my memories of eighty years-第65部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


During　the　Spanish…American　War　I　came　on　the　same　train　with　Mr。　Jefferson　from　Washington。　　The　interest　all　over　the　country　at　that　time　was　the　remarkable　victory　of　Admiral　Dewey　over　the　Spanish　fleet　in　the　harbor　of　Manila。　　People　wondered　how　Dewey　could　sink　every　Spanish　ship　and　never　be　hit　once　himself。　Jefferson　said　in　his　quaint　way：　　〃Everybody；　including　the　secretary　of　the　navy　and　several　admirals；　asked　me　how　that　could　have　happened。　　I　told　them　the　problem　might　be　one　which　naval　officers　could　not　solve；　but　it　was　very　simple　for　an　actor。　　The　failure　of　the　Spanish　admiral　was　entirely　due　to　his　not　having　rehearsed。　　Success　is　impossible　without　frequent　rehearsaIs。〃

Returning　for　a　moment　to　Washington　Irving；　one　of　the　most　interesting　spots　near　New　York　is　his　old　home；　Wolfert's　Roost；　and　also　the　old　church　at　Tarrytown　where　he　worshipped；　and　of　which　he　was　an　officer　for　many　years。　　The　ivy　which　partially　covers　the　church　was　given　to　Mr。　Irving　by　Sir　Walter　Scott；　from　Abbotsford。　　At　the　time　when　the　most　famous　of　British　reviewers　wrote；　〃Whoever　read　or　reads　an　American　book？〃　Sir　Walter　Scott　announced　the　merit　and　coming　fame　of　Washington　Irving。　　But；　as　Rip　Van　Winkle　says；　when　he　returns　after　twenty　years　to　his　native　village；　〃how　soon　we　are　forgot。〃

There　was　a　dinner　given　in　New　York　to　celebrate　the　hundredth　anniversary　of　Washington　Irving's　birth。　　I　was　one　of　the　speakers。　In　an　adjoining　room　was　a　company　of　young　and　very　successful　brokers；　whose　triumphs　in　the　market　were　the　envy　of　speculative　America。　　While　I　was　speaking　they　came　into　the　room。　　When　I　had　finished；　the　host　at　the　brokers'　dinner　called　me　out　and　said：　　〃We　were　much　interested　in　your　speech。　　This　Irving　you　talked　about　must　be　a　remarkable　man。　　What　is　the　dinner　about？〃

I　answered　him　that　it　was　in　celebration　of　the　hundredth　anniversary　of　the　birth　of　Washington　Irving。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　an　old　gentleman　who　had　sat　beside　me　on　the　speakers'　platform；　〃it　is　astonishing　how　vigorous　he　looks　at　that　advanced　age。〃

It　was　my　good　fortune　to　hear　often　and　know　personally　Richard　Mansfield。　　He　was　very　successful　in　many　parts；　but　his　presentation　of　Doctor　Jekyll　and　Mr。　Hyde　was　wonderful。　At　one　time　he　came　to　me　with　a　well…thought…out　scheme　for　a　national　theatre　in　New　York；　which　would　be　amply　endowed　and　be　the　home　of　the　highest　art　in　the　dramatic　profession；　and　at　the　same　time　the　finest　school　in　the　world。　　He　wanted　me　to　draw　together　a　committee　of　the　leading　financiers　of　the　country　and；　if　possible；　to　impress　them　so　that　they　would　subscribe　the　millions　necessary　for　carrying　out　his　ideas。　I　was　too　busy　a　man　to　undertake　so　difficult　a　project。

One　of　the　colored　porters　in　the　Wagner　Palace　Car　service；　who　was　always　with　me　on　my　tours　of　inspection　over　the　railroad；　told　me　an　amusing　story　of　Mr。　Mansfield's　devotion　to　his　art。　He　was　acting　as　porter　on　Mansfield's　car；　when　he　was　making　a　tour　of　the　country。　　This　porter　was　an　exceedingly　intelligent　man。　　He　appreciated　Mansfield's　achievements　and　played　up　to　his　humor　in　using　him　as　a　foil　while　always　acting。　　When　they　were　in　a　station　William　never　left　the　car；　but　remained　on　guard　for　the　protection　of　its　valuable　contents。

After　a　play　at　Kansas　City　Mansfield　came　into　the　car　very　late　and　said：　　〃William；　where　is　my　manager？〃

〃Gone　to　bed；　sir；　and　so　have　the　other　members　of　the　company；〃　answered　William。

Then　in　his　most　impressive　way　Mansfield　said：　　〃William；　they　fear　me。　　By　the　way；　were　you　down　at　the　depot　to…night　when　the　audience　from　the　suburbs　were　returning　to　take　their　trains　home？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　William；　though　he　had　not　been　out　of　the　car。

〃Did　you　hear　any　remarks　made　about　my　play？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Can　you　give　me　an　instance？〃

〃Certainly；〃　replied　William；　〃one　gentleman　remarked　that　he　had　been　to　the　theatre　all　his　life；　but　that　your　acting　to…night　was　the　most　rotten　thing　he　had　ever　heard　or　seen。〃

〃William；〃　shouted　Mansfield；　〃get　my　Winchester　and　find　that　man。〃

So　Mansfield　and　William　went　out　among　the　crowds；　and　when　William　saw　a　big；　aggressive…looking　fellow　who　he　thought　would　stand　up　and　fight；　he　said：　　〃There　he　is。〃

Mansfield　immediately　walked　up　to　the　man；　covered　him　with　his　rifle；　and　shouted：　　〃Hold　up　your　hands；　you　wretch；　and　take　back　immediately　the　insulting　remark　you　made　about　my　play　and　acting　and　apologize。〃

