the second night reached eighty dollars, and the third and fourth nights, respectively, amounted to seventy-seven and seventy-two dollars. Brougham, the author of the dramatization, was to receive eight dollars a night royalty as long as the piece was acted. The Lehmans were then engaged, and at the expiration of three weeks "Dombey and Son" was reproduced.

Geo. Clifford Jordan played for the first time in this city July 26, 1848, acting the Chevalier in "The Angel of the Attic." Having a manly figure, a fresh complexion, with regular features, and ever dressing in the height of fashion and with excellent taste, he divided with Lester Wallack the honor of being considered the handsomest man on the American stage. He became an excellent comedian. During 1853 he paid a flying visit to England, but did not act there. In 1855 he joined the company at Laura Keene's Varieties, and afterwards went to her new theatre. During the season of 1860-61 he was a member of the company at the Varieties Theatre, New Orleans, La., and espoused the cause of the South in their coming rebellion very warmly. He was a member of "The Cocktail Guard," and at the conclusion of the season there he sailed for England. He died in London, Eng., Nov. 15, 1873. Aug. 16 "Dombey and Son" was revived with this cast:

Dombey
Carker

John Nickinson | The Native
George Jordan Rob the Grinder

Bagstock and Bunsby John Brougham Florence

C. T. Parsloe
Frank Rea

Charlotte Nickinson
Mrs. A. Knight

Toots

O. B. Raymond

Edith

An extraordinary incident occurred during its irregular season, presenting a scene never rivalled on the American boards. There was in our town a beautiful Aspasia who was more generally known as the "Lady in Black." Belle West, as the lady was then styled, was a woman of singular beauty and of fascinating powers, yet, strange to say, she could neither read nor write. She had originally been a dressmaker, clandestinely married to a young engineer, whose wealthy family discarded him on account of the unequal match. Her husband perishing in the steamer "Home," Belle made her appearance as the friend of the son of a deceased butcher, who had left a handsome estate. Two years sufficed for the waste of the butcher's wealth, when Belle discarded her lover to make place for a wealthy Jew broker, one of the pillars of the Exchange. Poor Solomon paid dearly for his whistle, for, after settling upon her an ornamental cottage and a liveried "turn out," he was surprised to find that with a new admirer, she had eloped to New Orleans. A few years after she reappeared as the "Lady in

Black," and, being stage-struck, made her first and last appearance on any stage at this theatre. She appeared as Pauline, and Chanfrau was the Claude Melnotte. The news of the singular entertainment, although Miss West had modestly announced herself as Mary Waldron, spread abroad, and long before the curtain arose, the house was packed with representatives from the fast men and the demi-monde of the city. As an actress, the "Lady in Black" made a dead failure, for, afflicted with stage fright in the very first scene, she forgot her lines, and was finally compelled to read the words as best she could, amid the volunteer promptings from all parts of the house. Some of her ancient acquaintances remembered that the débutante could sing; so, amid thunders of applause, Belle West sang "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose." Again, another acquaintance recollected that our heroine danced, and Belle was compelled to execute a grand pas seul. Finally the débutante ⚫ contrived to stumble through her part, and left the stage, amid the howls and jeers of her unsympathetic companions, who rejoiced that the idol had fallen.

It

"The Toodles" was first played in New York at this house Oct. 27, 1848. Its first presentation in this country was at the Front Street Theatre, Baltimore, Md.,.under Burton's management. was then called "The Broken Heart, or the Farmer's Daughter." John Greene, Sam Johnston, James C. Dunn and Mrs. C. Burke (the first) were in the cast. Mr. Burton was not satisfied with this play, and conceived the idea that he could get all the fun out of it by writing up the character of Toodles and cutting the play considerably. The cast at this theatre was:

