The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-07-05

Francisco Hall, and in this Edwin was
utility man. He took parts in farces
and hurlesques and even assumed the
character of Dandy Cox, in a negro
farce, in which he made a hit.
One night, for the benefit of a mem
Der of the company, Edwin acted Rich.
ard Ill. His success was magical and
the city became enthusiastic in his
praise. His brother advised him to ap.
pear at once in a series of Shakes
pearian characters. His Richard gave
way to Shyloek and this to Macbeth.
Great dramatic excitement and enthu.
siasm resulted in California. He be-
came an enduring favorite of that
public.
In the fall of 1854 Booth visited Aus.
tralia in company with Laura Keene
and d. c. Anderson. They sailed in a
brig in which seventy-two days were
consumed in the journey to Sydney.
Here Booth appeared for the first time
as Shylock, winning success. The com
pany proceeded to Melbourne, where
they found business bad and Booth and
Miss Keene severed relations, Booth
taking passage for San Francisco in a
ship that was destined to stop at the
Sandwich Islands. He disembarked at
Honolulu and remained two months
there, producing several plays. Hard
times overlook the company and they
were compelled to sleep in hammocks
slung in the theater.
BOYS EAT THE PASTE.
After short time it was learned
that the lack of patronage was due in
bn 70 tn& = lNa
native boys who were intrusted to post
the town with bills ate the paste and
threw away the posters. Booth after.
ward played the role of bill-poster and
/, business picked up. After a couple of
weeks the actor took passage to San
Francisco, where he appeared at the
Metropolitan Theater in a series of
Shakespearian plays.
| After the case of the San Francisco
! engagement Booth took to the road
producing for the first time in America
"The Marble Heart at Sacramento
| 1t happened that every town the com
pany visited was ravished by fire, after
their departure, and the superstition of
/ the mountain jewellers deduced the fires
as result of the visit of the players
so that travelling became hazardous to
the company. Booth left the company
at Downingsville, as poor as when be
started out, leaving behind him the title
of ''the fiery star. Through hard,
ship and without money he made his
| way back to Sacramento, where bene-
| fit was rendered him. At San Fran.
cisco another benefit was rendered HIM
and with this assistance he realized
enough money to tide him over dis
couraging predicament. 1t was but a
short time afterward, September, 1856
that he departed from California for
the east, hidden Godspeed by a public
| that delighted to honor him.
| In the east Booth at once appealed as
a novelty, and his career was sue
cess from the start. His first appear.
ance upon his return to the east was
at the Front Street Theater, Baltimore
after which he made a tour of the
south and southwest, winning favor in
all the larger cities. In Richmond he
! first met Mary Devlin, who afterward
became his wife.
SUCCESS AS RICHARD III.
He opened a Boston engagement in
April, 1857, in "Sir Giles Overreach, y
and won a brilliant triumph. He ap-
peared in New York as Richard III at
Burton s Metropolitan Theater, Nav IA