New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-19
THE OLD LAMBS
ReCoIIections of Some Famo
Members of the Club.
BY Lamb wilton Lscksye.

In 1874 George Mclean. now the a..
ranking member Of the club, gave M,
party at Delmonico's 10 four menbs,,
Wallack's Theatre company. On tina, n.
they determined TO form a club 4. n
known as "The Lambs" on the mod. }
an organization in London OF which "a.
Montague. one of the guests, was a ma
Der. From that acorn grew the s,s
! Lambs Of to-day. with a membershi,
800 professional, 300 non-professionsl
army and navy, $50 nonresident men,
and so life members.
! It is entirely unnecessary 70 tell anna
here. or abroad for that matter. what \
Lambs means now. Among acton J
! roster Is the who's who" OF the drsn,,I
profession. All the playwrights Of dIsta
| tion are members, as well as the leah,
! business men of the theatrical world
OF course it often happens in club |,
/ that members spend more time In e.I
( clubs than Is pleasing TO their donss,
connections or sometimes even to al
/ business associates. but il quer.1
whether membership in bohemian d
/ is not safe outlet for tho effervescehe
artistic youth.
/ For myself, as one of the older rerhs,
/ I cannot sufficiently estimate the yalus II
! having sat at the feet Of men Ike Ls,V
Wallack. W. j. Florence, John T. p,
mond. Harry Edwards and Joseph J.ss,
| son. listening TO their wonderful stoc<
and drinking I'm open-mouthed their tts.I
ries of acting and anecdotes OF pertorI
! ance II was a liberal education 70 ID
Steele Mackaye and Charles Coghlan n y
bate upon a serious subject interrupted
witty intersections of Maurice BarryrrI
Often there would be duel Of wiu :
which BARRYMORE. Goodwin. Dizzy, VI
Mcconnell. Nate Salisbury and Louis "a
rison engaged which would leave cl'
rlsibilities tingllng for days
The old-fashioned courtesy - Wall
and the stilted dignity Of John Gilbert
memories of an older school now ID
gone out of existence.
/ Judge Brady frequently dropped 10 IN |,
afternoon and the scntillsnt wit Of syi,s1
/ Rosenfeld was always on tap.
Tisls told us Of his wonderful hopes q!
7 can remember IN" amused glsnces a d
unfolded the possibilities Of the vireisI
! telegraph. now Al accomplished fact. n
hailed then as = madmar'S dream. ~
! +. !. Lincoln. famillarly known az Ma]
. and Queries" with his maryellousIy en1-I
clopsedic knowledge. was always on ban
: IN settle ? dispute with statistics or
! the final finger ON moo'ed point.
II is ? great pleasure now that NAM 4
, these men have passed away. 20 rensn's
I that nv youth touched elbows with thsr
/ that 7 knew their personalities and had 4
/ privilege Of speech with them
The contemporaneous view is aWgi
small The big men NJ cur time koi
larger with distance. II may IN after year
/ he great memory 10 the youns merss 1
now entering tho club 10 recall that ~
knew Thomas and Bro8dhurst and lg's
! and Gillette and Belasco. chatted with y
I and NetcaIfe and kemble. shook hands ~
! Bispham after song. clinked glasses va
! Victor Herbert and Bobby Mtken' ne'.
! Dick Davis and Peter Dunno and Gep!s
| AIDE and Lloyd OshourEe and TarkingA
chat over things they had not yet W'lu'-
The club has grown in Membership !
material welfare. in comfort and IN S'''
these late years. When We enlarge %
frontage and extend our buildings sHts'
I Ike to think that it was the spirit o. ~
earlier club that made all possible -
IN think that into the rock and BRICK a.
iron and the cornerstone Of the iohr r's |,
have sunk the courtiiness OF "ahses -
the mentality OF Mackaye, the VII Of 0@'
rvmore. the geniality Of Florence. thecs',
ton OF Stow. the knowledge OF Llhco'. =
the hearty goodfellowship Of old Tom Ma.
ming. II We have these In our struc'u'
cannot fail to endure for the merrinsh' !
our time and the memory Of the Gays