Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-18
LONDON STAGE NEWS.


special Correspondence.
ONION, Aug. i.-With the Dossi-
bic exception OF Theodore Hook, j.
L. Toole, the veteran comedian
- who died this week, must have
80, about the most persistent and sue
,,s.ml practical Joker that this country
...r produced. II would not be sur
.5s.Br. In fact, II the famous inter
...,sr OF paul Pry' and Caleb Plum
..-r were remembered longer for the
am he made outside the theater than
mst which he produced in II, and since
-,ois's death, stories without number
,.ye been told about his pranks
one Of the best OF these comes from
nom stoker, who describes laugh
..,s ,oke which Toole aud his life
eonq cnum. Henry Irving, once played
!, ~,be salad days before either the
la,,edian or the tragedian had become
.5rid-renowncd. The scene was an old
,.r al Wavertree. where the two actors
IA gone TO dine one Sunday. Late I'm
.sT evening" says Sir Henry's late
,tnager having been sitting long af-
,ar dinner. they sent the waiter for the
,u While he was gone they took the
slver-of which they had a plentiful
s1rply at Wavertree. and Of which they
tad always a liberal amount on the ta-
hs-and hid it In the garden upon
,ghi-h the room opened. Then they blew
oBf the candles and got under the Ia
hs. The waiter came back and was
bunderstruck 10 find the room dark
Ana the door open, ana to note, by what
moonlight there was. that the silver
had gone. He rushed away at once,
r'using the house by the Wild cry OF
'Thleves, Thievesl"
Tho instant he had gone, Irving and
, To1le emerged from their hiding place,
,lo-ed the door. brought back the sill
yer. and relit the candles. When pres
emily there came into the room a wild
,p.l OF the landlord and mis- servants
and the guests Of the house, half-clad,
,bay found the two men sitting at Ia
t.e slipping their wine. and Irving
tm1king his cigar with his usual placid
ty one can see his calm, benign face
a he quietly asked the landlord: DO
SOL always fNIlt Ut llhH WIS WIN 5Nll-
tmon are duing2'
Tdole literally never missed an op-
ror,unity to play a Joke. Going along
oxford street one day, he noticed a
handsome ClGed carriage drawn up
outside certain well known estab-
u,lment. The coachman and footman
were on the box, looking stolidly ahead.
Mr. Toole shut the door with bang,
took OF his hat 10 some imaginary oc-
curants. and told the coachman TO
"drIye home" The cqulpage was driv-
On smartly away just as its rightful
owners came out Of the shop while IN a
safe coign OF vantage, Toole hugely
enjoyed his Joke.
The actor also enjoyed making him
SELF out a perfect simpeton, and was
never happier than when a policeman
or some official had Informed him
rityingly In answer to some ingenious
inquiry Of his. that he must just nave
come up from the country. lie IN
vented. too. the hoax 81 demanding
food and drink in business offices.
one night he and Lal Brough were
going down Fleet street early IN the
evening when Toole, noticing the great
arc lamps over the Daily Telegraph
Office. nudged Brough TO follow au1
entered. He went over 10 the adyer-
sement counter, and. lolling on one
elbow, said In an offhand way to the
clerk, who attended. Bring me two
brandy-and- sodasl" Then he went on
talking to his friend. The clerk tried