The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-14
tconvright John Barr leso)

Copyright John Barr 1eaO
 The grand idea that my rollick- ing young classmates had put their heads together and evolved to boom 'Webb's' business and fame was that he should put on series of 'tableaux' in the front store win dow, demonstrating-'Before and After Taking, and Look First at This Picture-Then On That (which were popular phrases at that time) as applied to 'Webb's' various reme- dies.
 The youngsters submitted for 'Webb's' consideration several 'sce- narios', which they had written, to start off with, and slated me to perform a star role; they also gen. erously offered to supply other stars and supernumerareis when- ever needed-in fact, to back up the enterprise with the whole force of our celebrated Dramatic Club.
 Their confidence in my histrionic ability was found on the local fame I had attained in the roles of 'Rich- ard TIT, Hamlet and Marc An- thony' in Julius Cesar. Sorry didn't keep any of our old play bills.
 Incidentally, the boys and girls of that time knew their Shakes peare by heart and heard the im- mortal tragedies and comedies spok- en by some of the greatest actors who have ever lived, including those famous American players Edwin Booth, Edwin Forrest, Johr Mccullough, Lawrence Barrett, Charlotte Cushman-whose like has not been seen since)
 And again let me disgress for ( moment, to give further insight int the entertainment activities of ar American town at that time, ant relate my only 'operatic' experience previous to '69. At the age of 10 played thu very minor part of Page to 'Kint Ahasueras in the cantata of 'Es' ther', but though my role of page was small--I carried responsibil. ity 50 great through the rehearsal and final triumphal performance oi that memorable presentation ol Queen Esther that the present color of my hair probably wal started then.
 Several churches joined in the presentation and the choirs all con tributed their best talent for lead. ing parts and a grand chorus Tenor. soprano anducontralto voices were quickly chosen, but there wasn't a "bas" in all the churche. that was heavy enough to suit tht ideal 'Ahasuerus' However, thert was a man in town with an idea physique and glorious deep bas' voice. He was young blacksmith and good one, and one of Gen Phil Sheridan's famous cavalrymer but he was not strictly orthodox and had been known to get @ triflt 'tipsy' after hard days work. Dea. cons and strict churchmen, though they liked the blacksmith ane knew that his voice was unequalled were a little dubious till Esther spoke up and said, Now, if you want to make a big success of this and have @ 'Ahasuras' who wil look every inch a king when h' is dressed for it., and make thu windows rattle and 8 tingling sen sation go up and down your bacl with that powerful voice of his-i that's what you want. give him t us for rehearsals and you'll thinl you've been to grand opera wher it's over"
 The blacksmith was one of my war heroes, and I hurried to tel
 him that he was going to be Invited
 to sing the part of King Ahasueras
 and that the king and queen wer,
 each to have 8 'page', and that ..
 was to be his page. He was shaping on his anvil a red-hot iron shoe fo a big dapple-gray horse that stoot
 beside him swishing his tail to sho,
 the flies away, and when went il he greeted me with a friendly grin , while continuing his work.
 News to me-" He said, lookinI up. "What makes you think SOP" s q was at the committed meet |
 course somebody will be here to tel you all about it soon, but I though , it would be proper for your page t , keep you informed about everythin , that is going on."
 He chuckled, and said that ha, , the making of good page fo either a blacksmith or a king, an, , asked who was going to be Queer Esther? And when mentioned tn ladys name, he seemed to take al entirely new interest in the whol , matter. "But perhaps she'd rather hay somebody else for the king'," h said, looking up shyly at me. Thel I told him exactly what had hap pened the night before and repeate' the tongs and hot iron, missing am every word that she had said.
 Nov, iooka here, 'page'l-yo' wouldn't go and fool lone black smith and ex-cavalry-man, wouli va? Did she actually say what VI told me?" he demanded. standinl erect and staring at me. his mus cular arms both swinging-the left with the tcngs that clutched thu red-hot iron; the right. swingini the hand that gripped his big ham mer.
 With my assurance that I had told him the exact truth-he hurled the tongs and hot iron. hising and