Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1866-09-07 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ANECDOTE OF EDMUND KEAN.  The following anecdote is so suggestive of the impolicy of dismissing an audience abruptly, as was done the other day at a place of public amusement, when the few who attended were briefly dismissed with the words " No performance," that we cannot refrain from quoting it When the curtain drew up," Kean began, " I saw a wretched house. A few people in the pit and gallery, and three persons in the boxes, showed the quantity of attraction that we possessed. In the stage-box, however, there was a gentleman who appeared to understand acting. He was very attentive to the performance. Seeing this I was determined to play my host. The strange man did not applaud; but his looks told me that he was pleased. After the play I went into the dress-room this was under the stage', to change my dress for the ' Savage ' so that I could hear every word that was said overhead. I heard a gentleman (who I supposed was the gentleman of the stage-box) ask Lee the name ot the performer who played the principal character. Oh,' answered Lee, his name is Kean —a wonderful clever fellow; a great little man. He's going to London. He has got an engagement from Mr Whitebread ; a great man. sir." Indeed!' rep'ied the gentleman; 'I am glad to hear it. He is certainly very clever; but he is very small." His mind is large ; no matter for his height,' returned Lee to this. Ida'this time I was dressed for the ' Savage,' and I therefore mounted up to the stage. The gentleman bowed to me, anti complimented me slightly upon tcy play, observing, Your manager says that you are engaged for Lendon." I am offered a trial,' said I, and if I succeed, I uuderstatad that lam to be engaged.' 'Well,' said the gentleman, will you breakfast with me in the morning? I ant at the hotel. I shall be glad to speak to Von. My name is Arnold; lam the— manager of Drury LAne Theatre.' I staggered as if I had been shot. My acting in the 'Savage was done for. However, I stumbled through the part, and—here I am." After finishing his story, he could think and talk of nothing but the approaching interv'ew with the London manager. Morning arrived, and Kean (after dressing himself " as respectably as he could," says our inf trmout) repaired to the hotel to breakfast. He was received graciously, and after some conversation as to his experieace on the stage, his cast of characters, Ste. (which occupied the intervals of the meal), he was finally engaged by Mr Arnold on behalf of the Drury Lane theatre. for a term of three years, at a salary of £B, £9, and £lO per woek for each successive year, and he was to have six " trial parts." In two hours from the time of his leaving home, he returned to his wife with the above inforcuatiou. He seemed half out of his senses with delight.  The number of convicts in Eugland last year was 2,081. It is stated that the criAliaal taides for. the last thirty years do not show so small a 'lumber. ' ' "  Other circurnst;ii-ces also indicate a dc.:liite in the amount of serious crime.  A man named Sullivan was murdered in Rosemary-lane, London, on Saurd.iy.niglic. He Ind  been quarrelling with a man :mined l'iminhy Murphey, who was heard vowing th tt he would kill him. Both men lived in the same house, and late in the evening  met in the passage.  There was a strugzle, in the caws;  of which Sullivan was stabbed to the heart, and died  almost immediately. Murphey is in custody. WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION Or