engagement offered, the security of a good company,
and of able management, led to an immediate acceptance.
On this as on every other occasion, through her theatrical
career, Mary Anderson was accompanied by her father
and mother, who have ever watched over her welfare
with the tenderest solicitude. All the arrangements
for the trip were
en prince. Indeed we
have small idea in our little sea-girt isle, of the
luxury and even splendor with which American stars
travel over the vast distances between one city and
another on the immense Western continent. The
City of Worcester, a new Pullman car, subsequently
used by Sarah Bernhardt, and afterward by Edwin Booth,
was chartered for the party, consisting of Mary Anderson,
her father, mother, and brother, and the young actress’
maid and secretary. A cook and three colored
porters constituted the
personnel of the establishment.
There was a completely equipped kitchen, a dining-room
with commodious family table; a tiny drawing-room
with its piano, portraits of favorite artists, and
some choicely-filled bookshelves, as well as capital
sleeping quarters. It was literally a splendid
home upon wheels. Where the hotels happened to
be inferior at any particular town, the party occupied
it through the period of the engagement. Visitors
were received, friendly parties arranged, and little
of the inconvenience and discomfort of travel experienced.
It was thus that Mary Anderson made her first great
theatrical tour through the States. In spite of
now and then a cold, or even hostile press, her progress
was very like a triumph. In many places she created
an absolute
furore, hundreds being turned away
at the theater doors. Indeed, it was no uncommon
occurrence for an ordinary seat whose advertised price
was seventy-five cents to sell at as high a premium
as twenty-five dollars. The management reaped
a rich harvest, and Mary Anderson played on this Southern
trip to more money than any previous actor, excepting
only Edwin Forrest. There was still one drop of
bitter in this cup of sweetness and success.
The company, jealous of the prominence given to one
whom they regarded as a mere untried girl, proceeded
to add what they could to her difficulties by “boycotting”
her. There were two exceptions among the gentlemen
actors; and we are pleased to be able to record that
one of these was an Englishman. The ladies were
unanimous in proclaiming a war to the knife!
Needless to say the impassioned youth of the New World
now and then pursued the wandering star in her travels
at immense expenditure of time and money, as well
as of floral decorations. This is young America’s
way of showing his admiration for a favorite actress.
He is silent and unobtrusive. He makes his presence
known by the midnight serenade beneath her windows;
by the bouquets which fall at her feet on every representation,
and are sent to the room of her hotel at the same hour
each day; by his constant attendance on the departure
platform at the railway station. We are not sure
that this silent worship which so often persistently
followed her path was displeasing to Mary Anderson.
It touched, if not her heart, yet that poetic vein
which runs through her nature, and reminded her sometimes
of the vain pursuit with which Evangeline followed
her wandering lover.