed into I the store and awakened the actor who was lying on long, low shelf behind the counter. having insisted upon being shelved like the rest of the pledged goods. He, however, refused to go to the theater until the mana ger should send the dollar for his re- Edemption, which that long suffering | v somewhat under the effects of the dol lars worth of refreshment, Booth never gave a better performance than he did at that matinee At another time the matinee curtain was held half an hour by the distracted mana | ger. who had sent searchers about the neighborhOod for the tardy actor. 1 When finally found he was seated at the top of a wagon load of cabbages, which he was auctioning off to an amused crowd gathered about l6m. Needless to explain, he had been in- dulging in his favorite brand. On his way to the fheater he had engaged in conversation with the farmer who had come to town to dispose of his vege- tables. It was past noon and the far mer had sorrowfully explained to the charitably minded Booth that there was little chance of getting rid of his stock, and that he would have to take | it back to the farm or sell 1t for little or nothing. ''Not so," exclaimed the generous actor. "I will dispose of your wares" and in faithfully carrying out bis promise he was found by the managers agent: nor would he &C., company that person to the theater before compelling him to pay the price of the remaining cabbage to the farm ar.