The　man　said：　　〃Why；　Mr。　Mansfield；　somebody　has　been　lying　to　you　about　me。　　Your　performance　to…night　was　the　best　thing　I　ever　saw　in　my　life。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Mansfield；　shouldering　his　rifle；　and　added　in　the　most　tragic　tone：　　〃William；　lead　the　way　back　to　the　car。〃

Among　the　most　interesting　memories　of　old　New　Yorkers　are　the　suppers　which　Mr。　Augustin　Daly　gave　on　the　one　hundredth　performance　of　a　play。　　Like　everything　which　Daly　did；　the　entertainment　was　perfect。　　A　frequent　and　honored　guest　on　these　occasions　was　General　Sherman；　who　was　then　retired　from　the　army　and　living　in　New　York。　　Sherman　was　a　military　genius　but　a　great　deal　more。　He　was　one　of　the　most　sensitive　men　in　the　world。　　Of　course；　the　attraction　at　these　suppers　was　Miss　Rehan；　Daly's　leading　lady。　　Her　personal　charm；　her　velvet　voice；　and　her　inimitable　coquetry　made　every　guest　anxious　to　be　her　escort。　　She　would　pretend　to　be　in　doubt　whether　to　accept　the　attentions　of　General　Sherman　or　myself；　but　when　the　general　began　to　display　considerable　irritation；　the　brow　of　Mars　was　smoothed　and　the　warrior　made　happy　by　a　gracious　acceptance　of　his　arm。

On　one　of　these　occasions　I　heard　the　best　after…dinner　speech　of　my　life。　　The　speaker　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　women　in　the　country；　Miss　Fanny　Davenport。　　That　night　she　seemed　to　be　inspired；　and　her　eloquence；　her　wit；　her　humor；　her　sparkling　genius；　together　with　the　impression　of　her　amazing　beauty　were　very　effective。

P。　T。　Barnum；　the　showman；　was　a　many…sided　and　interesting　character。　　I　saw　much　of　him　as　he　rented　from　the　Harlem　Railroad　Company　the　Madison　Square　Garden；　year　after　year。　　Barnum　never　has　had　an　equal　in　his　profession　and　was　an　excellent　business　man。　　In　a　broad　way　he　was　a　man　of　affairs；　and　with　his　vast　fund　of　anecdotes　and　reminiscences　very　entertaining　socially。

An　Englishman　of　note　came　to　me　with　a　letter　of　introduction；　and　I　asked　him　whom　he　would　like　to　meet。　　He　said：　　〃I　think　principally　Mr。　P。　T。　Barnum。〃　　I　told　this　to　Barnum；　who　knew　all　about　him；　and　said：　　〃As　a　gentleman；　he　knows　how　to　meet　me。〃　When　I　informed　my　English　friend；　he　expressed　his　regret　and　at　once　sent　Barnum　his　card　and　an　invitation　for　dinner。　　At　the　dinner　Barnum　easily　carried　off　the　honors　with　his　wonderful　fund　of　unusual　adventures。

My　first　contact　with　Mr。　Barnum　occurred　many　years　before；　when　I　was　a　boy　up　in　Peekskill。　　At　that　time　he　had　a　museum　and　a　show　in　a　building　at　the　corner　of　Ann　Street　and　Broadway；　opposite　the　old　Astor　House。　　By　skilful　advertising　he　kept　people　all　over　the　country　expecting　something　new　and　wonderful　and　anxious　to　visit　his　show。

There　had　been　an　Indian　massacre　on　the　Western　plains。　　The　particulars　filled　the　newspapers　and　led　to　action　by　the　government　in　retaliation。　　Barnum　advertised　that　he　had　succeeded　in　securing　the　Sioux　warriors　whom　the　government　had　captured；　and　who　would　re…enact　every　day　the　bloody　battle　in　which　they　were　victorious。

It　was　one　of　the　hottest　afternoons　in　August　when　I　appeared　there　from　the　country。　　The　Indians　were　on　the　top　floor；　under　the　roof。　　The　performance　was　sufficiently　blood…curdling　to　satisfy　the　most　exacting　reader　of　a　penny…dreadful。　　After　the　performance；　when　the　audience　left；　I　was　too　fascinated　to　go；　and　remained　in　the　rear　of　the　hall；　gazing　at　these　dreadful　savages。　　One　of　them　took　off　his　head…gear；　dropped　his　tomahawk　and　scalping…knife；　and　said　in　the　broadest　Irish　to　his　neighbor：　　〃Moike；　if　this　weather　don't　cool　off；　I　will　be　nothing　but　a　grease　spot。〃　　This　was　among　the　many　illusions　which　have　been　dissipated　for　me　in　a　long　life。　　Notwithstanding　that；　I　still　have　faith；　and　dearly　love　to　be　fooled；　but　not　to　have　the　fraud　exposed。



Wyndham；　the　celebrated　English　actor；　was　playing　one　night　in　New　York。　　He　saw　me　in　the　audience　and　sent　a　messenger　inviting　me　to　meet　him　at　supper　at　the　Hoffman　House。　　After　the　theatre　I　went　to　the　hotel；　asked　at　the　desk　in　what　room　the　theatrical　supper　was；　and　found　there　Bronson　Howard；　the　playwright；　and　some　others。　　I　told　them　the　object　of　my　search；　and　Mr。　Howard　said：　　〃You　are　just　in　the　right　place。〃

The　English　actor　came　later；　and　also　a　large　number　of　other　guests。　　I　was　very　much　surprised　and　flattered　at　being　made　practically　the　guest　of　honor。　　In　the　usual　and　inevitable　after…dinner　speeches　I　joined　enthusiastically　in　the　prospects　of　American　contributions　to　drama　and　especially　the　genius　of　Bronson　Howard。

It　developed　afterwards　that　the　actors'　dinn