Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-07-24

III tho dressing room and III tic sue
cceding act, | could eco that the stranger
was l.boring under IL strong mental OK
element, which no himself could not ac
cunt for.
Let scoffers turn up their noses, and cry
bosl,, but rs true us hold this pipe in my
hand, the poor young fellow told me: ri
feel friend, rs il there were something
hanging over mo tonight lima ginatiou
some may Call it, superstition, Others
know not what it is; but, my God! feel
u strange fatality over mo, ~ If my very
life were leaving me-"
1t was in vain tried to reassure the
young tragedian. lie seemed like on,
over whom some great evil was impcnd-
Ing. And us tho curtain rang up on the
fourth ACT ;he>seemed 80 thoroughly :tb
forbcd and ;griefs!rtcken, l deemed It bes,
to leave him to himself
In the fourth act where tho Stranger
relates the story OF his life, the deep shame
which, has driven him from contact with
the world, his shrinking sclf-seclusion, his
etc: lenlincss, his agonia,ng despair and
breaking heath heart requiring conso-
lation, us Kotzebue eloqucntly destribes ii:
| NV uOiFt ~ lAC u COSC.SuuL 6CpIlCur0.
| Let what is within it moulcr and decay.
Why open the wrctchcd clarl,cl house
! TO spread lestilencc arOund?"
never in myself felt 50 thoroughly
carried away as in tho laskseene of the
act, whore the Stranger and Mrs. lIaller
met for tho first time. The situation was
50 startling lis to electrify both actors and
audience. A single glance of recognition
told the story-a story behind tho scenes
"A sorrow stricken husband and an err
ing wife had come together under circum.
stances stranger than any novelist could
invent, but, nevertheless, gentlencn,' y
said DAshall, ~wiat l tell you is strictly
true"
"You may perhaps imagine that l an,
going to finish this story with startling
dcnouc"lent," continued Dashall. "Noth.
inS OF the sort-that is, at Toast, 80 far us
the public ever knew. Between the fourth
and last acts sand then, mind you, it was
known that the Stranger and Adeline were
actually husband and wife, us I was say
ing, between the acts Adeline lay in con.
WILSON'S ii her dressing-room, while the
Stranger, in an adjoining apartment, sat
motto less as death, with bis face buried
in his hands, his fingers twisted in tho
masses Of his luxuriant hair, silent, save as
to the heavy, suppressed breathing, which
told too plainly the inward struggle that
was tugging at hi. very heart. strings.
When oil was ready for the fifth act /
approached him gently, and laying my
hand upon lis shoulder. informed him OF
the fact. As 10 looked up think never
Saw face SO changed pale % il marble
statue, the large, dark eyes sunkcn in the
sockets, and with a look Of controlled
agony painful in the extreme even for il
moment to look upon. Ills bearing was
that Of u thorough gentleman, who had
made up bis mind to keep bis feelings in
check even if the effort should kill him.
Walking calmly ON the sta &c, he proceed
ed with the play with wonderful self.
command till the final interview with his
erring and repentant wife. Poor Adcline
came on the scene sustain on my arm,
aud as she faltered out, leave me- it
seemed to me ~ if she would sink, fainting
to the stage. 10 describe the scene that
followed is entirely beyond my power
Suffice it to say that, since that scene was
written by the Inflated Kotzebue, it has
pever been acted as it was that night.
Acted, did Isay? No, there was no act.
ing about it, but stern and painful
reality. where fact and fiction were SO
strangely blended as to leave upon mo IN
impression shall mover forget.
As you know, gentlemen, there is not II
line iii the whole scene which did not
directly apply to the actual situation, you
may judge Of tho effect when rendered by
two highly sensitive natures, wrought up
to the greatest pitch Of feeling by the
agonizing realities Of tho scene. The, act-
ors and audience seemed spell~bound as
the scene reached it's climax, and the re-
pentant wife fell iainting ut the feet Of tho
abandoned husband. Pointing so!cmnly
to heaven, and speaking the concluding
line, There, Adeline, you may be niEo
again." he stopped gently down, raised
her head tenderly from the ground, gave !.
parting kiss upon her pale forehead, laid
her gently down, gave long, tender, and
heart-broken look, and, turning slowly up
tho stage IL tho curtain descended, the Ill
starred couple parted, no moro to meet
again upon earth.
a headstone Ut the Mission, in San
Francisco, bears the names of Adelaide
and the Stranger who found rest beneath
the waves Of tue Pacific, being on board
the ili-iatcd Australian steamer when she
was lost, many years ago, on her passage
from San Francisco. Lot us hope they
both have found the psace which seemed
denied them here, in another and !. better
world, where sorrow is unknown and sin
can never enter.