Jula Ward Howe, Reminiscences: 1819-1899

Mr. Booth, in the course of these years, experienced great happiness and great sorrow. On the occasion of our first meeting he had spoken to me of ‘little Mary Devlin’ as an actress of much promise, who had recently been admired in ‘several heavy parts.’ In process of time he became engaged to this young girl. Before the announcement of this fact he appeared with her several times before the Boston public. Few that saw it will ever forget a performance of Romeo and Juliet in which the two true lovers were at their best, ideally young, beautiful, and identified with their parts. I soon became well acquainted with this exquisite little woman, of whose untimely death the poet Parsons wrote:—

What shall we do now, Mary being dead,
     Or say or write that shall express the half?
What can we do but pillow that fair head,
     And let the spring-time write her epitaph?—

As it will soon, in snowdrop, violet,
     Windflower and columbine and maiden's tear;
Each letter of that pretty alphabet
     That spells in flowers the pageant of the year.

She hath fulfilled her promise and hath passed;
     Set her down gently at the iron door!
Eyes look on that loved image for the last:
     Now cover it in earth,—her earth no more.