New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-04-03


By shelly beach or in its choir-like cave,
Now sings their requiem
The secret of their fate
Shall when the sea gives up its dead. be shown
And God for Judgment by his great White Throne
IGhambers,s Journal
A TOUCHING INCIDENT + went one night to
see comedy. The chief actor was a favorite
one, and the theatre, small provincial one,
was very crowded. The curtain drew up. and
amid a burst Of applause the hero of the piece
made his appearance. He had hardly said
twenty words when it struck me that something
strange was the matter with him. The play
was boisterous comedy of the old school, AMI
required considerable spirit and vivacity on the
part OF the actors to sustain it properly; but n
this man there was none, he walked and talked
like person in a dream his best points he
passed over without appearing to perceive them:
and altogether appeared unfit orgthe part
His smile was ghastly and his laugh hollow and
unnatural; and frequently he would stop sud
denly in his speech, and let his eyes wander
vacantly over the audience. Even when in his
character of silly husband, he had to allow
himself to be kicked around the stage by the
young rake of the comedy, and afterwards to
behold that careless individual making love to
his wife and eating his supper while he was shut
up in closet from which he could not emerge, his
contortions of 1udicrous wrath, which had never
before failed to call down plenty of applause were
now such dismal attempts to portray the passion
that Kisses were audible in various parts of the
house.
The audience were fairly out of temper, and
several inquisitiye individuals were particular
in their inquiries as to the extent of the pota-
tions he had indulged in that evening. A storm
of sibilaton and abuse now fell around the ears
of the devoted actor; and not content with YER
bal insult, orange peel and apple flew upon the
or Ha OF, a,,A
shouting crowd. I never saw such misery in
human countenance His face was worn and
haggard, and large tears rolled down his paint
ed cheeks. l saw his lips quiver with inward
agony-I saw his bosom heaye with conyulsions
and suppressed emotion, and his whole mien
betokened such depth of anguish and distress
| that the most ruthless heart must have throbbed
with pity. The audience was moved and by
degrees the elamor of invective subsidized into
solemn silence, while he stood near the foot
lights, picture of detection.
When all was calm, he spoke, and in voice
broken with sobs that seemed to rend his bosom,
proceeded to offer this little explanation:
Ladies and gentlemen said he, 6 though
in my acting tonight, / am conscious of merit
ing your disple'sure, in one thing you do me
wrong. | am not intoxicated Emotion alone
and that of the most painful kind, has caused
me to fulfill my part SO badly-my wife died but
few short hours ago, and left her side to fill
my unavoidable engagement here. have not
pleased you forgive me. | loved her, rieved
for her, and if misery and anguish can excuse
fault, bear my apology-here y
He placed his hand upon his heart, and stop
ped, and burst of tears relieved his moment,
ary paroxysm and grief The audience were
thoroughly affected, and an honest burst fsym
patby made the wall tremble. Women wept
loudly, and strong men wept silently; and du-
ring the remainder of the evening his perform
ance was scarcely audible through the storm of
applause by which the crowd sought to soothe
the poor fellows wounded feelings There was
something very melancholy in the thought Of
that wretched mans coming from the bed of
death to don gay attire and utter studied witt
csm for the amusement of crowd, not one of
whom dreamed of the anguish that lay fostering
upon the painted cheek and stage smile.
And in the great theatre OF life, how many are
there around us like that poor actor, smiling
gaily at the multitude, while at home lies some
mystery of sorrow whose shadow is ever pres
ent with them in busy places, and in solitude
revels upon hearts like ghoul among the tombs
-
Rather characteristic incident of Kendall
the world famed bugler, occurred short time
since at the wreck of the John L.. Avery Ken
dali has passion for his instrument and in
variably expresses the emotion that fills his
mind, be it sorrow or gladness, in master
strains from his inimitable bugle A co. passen-
ger with him upon the Avery says that the
moment danger was announced, Ned seized his
instrument, and with it reached the hurricane
deck as it was swept off. It was but short
time before the Duke came to the rescue, and
then. true tn his instinct and nasSinD Mad