The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-10
From the Chicago Evening Post.
 <H HAVE had a good many A

From the Chicago Evening Post
 EH HAVE had good many amusing
 experiences" said MT. John Barry ~ 4 more, refiectively, as he lighted a cigarette after the final curtain of "A Stubborn Cinderella" at the Princess the ater the other night; but one which has afforded me as much laughter as any occurred right here in Chicago, at Cleve- lands theatre. I was making my first appearance on the stage, and the first play in which I was given a part was 'Magda,' in which I played Max, hand some, flashing young soldier.
 My uniform was a gorgeous affair of red and blue. gold lace, brass buttons and. various other ornamental trappings. but as at that time was in a state of com plete financial collapse, bought this uni form second hand at a costumers in stead of having one made for me. Who the original owner was I don't know, but he was built on the architectural lines of a park policeman. I was young and care less in those days, and I had taken the costumers word for it that the costume l dashed madly into the theatre ten min utes before time to go on, and found this awful thing to wear.
 Necessity being the mother of inven- ton, you know, I rolled up my street clothes into a bundle and tied 1t across my chest. This made me look like a cross between Sandow and Jim Jeffries.
 +1.1 aF a in the legs. but it was no time to stop or hesitate, and I strode on the stage. l had been there about three minutes when I felt the bundle begin to slip, and by the finish of the scene I was possessed of an aldermanic paunch which would have made me the president of any fat mans club in the world on sight. The next was very fine as little soldier, but wan dered about as if he had been dressed up and forgotten.
 "This was my first theatrical notice And, curiously enough, my father made his debut on the American stage in Chi cago and was handed something almost as fine He appeared as MT. Cool in a
  the first criticism which met his eye the following day read: Maurice Barrymore appeared last night as MT. Cool. If the audience have their wish he will soon be playing where he will never be cool again
 Cleveland forgave me for the appear ance I made in Mazda and promised that I should have, the following week, the part of Sir Francis Bacon in Queen Elizabeth This is big. fat part, and was sure that I would make hit which was sure that I would make hit world, and I spent the rest of the week telephoning around to all the friends of my family in Chicago, begging them to come and see me the opening night. And a lot of them did.
 ..The day before we were to open, how ever. some misfortune or other occurred, end MT. Cleveland was forced to substl- ute Leah the Forsaken' for Queen Elizabeth In Leah I was given the grand and glorious part of the idiot boy, who Is the village butt. I had one line to speak, and I led the yokels for one splendid moment in three loud cries Of 'Hurrahv I puttied my nose got big, beautiful blond wig, and disguised myself as much as possible in other ways, but all my friends were onto me, aud there are a lot of them who haven't stopped calling me Sir Francis Bacon yet.
 '.Since the San Francisco earthquake. however, they have been guying me in- stead about the remarks said to have been made by my uncle, Mr. John Drew, when wrote him that had been thrown ont of bed and then forced to help clear the streets. with guard of soldiers over me. Instead of the great wave of sympa- +bv I expected from Uncle Jack he re- marked: Well. n took convulsion of