Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-07-06
Compliment Pleased Barrett

this common characteristic, so rare in
those two men were as different as
could be. Booth was excessively
shy, as is well known, and, thought,
at times disposed to be almost hypo
chOndriac. | know that at one time
when he seemed especially depressed
and most Of his friends attributed his
condition to the heavy financial losses
he met with in building and directing
Booths theater in New York, the real
reason of the depression was an ap-
prehension that he was suffering
from mortal disease; he was Gin
vtnced that malignant tumor would
slowly eat his life away. Finally, he
was persuaded to take medical ad-
vice, when he was rejoiced to learn
that he was suffering not from a tu-
NOR, but from a somewhat rare dis.
ease known as the black tongue,
due, probably, to his incessant smok
ing Of pipes which had not been care
fully cleaned. He was treated for
that complaint and cured, and it was
observed that he then recovered his
spirits.
Lawrence Barrett, on the other
hand, was one of the most compap
ionable of men. 1t was especially
pleasing to Barrett to go into the so
ciety of men of affairs. He liked to
talk of business life, not because he
had any expectation of taking up any
form of business, excepting that which
the investment of his earnings in,
volved, but because he liked to know
how the business men who were &C
comprising great things were doing
it, how they thought, how they talk
ed. One day, therefore. it occurred
to me that Mr.. Barrett might be glad
to become a member of the Union
League club of New York, for there
he would have opportunity when in
the city to meet many men of large
affairs, and he could make that club
his metropolitan home.
Il saw as soon as I made the sug.
gestion to him that he was greatly
pleased with it. He asked me, how
ever, if actors were eligible to mem
bership.
ct don't think ever heard that
point raised l replied, but you are
eligible because you served as a SOL
der in the Civil war, nd because you
have been strong Republican ever
since you could vote
If those are qualifications, Mr..
Barrett answered, then l have them
80 far as I could learn. no actor
had ever been proposed for member
ship at the club when l proposed
Lawrence Barrett's name. His rec
ord as a soldier was well known-he
had enlisted as a captain at the out
break of the var-his staunch Repub-
licanism, for ae was proud of his as
ter freedom from any self-conscious
mannerism all served to cause him to
be most cordially recommended and
to be most gladly received by una
nimous vote of the club.
THAT was in 1890, and l remember
well Mr. Barrett saying to me that of
all the compliments he had ever re-
CelVeQ none BTdIiueu AIn mOfe IMAM
that he had been admitted to mem
bership in a club nationally distin-
guished for the intelligence and high
character of it's members I shall
always make the club my home when
in New York he said, and when I
retire from the stage it will be my
club home
But, alas! Lawrence Barrett was
not long to enjoy this membership
that he so cherished, for little less
than year later there followed his
sudden illness and death in New York
while he and Booth were playing to-
gether in repertoire.
Copyright. 1911. by E. ]. Edwards All
Rights Rese- -ed.N