Reminiscences of the old fire laddies and volunteer fire departments of New York and Brooklyn. . ollections, andwas fraught with preciousmemories of the old by-gonehistrionic triumphs of thosewho were once the favoritesof the New York was here that EdwardEddy, afterward the greathero of the Bowery pit, firstessayed the attempt to windramatic renown, and manywill recollect the giant frameand athletic grace of theyoung tragedian in the earlydays of the theater. Then came Laura Keene, with her goldenhair and fair sunny face, with her delightful delineations of lightEnglish comedies, and
Reminiscences of the old fire laddies and volunteer fire departments of New York and Brooklyn. . ollections, andwas fraught with preciousmemories of the old by-gonehistrionic triumphs of thosewho were once the favoritesof the New York was here that EdwardEddy, afterward the greathero of the Bowery pit, firstessayed the attempt to windramatic renown, and manywill recollect the giant frameand athletic grace of theyoung tragedian in the earlydays of the theater. Then came Laura Keene, with her goldenhair and fair sunny face, with her delightful delineations of lightEnglish comedies, and tragic blue fire, and wild gypsies of Buck-stones dramas. Laura Keene was at that time in the height of herpopularity with New Yorkers, and the public heard with mingledpain and surprise that William E. Burton had, by some queer prac-tices, the power to have her dispossessed of the theater. Burton, withhigher hopes, removed from Chambers Street to the favorite Win-ter Garden, and there commenced a most excellent revival of thedrama, though but with scant profits to the manager. Mrs. Hughes,. Histrionic i95entric one of the best actresses of her day, used to perform the eccentriccharacters in the English comedies and. adaptations from Dickens,and her Mrs. Squeers, in Nicholas Nickleby, will ever be remem-bered along with her Mrs. Malaprop in The Rivals, as among themost renowned bits of character acting. Mark Smith, CharlesFisher, Briggs, and the irrepressible John Brougham, with CharlesWalcott, Sr., Lizzie Weston Davenport, Charles Mathews, Dolly Davenport, T. B. Johnston, Joe Jefferson, Charlotte Cushman, anda host now dead or forgotten, were known to the boards of BurtonsNew Theater, as it was then called. John Brougham there produced his fine burlesque of Columbus,which attracted great attention for its fine scenery, good acting, andwitty allusions. Mark Smith and Charles Fisher played in Colum-bus. Barry Sullivan played an engagement here, and delightedevery one with his f
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidldpd63166850, bookyear1885
