adventures and letters-第3节
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the feet of the honored guest and generally； literally； on his or her knees。 Young as I was in those days I can readily recall one of those lunch…parties when the contrast between Booth and Dion Boucicault struck my youthful mind most forcibly。 Booth； with his deep…set； big black eyes； shaggy hair； and lank figure； his wonderfully modulated voice； rolled out his theories of acting； while the bald…headed； rotund Boucicault； his twinkling eyes snapping like a fox…terrier's； interrupted the sonorous speeches of the tragedian with crisp； witty criticisms or 〃asides〃 that made the rest of the company laugh and even brought a smile to the heavy； tragic features of Booth himself。 But there was nothing formal about our relations with John Sleeper Clark and the Jefferson family。 They were real 〃home folks〃 and often occupied our spare room； and when they were with us Richard and I were allowed to come to all the meals； and； even if unsolicited； freely express our views on the modern drama。
In later years to our Philadelphia home came Henry Irving and his fellow player Ellen Terry and Augustin Daly and that wonderful quartet； Ada Rehan； Mrs。 Gilbert； James Lewis； and our own John Drew。 Sir Henry I always recall by the first picture I had of him in our dining…room； sitting far away from the table； his long legs stretched before him； peering curiously at Richard and myself over black…rimmed glasses and then； with equal interest； turning back to the ash of a long cigar and talking drama with the famous jerky； nasal voice but always with a marvellous poise and convincing authority。 He took a great liking to Richard in those days； sent him a church…warden's pipe that he had used as Corporal Brewster； and made much of him later when my brother was in London。 Miss Terry was a much less formal and forbidding guest； rushing into the house like a whirlwind and filling the place with the sunshine and happiness that seemed to fairly exude from her beautiful magnetic presence。 Augustin Daly usually came with at least three of the stars of his company which I have already mentioned； but even the beautiful Rehan and the nice old Mrs。 Gilbert seemed thoroughly awed in the presence of 〃the Guv'nor。〃 He was a most crusty； dictatorial party； as I remember him with his searching eyes and raven locks； always dressed in black and always failing to find virtue in any actor or actress not a member of his own company。 I remember one particularly acrid discussion between him and my father in regard to Julia Marlowe； who was then making her first bow to the public。 Daly contended that in a few years the lady would be absolutely unheard of and backed his opinion by betting a dinner for those present with my father that his judgment would prove correct。 However； he was very kind to Richard and myself and frequently allowed us to play about behind the scenes； which was a privilege I imagine he granted to very few of his friends' children。 One night； long after this； when Richard was a reporter in New York； he and Miss Rehan were burlesquing a scene from a play on which the last curtain had just fallen。 It was on the stage of Daly's theatre at Thirtieth Street and Broadway； and from his velvet box at the prompt…entrance Daly stood gloomily watching their fooling。 When they had finished the mock scene Richard went over to Daly and said； 〃How bad do you think I am as an actor； Mr。 Daly？〃 and greatly to my brother's delight the greatest manager of them all of those days grumbled back at him： 〃You're so bad； Richard； that I'll give you a hundred dollars a week； and you can sign the contract whenever you're ready。〃 Although that was much more than my brother was making in his chosen profession at the time； and in spite of the intense interest he had in the theatre； he never considered the offer seriously。 As a matter of fact； Richard had many natural qualifications that fitted him for the stage； and in after…years； when he was rehearsing one of his own plays； he could and frequently would go up on the stage and read almost any part better than the actor employed to do it。 Of course； he lacked the ease of gesture and the art of timing which can only be attained after sound experience； but his reading of lines and his knowledge of characterization was quite unusual。 In proof of this I know of at least two managers who； when Richard wanted to sell them plays； refused to have him read them the manuscript on the ground that his reading gave the dialogue a value it did not really possess。
In the spring of 1880 Richard left the Episcopal Academy； and the following September went to Swarthmore College； situated just outside of Philadelphia。 I fear； however； the change was anything but a success。 The life of the big coeducational school did not appeal to him at all and； in spite of two or three friendships he made among the girls and boys； he depended for amusement almost wholly on his own resources。 In the afternoons and on holidays he took long walks over the country roads and in search of adventure visited many farmhouses。 His excuse for these calls was that he was looking for old furniture and china； and he frequently remained long enough to make sketches of such objects as he pretended had struck his artistic fancy。 Of these adventures he wrote at great length to his mother and father； and the letters were usually profusely decorated with illustrations of the most striking incidents of the various escapades。 Several of these Swarthmore experiences he used afterward in short stories； and both the letters and sketches he sent to his parents at the time he regarded in the light of preparation for his future work。 In his studies he was perhaps less successful than he had been at the Episcopal Academy； and although he played football and took part in the track sports he was really but little interested in either。 There were half…holidays on Wednesdays and Saturdays； and when my brother did not come to town I went to Swarthmore and we spent the afternoons in first cooking our lunch in a hospitable woods and then playing some games in the open that Richard had devised。 But as I recall these outings they were not very joyous occasions； as Richard was extremely unhappy over his failures at school and greatly depressed about the prospects for the future。
He finished the college year at Swarthmore； but so unhappy had he been there that there was no thought in his mind or in that of his parents of his returning。 At that time my uncle； H。 Wilson Harding； was a professor at Lehigh University； and it was arranged that Richard should go to Bethlehem the following fall； live with his uncle； and continue his studies at Ulrich's Preparatory School； which made a specialty of preparing boys for Lehigh。 My uncle lived in a charming old house on Market Street in Bethlehem； quite near the Moravian settlement and across the river from the university and the iron mills。 He was a bachelor； but of a most gregarious and hospitable disposition； and Richard therefore found himself largely his own master； in a big； roomy house which was almost constantly filled with the most charming and cultivated people。 There my uncle and Richard； practically of about the same age so far as their viewpoint of life was concerned； kept open house； and if it had not been for the occasional qualms his innate hatred of mathematics caused him； I think my brother would have been completely happy。 Even studies no longer worried him particularly and he at once started in to make friendships； many of which lasted throughout his life。 As is usual with young men of seventeen； most of these men and women friends were several times Richard's age； but at the period Richard was a particularly precocious and amusing youth and a difference of a few decades made but little differencecertainly not to Richard。 Finley Peter Dunne once wrote of my brother that he 〃probably knew more waiters； generals； actors； and princes than any man who lived；〃 and I think it was during the first year of his life at Bethlehem that he began the foundation for the remarkable collection of friends； both as to numbers and variety； of which he died possessed。 Although a 〃prep；〃 he made many friends among the undergraduates of Lehigh。 He made friends with the friends of his uncle and many friends in both of the Bethlehems of which his uncle had probably never heard。 Even at that early age he counted among his intimates William W。 Thurston； who was president of the Bethlehem Iron Company； and J。 Davis Brodhead； one of Pennsylvania's most conspicuous Democratic congressmen and attorneys。 Those who knew him at that time can easily understand why Richard attracted men and women so much older than himself。 He was brimming over with physical health and animal spirits and took the keenest interest in every one he met and in everything that was going on about him。 And in the broadest sense he saw to it then； as he did throughout his life； that he always did his share。
During those early days at Bethlehem his letters to his family were full of his social activities； with occasional references to his work at school。 He was always going to dinners or dances； entertaining members of visiting theatrical companies； and on Friday night m
