Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-17
NEW NEWS Of YESTERDAY
Great Actor Who Was Persuaded
by Thackeray.
James w. Wallack Not Only Attended
Dinner Given by the Author,
But Even Recited for tbs
Guests.
Hy &. J. EDWARDS.

essays something about dinner Lhat
Thackeray gave at Delmonico IN
New York. shortly before his return TO
his home in England in 1859. after
the completion OF his second lecture
tour in this country" said the late
ParEe Goodwin, son-in.law Of William
Cullen bryant. and one of rhackeray's
intimates when the novelist was In
this country.
Curtis did not tell the story exactly
as the Incident occurred, according
10 my recollection" Mr.. Goodwin con-
tinued Il was present at the dinner
and sat very near Thackeray. who.
OF course. occupied the chair OF the
host He gave the dinner In acknowl-
edgemenL OF many. courtesies OF
similar kind which he had received
and he therefore had at the table near
" all OF the men prominent IN pro-
fsssional or literary life III New York.
81 saw great deal OF Thackeray
when he was In the United States up
on his second lecturing tour. He MADE
the editorial rooms Of the old Put
nam's Magazine. OF which Curtis and
I were the editors. his, headquarters.
He was almost always In high Spirits.
] sometime bought OF him az great.
overgrswn hoy. But | never saw MN
In quite the exhuberance OF spirit
which he showed al this dinner.
las we sat down to dinner. re.
member Thackeray saying 10 us tliht
there would be no speeches. He de-
tested formal speechmaking. he said:
that always threw cloud over a
feast. But what he did like. he limited
with whimsical. all-!ncluding smile.
was song a story n recitation any
thing that a guest could do lnlormal'
IT,
~ moment or two later. as !
glanced about me. ! saw that Ihack-
cray had secured as a guest James W.
Wallack, the great actor and play
| wright. who had left Scotland for this
country three years before. Thack'
eray had told me previously that he
was going 10 invite Mr.. Wallack TO
the dinner, and in reply had said
that he would be very lucky II Wal
lack accepted the invitation Thack-
cray wanted to know wis | felt that
way. and said that off the stage Wal
lack was known in New York as one
nf me nuielest of men. was very shy.
and almost always declined invitations
to large dinners.
las we were disposng OF the good
| cheer hat Theckeray had provided for
rs. found myself wondering what
Thackeray would persuade Wallack 40
dn when he time for coffee aud cigars
was come. What he did do WAS 10 ask
Wallack. with whom be had become
most friendly when Wallach was on
The English sta9e.to tell q story, Wal
lack shyiy shook his head. Then
asked 'rhackeray. would lie not Relate
some anardote? Again Wallack SHOOK
his bead.
"'rharkeray sat as II bordering FOR
a second Then. OF a sudden. he turn
ed 10 his friend.
Mr.. Wallark.' he cried with boy
isil enthusiasm ri tell you what you
can do thatll make every mans heart
il,oh ~iIh excitement and pleasure
You can racite that great scene in
The play THE Rent Day" which, aa ]
have seen and heard you III the play
.ipon the stage in London. | have
I thought was acting unsurpassed
Everybody clinked the glasses a;
The suggestion ] was afraid for q
moment that Mr.. Wullack would again
shake his head he was. cf course. in
evening dress. su that the illusion
which the dress OF the par! that Wal
lack took in the play produced, WAS
lacking. Rui he arose, stepped from
behind his chair Il little nearer 10
Thackeray, and in low but very
clear voice began the lines OF that
scene. Almost instantly we forgot
that Wallack was a. private gentle
man in evening dress, unsupported by
any Of the accessories or the theater-
me wonderful spell which he was able
10 exert upon his audience In the the.
aler was with him then. We were all
euthralled, especially Thackeray. He
sat half turned around in his cbair.
listening intently. He did not move
once during the entire recitation. But
when Wallack was done and had sat
down. and while the entire room re
sounded with applause after the diners
had got their breath. Thackeray rose
and bowed TO Wallack. and think il
was the most graceful acknowledge
ment that ever saw one man pag al
other.
Il said to Thackeray after the din
ner that felt sure he was the one
man in the world who could have pei
! suaded James W. WallacH 10 enact
his part in The Rent Day while in
evening dress and at great dinner.
think Thackeray liked 10 hear Mo
say that, for he seized my hand and
gave 1t warm grasp"
| Copyright. 1911. by E. ]. Edwards. All
4.LN No.