Mr. Burton announced the drama to be the creation of his own genius, and it made a hit. Other comedians took up Toodles, and presented him at the various theatres in the country. This aroused the flaming ire of Mr. Burton, who denounced such gentlemen as thieves and histrionic pirates, who were robbing him of the coinage of his brain, and diminishing, thereby, his chances for a supply of bread and butter adequate to his wants. It was also announced in the bills that "The Toodles," "as played by Mr. Burton, is a very different piece to the stolen and mutilated copies in use by other theatres; the manuscript of the piece is Mr. Burton's own property, and cannot be played elsewhere." 'The Toodles" was really a two-act domestic drama entitled "The Farmer's Daughter of the Severn Side, or Mr. and Mrs. Toodles." R. J. Raymond was the author, and it was acted at the Royal Coburg

Theatre about 1832. Mr. Davidge, father of the late William Davidge, Sr., sustained the character of Mr. Twinkle Toodles. Mr. Burton changed the language of the text in the second-scene of the first act of "The Farmer's Daughter," without any improvement to the same; called the hero Timothy, instead of Twinkle, and altered the title of the piece to plain "Toodles; " otherwise the drama remained in its original form. When Burton played the part of Mr. T. Toodles, he embellished it, and put the gallery into spasms of cachination by outrageously vulgar gags of his own invention.

On Jan. 10, 1849, John K. Mortimer appeared here in "The Haunted Man;" Jan. 25 Brougham's dramatization of "Vanity Fair" was first acted. Cornelius Logan (father of Eliza, Olive and Celia) appeared May 24, in his own play, entitled "Chloroform." Mr. Logan's first appearance in this city was in 1826, at the Old Bowery Theatre, in "The Road to Ruin." He was well known in the profession as actor, author and manager. He died Feb. 23, 1853, on board the steamer "Pittsburg," between Wheeling and Marietta, of apoplexy. He was an excellent comedian. One of Burton's greatest successes was the burlesque, entitled "Lucy-did-Sham-amour." "Valentine and Orson," by Brougham, was acted Aug. 14, and an allegorical sketch from his pen, called "The Revolt of the Sextons,' was given Aug. 24, for the first time. On Aug. 25 W. Wright made his American début as Bill Downey, in the "Unfinished Gentleman," played for the first time in America; Aug. 31 Thomas J. Hind made his American début as Sir Charles Cropland in "The Heir at Law" for the benefit of W. Wright.

The next season began Sept. 3, 1849, and I find in the company: C. W. Clarke, S. Leach, Holman, Josephine Russell (afterward Mrs. John Hoey), Mrs. Holman, Caroline Hiffert, Miss E. Barber and Miss Malvina (Mrs. W. J. Florence). On Sept. 7 the "Capture of Captain Cuttle" (additional extracts from "Dombey & Son" by Brougham) was played. Brougham's drama "Temptation" was first acted Sept. 10. Thomas Hadaway opened Sept. 24 as Peter White in "Mr. and Mrs. White."

Mrs. John Sloan (maiden name Ploughman) made her American début here on Sept. 24 as Katherine Kloper in "Lola Montez," and as Kitty Clover in "Mr. and Mrs. Peter White." She was afterwards connected for several seasons with Wallack's Theatre. Her husband died in Liverpool, Eng., May 26, 1861. On her return to America she joined Wallack's company at Broadway and Broome Street. She was in retirement from 1862 until the fall of 1878. In April, 1868, she was married to "Dr." William Lindsay, and Sept. 10, 1878, returned to the stage, appearing at Wallack's Theatre (Thirtieth Street) to play Gurtha in "Clarissa Harlowe;"

but the play was a failure, and it was withdrawn Sept. 20, on which occasion Mrs. John Sloan (who was billed for the first time as Mrs. Lindsay) retired from the stage. She died in this city Nov. 21, 1881.

