The sun., 1917-05-27
Were Really Pc
ter Ibbetson He d
Begin With the
Time When They
Gave Him Dore S
Pictures as Pun
i s-h me Mt for
Throwing Eggs
BY MARY b. MULLETT.

play: the delicately lovely
drama OF peter Ibbetson." His dreams
are the idyllic ones which the shy and
gentle Peter would naturally have. In
them he lives over again the scenes OF
his happy childhood.
II 1t had not been for his serious
work in Galsworthy's Justice" last
season no one would have believed that
Jack Barrymore, clever comedian and
dashing movie hero. could transform
himself into this dreamer Of lovely
dreams, this Peter Ib6etson with his
sensitive spirit and his almost seraphic
face.
But when the play was put on the
sceptics who came 10 scoff remained
10 marvel They found new Barry
more; one whom they somehow called
John instead of Jack; one who brought
tears instead of laughter: and who
made them believe that he must be
Peter Ibbetson at heart.
Probably there really is some Peter
ybbetson In him. But il there is, It 10
UOt cAhIDltiol purposes Ahc 10 oAi
Jack when he is of the stage. ] know
this. And / found 1t out In a curious
way
While I was watching the dreaming
true in the play It occurred to me to
wonder what John Barrymore himself
would dream If he could do II as Peter
does. What scenes in his childhood
would he choose to revisit? What In
cidents would he live over again?
Primed with these questions l went
around to his dressing room after the
performance. with the dream scenes
In the play still haunting my mind
expected to be regaled with tender epi-
sodes from his own childhood; pretty
little visions of the poetry and charm
Of youth. 1t was going to be lovely
story. Well. here 1t is:
IF you could go back to the time
when, like little Go0o in the play, you
were only years old. what particular
incident would you like to live over
again?" 1 asked.
'Hum-a-m!" murmured Mr. Barry
more, rcfiectively lighting cigarette
from a large supply on his dressing
table Then his face lighted up. Not
with the serapliic smile of Peter. how
ever. but with the glee of a mischiev-
-ous boy.
"If could have my choice" he said
ed go back 10 the time when / was IN
the Convent Of Notre Dame at Phila-
delph!a. You didn't suspect that be-
gan my education in a convent. did
you? Well. did. 1t was really
school for girls. But they had sort
Of annex for very small boys, and l
added to the gayety of that institution
for about two years.
"I suppose ! learned various things
there, but I don't recall what they
were. The only vivid memory / have
is of another boy. did learn to hate
him. And one joyful day / expressed
my sentiments by pasting him in the
ear with an egg on which / oppor-
tunely laid my hands.
I'm afraid it vas a good egg. That's
the only detail 4 would change II I
could do It again.
"As a punishment for this little at
tention j was given a book OF Dores
pictures OF the Inferno and con-
demned to look at them for a certain
length Of time.
CONDEMNED mind you! Why, It
was like giving candy to a child with
q sweet tooth-a whole set Of sweet
teeth! l ate up those pictures. And
when the sisters thought I'D been pun
ished enough and took the book away
from me promptly threw another egg
at my enemy SO as to be punished
again.
II kept on pitching high ball as long
rs the egg supply held out. They
weren't the expensive Jewels they are
to-day. so / soaked up lot Of Doresque
atmosphere before I got through. And
the funny part OF that experience Is
that when about ten years later got
to be a sort of artist the pictures
made had the Dore brand on them as
plain as your hat
"That egg episode is one I'd like to
dream true from start to finish; from
eggs to etchings. And then-let mo
see! oh, yes, Ia 1Ike to go back to my
nrst, my very first, appearance on the
stage.
"It was in a barn down at North
Long Branch. where we were spending
the summer. The Barrymore children
got up a burlesque performance Of
Camille Naturally We presented our
selves with the principal roles. My sis
ter was Camille, Lionel was Armand,
and I. being the recognized bad boy OF
the neighborhoJd, was the villain.
'The price of admission was two
cents. And as the house was packed
the receipts were enormous. Anyhow
we thought they were; and we had a
fierce difference of opinion as to the
basis on which we should divide them.
IT was the youngest; only 10 years
old. And had a dark suspicion that
Ethel and Lionel were going to make
me the victim of a plot to swipe most
OF the profits So I appealed to my
grandmother. Mrs. John Drew. ar
gued that as she had managed the
Arch Street Theatre In Philadelphia
for years she ought to know how to
cut up these theatrical melons.
But my real reason was that I
was my grandmother's favorite and I
knew should get all that was coming
to me. and then some. II she had
charge Of the division. I regret to
say that before I broke myself OF the
pleasant habit OF prevaricatlon-I
think that sounds well. don't you?-be-
fore broke myself of It. was a most
accomplished little liar.
AT least that's what unsympathetic
souls called me. l think the reason
my grandmother felt n special leaning z
toward me was that this too luxuriant
imagination OF mine interested her. II
N .t..l..