22 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN, 



Perhaps the handsomest compliment ever offered him, and 

 the one most highly appreciated, was the serenade at Tower 

 Grove some two years ago by Gilmore's band, then giving 

 their annual series of concerts at the Exposition. It was a 

 lovely October day, with cloudless skies and mild yet in- 

 vigorating air ; the foliage just beginning to assume the 

 many-colored livery of autumn, but still retaining the lux- 

 uriant growth of summer. Mr. Shaw was seated upon the 

 lawn in front of the mansion, with a few friends about him, 

 while at proper distance in front were grouped the sixty- 

 five members of that famous orchestra. As the strains of 

 soul-inspiring music saluted the ear of the venerable gentle- 

 man for whom they were primarily intended, his face lighted 

 up with an expression of pleasure too deep for words, and 

 he leaned forward in his chair as if unwilling to lose the 

 faintest note of the divine harmony. The picture of which 

 he was the central figure can never be forgotten by those 

 who saw it; *' once seen, became a part of sight." 



From youth, until extreme age prevented, Mr. Shaw at- 

 tended the theatre whenever the performance was of suf- 

 ficient merit to attract him. He liked all good plays well 

 played, but preferred comedy to tragedy; thinking there 

 is enough real sorrow and suffering in the world without 

 paying to see the unreal article upon the stage. He want- 

 ed, especially in his latter years, to be amused rather than 

 deeply interested, and a hearty laugh was worth more to him 

 than all the woes of " Hamlet "or " Lear." So it came to 

 pass that of the four bronze bas-reliefs on the pedestal of 

 the Shakspeare statue, the most conspicuous place is as- 

 signed to the one representing the late Ben DeBar in the 

 character of " Falstaff." A friend, who was himself at 

 that time the oldest living actor, good-naturedly remon- 

 strated with him. " Why, Mr. Shaw," said he, " I knew 

 DeBar well, and I liked him, too; he was a first-rate 

 comedian in his line, but not a great dramatic artist by any 

 means. Yet you have honored him as Garrick or Siddons 

 have never been honored, and he don't deserve it, sir!" 