T. B. Johnston appeared Sept. 1, 1848, as Wigler in "The Valet de Sham," and afterward became a great favorite at many of our city theatres. He possessed an inexhaustible fund of comedy humor, but had latterly become careless, and did not reach the height in his profession that his talents entitled him to. He died in this city, while attached to Laura Keene's Theatre, May 27, 1861. Oct. 10 "Burton's New York Directory, or The Cockney in America," a local burlesque, was first acted; Oct. 24 a travesty of "Don Cæsar de Bazan," called "Dan Keyser de Bassoon," by Brougham, was first played; Dec. 3 "The Serious Family" was presented for the first time in America, and it ran one hundred and twenty-three nights. This was the cast:

Aminidab Sleek

Chas. Torrens

Capt. Murphy Maguire
Frank Vincent

W. E. Burton Mrs. Chas. Torrens Josephine Russell
C. W. Clarke Mrs. Ormsby Delmaine
John Brougham

Stephen Leach Emma Torrens
Lady Sowerby Creamly Mrs. Hughes

Caroline Chapman

I Miss Hill

Buckstone's comedy "Leap Year" was first played in America, and at this house, March 1, 1850, for Mr. Brougham's benefit. On March 26 George Jordan rejoined the company. Miss Mitchell, daughter of "Billy" Mitchell, manager of the Olympic Theatre, made her first appearance on the stage March 30 as Miss Gimp in "An Alarming Sacrifice; " April 20" The Serious Family" reached its one hundredth night. "The Vicar of Wakefield" had its first performance in America here May 6; Constantia Clarke joined the company May 8, and acted in "The Catspaw," its first performance in this city; June 7 Henry Placide opened as Sir Abel Handy in "Speed the Plough. "The Merry Wives of Windsor" was played June 24, with Charles Bass as Falstaff, Charles W. Couldock as Ford, and O. B. Raymond as Slender. The season closed with a benefit to Burton July 5. The house was reopened Aug. 19 with "The Rough Diamond," when Humphrey Bland made his first appearance as Sir William Evergreen, Lizzie Weston and Mrs. Emma Skerrett (also first appearance) as Lady Plato and Margery. "The Serious Family" was revived, and George Jordan appeared as Capt. Maguire. The new people were H. Holbrand, George Skerrett, Levere, and Mr. and Mrs. Henry.

On Sept 2 William Rufus Blake and J. Lester (Wallack) made their first appearance at this theatre in "The School for Scandal." The cast of the comedy was this:

Constantia Clarke took a farewell benefit Sept. 14, as Lydia Languish in "The Rivals;" Mrs. Mary Warner made her American début Sept. 22, as Hermione in "A Winter's Tale; " Nov. 2 James H. Hackett acted Falstaff in "The Merry Wives of Windsor," and Nov. 16 was the benefit of J. W. Lester (Lester Wallack), when "The Road to Ruin" was acted. On Nov. 30 Dr. Northall's version of "David Copperfield" was played for the first time, and the cast was:

Dec. 5 "The Road to Ruin" was played with this cast:

She

Emma Skerrett died at Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 26, 1887. first came to America in 1844, and made her début at the old Park Theatre Sept. 3, as Gertrude in "The Loan of a Lover." Her first husband, George Skerrett, died at Albany, N. Y., May 17, 1855. Her next husband was Harry L. Bascomb (now in the Forrest Home), from whom she was divorced Sept. 20, 1862. In a certain class of "rustic maidens" and soubrettes she was very successful. Dec. 19 "Married an Actress," by J. M. Field, was played for the first time in America.

May 19, 1851, W. Rufus Blake took his benefit, and was seen as Sir Harcourt Courtley in "London Assurance," with Mrs. J. W. Wallack, Jr., as Lady Gay Spanker. June 2 Mrs. Skerrett had a benefit, when, in "The Soldier's Daughter," Margaret Julia Mitchell (now known as Maggie Mitchell) made her first appearance on the stage, acting the child Julia. This terminated the regular season, but the theatre was opened thereafter for performances three times a week, the company playing on alternate nights at Niblo's Garden. These performances terminated June 13.

This house was reopened Aug. 18, 1851, with "Married Life" and "That Rascal Jack." John Dyott appeared as Younghusband in the first play. Dyott also acted here the following two seasons