The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1911-03-17
STAGE: Anecdotes
The London Debut Of Edmund
kean, the Great Tragedian.
A SUCCESS AND ITS PATHos.

The fearful Meeting With His Wife
/ Afsor His Triumph on the Boards.
Snubbina q Noble Lord--An English
Critic on Edwin Forests Macbeth
Edmund Kean's London debut was
made in 1911. at time when his
financial affairs were at a very low
ebb With his wife and one child he
was lodging in an attic His reception
| as Shylock was most encouraging and
| fiatteiing. In an almost frenzied es-
| stasy he rushed through the wet to his
humble lodging, sprang up the stairs
and threw open the door. His wife ran
| to meet him. 80 words were required
his radiant countenance told all
and they mingled together the first
tears of true happiness they had as yet
| experienced. He told her of his proud
| achievement and In burst of exulta-
tion exclaimed, MARY, you shall ride
In your carriage, and Charley, my boy"
| taking the child from the cradle and
kissing him-''you shall go to Eton
| and"-a sad reminiscence crossed his
mind, his joy was overshadowed and
| he murmured in broken accents, ooh,
! that Howard (his dead child had lived
to see it hut he is better where he is"
| On the night of Edmund's first ap-
| pearance as Richard group of idle
| actors in the greenroom were discuss
| ing his merits in anything but liberal
| spirit. 81 understand" said one, with
an elaborate sneer, "that he is an adj
| mirable harlequin" Bannister entered
at that moment, overheard the remark
and retortcd, 81 am certain of that, for
| he has jumped over all our heads"
1t seems that the great tragedian,
Edmund Kean. and Charles Incledon,
the popular singer, were one day walk
ign in Bond street when they met
Lord Essex, who bowed coldly to
Kean, though they were on terms Of
intimate friendship.
The next day Kean found note at
the thcater from my lord desiring him
to call at his house. When there the
noblemnn said to the tragedian. "My
dear Kean. you will pardon me. You
know how greatly | admire your gen
ius. but was surprised yesterday to
see you in company of that singing
man. Inclcdon." my lord" said
Kean with flashing eye. "Pray don't
excite yourself, now, my dear Kean,"
Interrupted my lord, but the respect,
may Sly reverence. I have for your
wonderful genius prompts me to
speak THIS" Lord Essex cried
| Kenn, drawing himself up and casting
whitening glance 1T his noble patron,
twelve yeascago my family were in
wHHt of bread and Charles Incledon,
NY friend, supplied the means to pro-
cure it. ard when Edmund Kean for
gets his friends may God forget him..
And from That hour The two men never
eSt hanged ourtcscs
Kean. fro.l early manhood had an
Internal po'1l,;.,,int fer which he had
always been his cwa physician and
prescriE(:i tat sovereign balm called
brandy froGi which it generally
! fGund relief. ard at least ii always
| proved al alternative. While travel
ing rro,n l.o.Gon TO Belfast. on quit
! ting the ;GGt Il at Donegal Arms, he
missed his sovereign balm and he call
ed out 10 the Irish waiter to search the
lately ablicatcd vehicular conveyance
us lie had left his pocket pistol behind.
"rhe devil pistol can | find" cried
the searching Hibernan, ''or anything
else but this" producing the leather
covered charm. why that's 1t, you
blockheud." exclaimed Kean, suiting
the action to the word and tasting to
be convinced. Pat scented the cordial
and, laughing. cried: "Do you call that
a pistol sir? Why, then, faith, though
I'm rcaceabe man, ! wouldn't mind
standing a shot or two of that pistol
myself
When Edwin Forrest went to Lon
don he was received in anything but
cordial way. One critic wrote:
"Ou old friend Mr.. Forrest afforded
great amusement to the public by his
performance of Ma Geth on Friday at
the Princess Indeed, our best comic
actors do not often excite so great q
quantity OF mirth. The change from
an inaudib!e murmur to thunder of
sound was enormous, but the grand
feature was the combat In which he
stood scraping his sword against that
OF Macduff. We were at loss to know
what this gesture meant until an en-
lightened critic In the gallery shouted
out. That's right sharpen it!"
A coed story is being told at the ex-
pense of a certain local theater whose
"Standlng Room Only" notice Is no
longer needed. One night after the
curtain was rung up small boy was
discovered In front of the box Office.
The manager of the theater went to
the lad and kindly asked him what the
trouble was. Il want my money
back" sobbcd the boy in answer to
the query In surprise the manager
asked his reason for such a request.
'Recause- because I'm afraid to sit up
in the gallery all alone" he walled.
His money was returned.-Frankiin
Barry in st. Louis Post-Dispatch.
A Mere Trifle.
FNl,a x.n,,om ta1x, ho1 xvnn fha y,hfI0-