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Show He Ottleti 11 1 in Kd. Kdwin Booth has enough dignity to equip a dozen tragedians. The most bumptious managers usually quail under un-der his calm gaze. He has beou known to reduce the swelled head of a leading juvenile in one interview, and temperature temper-ature of tho star dressing-room when Mr. Booth is in it seldom if ever rises above freezing point. But last season a novice in the managerial business took "the starch out of the main guv," as a member of Mr. Booth's company afterward remarked. Mr. Booth was plaving for the first time at a theatre in t he West which had for a manager a cultivated gentleman, lately graduated from a pork-packing establishment. Tho theatre was crowded on the opening night aud the local mauager was in high spirits. A few moments before the curtain rose the manager went back to Mr. Booth's dress-room. He walked right in without with-out knocking aud the great actor in tbe robes of Richelieu glared at him ferociously. feroci-ously. But the manager did not seethe glare, and. without a tremor, smacked the cardinal on the back and said: "The house is packed; there ain't no standin' room left. A'ow, Ed. old man, sail in and show 'em what you can do." Mr. Booth's dresser dragged the audacious pork-packer out before "Ld's" wrath exploded. |