The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1908-11-22

heads and a broad brimmed hat with a
handsome ostrich feather. These, with
a pair of cavalier boots, went to the
funeral pyre. Then his Roman things
for Mare Antony, the velvet coat and
gray trousers he had worn for Raphael
in 'The Marble Heart, his costumes for
Romeo, Shylock, Macbeth and a gor-
geOus robe for Othello made of two East
Indian shawls, so fine you could have
pulled them through lady's bracelet.
"Pinned in a cloth was a stunning
Indian dress-genuine thing-with a
photograph of John Wilkes in the same
costume, dated Richmond, Va, 1859-60.
guessed the part to be Metamora
cit was agonnzlng, living through
these moments, while without a word
Mr.. Booth inspected each article, touch
ing it fondly as if it were his own
flesh and blood, before handing it to
me to be burned Sometimes a draft
through the furnace door sent a swarm
of floating sparks into the shadows of
the cellar space, and / watched them
to see that they did not set fire to the
building. He didh t notice them; his
gaze was fixed on the flames, and his
face was drawn and white.
Presently he came across a package
of cid letters, wrapped in a handker,
chief and tied with a faded pink rib.
bon. AS he examined their addresses
glanced over his shoulder, and could
see that they were directed to his
brother, and some of them in what
seemed to be a woman s handwriting
He had looked over only few when
his eye flashed, his lips pressed togeth-
er, and crushing the package in his
hands he moved quickly past me and
threw it angrily on the Goals. This
was the first time he had been moved
out of the calm which he had held since
we began. Twas like some of the
flashes of anger in his performance of
'Othello.' But it was over in a mo-
ment-temper was always that way
with him. Since that night I have
often wondered who had written those
letters. No one will ever know.
Finally he drew out of the trunk
long, belted, purple-velvet shirt orna-
mented with jewels and gilt lace, and
a Gke-eolored robe made to attach to
the shoulders. Both garments were
much creased, and in places the fabric
was worn threadbare He held them
the edge of the trunk with the cos
tune on his knees. For fully a minute
he didn't move, and as he sat" looking
at the costume, his eyes filed with
tears, which ran down his cheeks. fall
ing on the tinseled trappings. After
while he glanced up at me, as if for
the first time he was aware that any
one was near him.
'F Ny father ST he said, his voice
hoarse and shaking. Carrie, it was my
father s Richard Ill dress. He wore
it in Boston the night first went on
the stage as Tressel.
4" Don t you think you ought to save
that, Mr.. BoOth?' l ventured to ask.
He became quieter. 'No-put it with
the others. In a few minutes it was
nothing but ashes. / felt as if [ had
assisted in a crime
"He didn t linger so long with the
various articles after this, except now
and then to pause over a costume as if
he were puzzling his brain to recall
what part it had been used for. It
was curious how eager he was to see
every fragment destroyed. I was oblig-
ed to turn the flaming mass over so
with the long furnace poker |
that my face and hands were scorched |
with the heat. Sometimes he took the |
ron rod from me and performed the |
task himself. When the bottom of the |
trunk had been reached and the last |
garment, a couple of finely wrought |
iaggers, broken scraps of stage iewelry, |
md various odds and ends, which.
strangely enough. included a pair of |
s pink satin dancing slippers,
we're thrust in on the Goals, threw in
he wigs and even the swords that Law
lpOn the cover-they would break and
melt before the fire could be mended |
gain. At the last I was directed to |
lnock the trunk to pieces. and these,
With the cords that had bound the box,
we're the final contribution to the
lanes. We stood for a few moments,
ilently watching the snaky rims run
ing through the feathery ashes and
he sword blades glowing to a molten
eat, then he bade me shut the furnace
oor. The sacrifice was complete II
Omplete with one exception-a simple /
rreath of bays tied with a broad white 4:
ibbon. Twas his one memento. h
g That viii do he said quietly. :
We will 60 now. II
CT looked at my watch. Tt was +
early 6.
'The morning was still black; the I
torn had not broken: the wind was +
owing through the streets outside. |
Omewhere a shutter. loose and creak-
lg, was being flung now and then by I
he wind against the side of the build t