Personal reminiscences of Henry Irving

Chapter 155: XXXVIII RIVAL TOWNS

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About This Book

A close friend and colleague offers a portrait of a celebrated actor drawn from decades of intimate acquaintance, combining personal anecdotes, stage recollections, and critical reflection. The author traces early memories and theatrical formation, describes management of a major theatre and landmark productions, and examines the subject's approach to Shakespeare, characterization, make-up, and stage effects. Interspersed are behind-the-curtain scenes—rehearsals, collaborations with designers and musicians, touring episodes, and reactions from audiences and critics—and assessments of artistic method, temperament, and relationships with contemporaries. The work balances reminiscence with practical detail to convey both the working life and private qualities of its subject.

XXXVIII
RIVAL TOWNS

In the course of our tour in the Far West of America in 1893–4 we had an experience which Irving now and again told with great enjoyment to his friends. From San Francisco we went to Tacoma and Seattle, two towns on Puget Sound between which is a mighty rivalry. In Seattle we were walking along the main street when we saw a crowd outside the window of a drug store and went over to see the cause. The whole window-space was cleared and covered with sheets of white paper. In the centre, raised on a little platform, was an immense Tropical American horned beetle quite three inches from feelers to tail. Behind it was propped a huge card on which was printed in ink with a brush in large letters:

“ORDINARY BED-BUG CAPTURED IN TACOMA.”