Evening journal., 1910-03-01
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Ice Cream That InSpir-
ed a Famous Play
BY "Hollsnd."

This daily series OF anecdotes and incl
quently dramatic light on famous events
and personalities of the past have been
collected by Mr. Edwards during near
forty years OF more or less intimate ac-
qualntance with many OF the countrys
leaders since the Civil War. Each an
ocdOte or incident is fresh from Mr. Ed
ward s notebook, and, either In whole or
ESTERDAN, garncred from the men
who made the news-the history-or from
equally authoritative sources. As inn
portant contributions of the Human in
terost sort to American history these
articles have distinctive value all their
own.
At the time when Dion Boucicault. who
died In 1890. was at the height of his
fame as great playwright and a popu-
lar actor, / had OCCASION to call upon
him one morning at his apartments; he
took up his residence in this country in
1876, you may remember But though
the hour was close to noon. l was in
formed that Mr.. Boucicault was Just
preparing for breakfast, and was asked
to wait until he had finished the meal
In moment or two, however, a CHEEKY
voice-that Of Boucicault himself-sang
out, "The top of the morning to your
and / was shortly ushered into the break
man
dressed in such fashion as / had never
before seen worn at a breakfast or any
other table. For Bouccault was encased
in a long dressing gown made apparent
~ from lambs wool bordcred and trim
med elaborately at the cuffs and around
the rfeck, and girdled around the waist
with a scarlet cord much betasseled. His
feet were shod i'm white slippers, without
heels-something like Chinese slippers
and upon his head was perched skull
cap, concealing his badness.
As we talked over the business that
had taken me to him, Boucicault, be-
tween his rapid-hre answers to my ques-
tions. made away with the substantial
meal that had been spread before him.
/ Then he motioned othe attendant, who
left the room, but speedily returned,
hearing a tray upon which reposed "A
single saucer-and in that dish was the
largest block of ice cream had ever
seen served as a single portion-a blocl;
that seemed, in fact, to be sufficient to
satiate the ice cream appetite of at
least three persons.
Perhaps I involuntariy showed my
surprise both at the unusual breakfast
dish and fits size. At any rate, Bouci-
cault turned to me with a merry twinkle
in his eyes.
you have found me indulging in one
of my peculiarities," he said. do you
know. / am firm believer in the value
Of ice cream as an inspiration. OF inhu-
ence? 1 actually wrote The Shaugh-
raun' under the inspiration OF IT. If
became a little thick-headed while en-.
gagged in producing that plav or WASH
clear about the treatment. Of Canor any
of the other character, / called for 3
plate Of ice cream, and large plate al
that, and when ! had eaten It. everything
cleared up for me. and 1 was able tC
get the right results"
Hstween sentences Boucicarslt was
tackling vigorously the little mountain
of coldness. 81 always have it on hand
he continued, "and / could go withou
my coffee for breakfast with less regre
than I could do without my customar,
portion of ice cream. Almost everybod,
else keeps ice cream for an after Dime
dessert, and Sunday desert at that. Blu
II / cat it I'm the morning it clears m.
BRAIN acts as a sedative to my digestiv,
organs. and is wonderful exhiliarato
for my whole system. And / can't &c
enouRl OF IT,.
with the last spoonful of the hug,
portion disposed Of Boucicault tlney
himself back in his chair like a man VIII
is content with himself and all IN
world "Ah." he sighed, "if were
poet I would sing the praises OF ic,
cream. To me it IS what tea was to Dr
johnson, a cigar to Bulwer-Lytton. AM
what absinthe is to some of the more IA
nous French writer's"
/. And the great playwright smacked hi
lips. probably partly. reminiscently AM
partly I'm anticipation OF the next hug
portion of ice cream that would be Sc
before him.
Copyright 19i. by e. J. Edwards)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell o
"The Old Time Orator Who Acted Hi
Speeches."