and who suited his taste in his most choice dishes. The two had a
serious quarrel, which ended in cooky giving her master notice of leaving
his service. Mr. Banks took this somewhat to heart as he thought if he
parted with his cook--and such a cook as she was--he might not be able to
replace her. To put it out of her power to give him notice again, he
offered her marriage, and was accepted. Mrs. Banks sometimes used to
visit the theatre, and generally took her seat at the wing by the
prompter's table, where she could see tolerably well what was going
forward on the stage. On one occasion the tragedy of "Venice Preserved"
was being performed. Edmund Kean was _Jaffier_ and Miss O'Neil
_Belvidera_. They were playing to a greatly excited house, as may well
be supposed when two such artists were upon the stage. Mr. St. A---, who
was then ballet-master at the theatre, and who, by the way, was a most
graceful dancer, seeing Mrs. Banks, went up to her to exchange
compliments. Having done so, Mr. St. A--- remarked how seldom they had
the pleasure of seeing Mrs. Banks. "Oh," replied she, "I never come to
the theatre--not I. There's no good actors now-a-days--there ain't
anybody worth seeing." "Dear me, Mrs, B., how can you say so? Who have
we on the stage now? There's Mr. Kean"--"Mr. Kean, indeed," exclaimed
Mrs. B., "I can't abide him; he's my abortion." "Well, then, what do you
think of Miss O'Neil?" "Miss O'Neil!--Miss O'Neil, indeed; do you call
her a hactress?--I can't abide her. There she is--see how she lolls and
lollups on the fellows--it's quite disgusting!" Now the fact was that
Miss O'Neil who was chastity itself off the stage, and who lead a most
blameless life, showed, when performing, such _abandon_ and _impressment_
in her actions as to be quite remarkable, especially in parts where the
intensity of passion had to be displayed, and this Mrs. Banks "couldn't
abide." "Well, then," continued Mr. St. A---, "who do you call a good
actor?" "Who do I call a good actor! you wait till my dear John Emery
comes down, and then you'll see a good actor; and if I live as long, I'll
make him such a pudding, please God, as he hasn't had this many a day!"
Old Mrs. Banks was about right as to John Emery; he was an actor of the
first-class, and has never been replaced in his peculiar line. I have
seen Emery play _Tyke_ in the "School of Reform." It was a wonderful
impersonation. I have seen nothing like it since.