A J. L. TOOLE STORY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1680, 11 May 1904, Page 38 (Supplement)

A J. L. TOOLE STORY

t was once playing in “Dearer Than Life,” with Irving and Billington, at Leeds, writes J. L. Toole in the “Era Annual.” After the performance several gentlemen were in the general room of the hotel where we were staying, and among them Mr Jones, who professed to have a large acquaintance in the profession, and who appeared to have a. local reputation as a judge of ages. "Well, how old,” said someone, “would you take Mr Toole to be?” “ Well,” said he, “65, if a day.” “Do you know him ?” I asked. “Oh, yes; I know him very well indeed.” “Ah! and how old should you take meto be ?” “Well, 1 should take yoxi to be 40, if you’re a day.” They had most of them been to the theatre and seen me—for the first timeprobably—playing an old man; and as it wais my first visit to the town, and wewere going on by the mail train that night, I had a. fancy not to leave them under the impression that I was this very old gentleman. I found that Jones was a decent sort of fellow, and I said to Irving that before I went I should give him my card and let him know what a mistake he had made. By-and-bye when our cab arrived, we said good-night to our casual acquaintances. Taking Mr Jones aside. I handed him my card, whereupon he said, “Oh, indeed!” in a very offensive manner, turned upon his heel, and walked away. “Well/’ I said to my friends, “that’s the most impertinent fellow I think T ever met.” Billington and Irving went into fits of laughter, and confessed that they had warned Mr Jones that I was continually passing myself off as Toole, and he was to be quite prepared for my handing him a card and trying the imposition upon him.