The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-05-07
EARLY MEMORIES
BY Henry Cabot Lodge.

have read with much interest early
Memories" by Henry Cabot Lodge, re-
cent addition to the increasing store O.
good books in the Belfast Free Library
Although the author is eleven years my
Junior he read in his boyhood the same
books that pored over at an early age
and which have been classics for more
than one generation-"R Robinson Cru
soe," the ''Swiss Family Robinson" the
"boys books" by Wayne Reid, the "Arab
ian Nights" and many others. Later
came the Waverly Novels, Dickens,
Cooper, Washington Irving, Marryatt,
etc. Mr.. Lodge became theater-goel
when boy, and that was my expert
ence also in youth, and until recent
wears. The first opera l attended-ac-
companying my mother, who was
musician herself-was Lucretzla Borgia,
in the Boston Theater. The prima donna
was Madame La Grange. Adelaide Phil
lips was in the cast, and her singing OF
the drinking song made so great an I'M
preston on me that on my return to
school at the Lewiston Falls Academy in
Auburn l painted her portrait in oil from
colored Autograph or sheet OF music.
That must have been in the winter of
1867, and in 1866 Mr.. Lodge heard this
opera in London. He also saw at that
time Sothern in Lord Dundreary'-a
pleasure that did not come to me until
more than ten years later, in the old Ma
tional Theater in Washington, D. c.,
later destroyed by fire, but soon rebuilt.
One of my first recollections of the
theater-antedated only by seeing the
Western Sisters-Lucille and Helen
dance in the old National Theater in
Boston, is of the Ravel troupe at the
Howard Athaneum, Boston, of which
Mr. Lodge says: "The rope dancing, the
athletic featsss and the ballots, which
formed part of the performances, were
like everybody else's, and although they
filled my childhood with wonder l have
seen all these things done thousand
times and done much better, with great
er difficulties and larger risks. But the
Ravels themselves in their pantomines
have never seen equalled, and l have
watched such performances carefully in
many places.
One feat by Gabriel Ravel have never
forgotten. At the rear of the stage was
the representation of ''Grandfather's
Clock" Without apparent effort Gabriel
Ravel leaped and went through 1.-THE face
of the clock, which was hinged at the
top and came into place again as soon as
he had passed through. The ballet was
the first had ever seen, and while 1t has
been outstripped by later exhibitions of
this sort it was to me wonderful spec
tacle. To return to the Western sisters
for moment. They later became dra-
matte stars, and Lucille was one of the
leading actresses of her day. One night
in the 70's l went to the National Thea
ter in Washington to see her in 1.-The
Child Stealers" and was accompanied by
d SOIl1 tStSI al WIN udd oOl VCN
all through the war on the losing side.
After time | noticed that he seemed
very uneasy and finally he turned to me,
and with tears in his eyes said: 81 can't
stand this any longer" At that time
Miss W. was banging some wretched
looking little children about the stage.
l replied: Nonsense, it's only play"
But he got up and went out, and few
m inutes later-I followed.
Mr.. Lodge in his boyhood saw Rufus
.Choate, the leader of the Massachusetts
bar after the death of Webster and one
of the great lawyers of this country.
He tells some interesting stories of him
and have found others in an old scrap
book. Mr.. Choate's health failed in
1859, and accompanied by his son he
sailed for Europe in Cunard steamship
from Boston. A fellow passenger and
personal friend was George S. Hillard,
noted journalist and author of his day,
and at that time editor of the Boston
Courier. He was native of Machias.
Mr.. Choate became so alarmingly ill be-
fore the steamer arrived at Halifax,
Nova Scotia, that it was decided to
land him there, and these particulars
are given by Mr.. Hillard in letter to
the Courier from Great Malvern. Eng
land. under date of August 6, 1859:
Since the date of my last letter news
has come to me Of the death of Mr..
Choate. From the tenor of my COM
munication to you from Halifax, you
must have inferred that / was prepared
for this sac intelligence. Indeed, from
the first moment looked upon him on
the morning of the day that we sailed, l
felt assured that the hand of death was
on him. His berth was next to mine.
and / saw him many times during the
short period he remained on board. He
was always lying at full length upon the
sofa. and perfectly quiet; though not
reading or listening to reading. This in
itself. in one with so active brain and
restless an organization as his, was
rather an omniohs sign. In the brief
moments of intercourse had with him
the feminine sweetness and gentleness
of manner which always characterized
him was very marked and touching. The