Evening star., 1935-09-01

The Star of August %. 1885, repro
duces an interview had by a represent
c..DL ative of the New York
Intervieved Robson. the comedian,
who. The Star notes,
by the way, was a printer in this Office,
land very good one. too" before he
became an actor. Mr.. Robson was
quoted as saying:
"The recent outpouring of Grant anec-
dotes has reminded me of one which I
do not think has been printed. Crane
and myself were playing some years
ago in a well known managers theater
out of New York. The first act was
over and we were chatting in the wings
with our manager, when one of the
boys rushed up to tell us that Gen
Grant and his family were in one of the
boxes. A flush of gratifled pride
mounted to the managerial face fol-
lowed by look of agonized doubt. as
he evidently reflected that perhaps the
General had 'deadheaded' into the box
Did you send him a box, Robson?' he
asked me. And on my replying in the
negative he pulled a card out of his
pocket and scribbling a line on it, told
the boy to take it to the box Office and
bring back an answer. The boy rushed
off. his head full Of the General, and re-
turned in a few minutes with the same
card, which he handed to Mr.. Manager
A ghaStly look crossed his face as ne
read it and without a word handed it
to me. The first line read in the rather
shaky managerial caligraphy: Did Gen.
Grant pay for his boX?' While under
oNroorols Iil
U. S. Grant The boy had taken it
to the box instead of the box Office"
The Tribune's report continued to say
that during the previous Summer Mr.
Robson had at his cottage in Cohasset
received several visits from Edwin Booth,
of whom and whose father he told many
anecdotes. One of them was to this
effect:
Playing in Boston long ago the elder
Booth was seized with sudden fancy
for taking long night walks on which
he made his son accompany him. One
night they started out after midnight
and for three hours walked about the
docks and quays. Not soul did they
meet until on their return to the hotel
they saw a dark figure following them,
Skulking in the shadows of the ware
houses. Edwin was somewhat scared,
but his father stepped forward and in a
loud voice said: Good evening, my
friend The man did not answer, but
came forward into the light and showed
himself, in looks at least, thorough
ruffian. With curse he came toward
them. The old man drew himself up
and asked, Who are you. my friend,
who are you?' I'm thief, that's what
I am said the fellow. And T. said
Booth, in a voice of wonderful sweet
ness, and I am a pirate and he shook
the astonished ruffian warmly by the
hand. The effect was electrical, Edwin
Booth said, and the manetroubled them
no further
"Of Boucicault, Robson had many
Stories. He referred to the time when
the Old Park Theater was building and
the entire force of workmen were doing
nothing on full pay, waiting for
Boucicault to give them directions. At
length the capitalist rushed in to say
that Boucicault must come round and
set the men to work. They must wait,
said Dion, I have important matters
to attend to- with dignif1ed wave of
the hand. Nothing is of more impor-
tance than this said the enraged cap
italist. Are you not aware, sir?' said
the author actor, that thirty-seven mil
lions of the cultivated public Of the
globe are dependent for their literary
pabulum on me, and shall I disappoint
them in order to attend to few paltry
scores of ignorant workmen? And he
kept the men waiting"