River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-07-29

"I have a silent sorrow here-a grief I'll ne'er inn
part;
It breathes sigh Il sheds no tears, but Il con-
sumes my heart
While this was being sung to the
Stranger, could not help observing that
he was deeply moved, aud at its conclu.
sion, when he recited the lines,
81 have heard that air before, but it
was to other words
Francis, share your supper with your
friends need none.o
lie came almost tainting off at the wing
where | was standing. thought never
aw better piece Of acting
Oh my God my God my heart is
breaking 2; he exclaimed, as he sank sob
bing on my shoulder
whats the matter 2" enquired.
Nothing nothing foolish, weak,
romantic notion, perhaps; but | never
hear that song butt humans me. Please
come to my dressing-room, aud let us see
about our long scene n the fourth act
4 In the dressing room and in the sue,
ceeding act, could see that the stranger
was laboring under strong mental ex
citement, which he himself could not ac.
4 cunt for
4 Let seotiers turn up their noses, and cry
bosh, but as true as | hold this pipe in nv
hand, the poor young fellow told me 81
feel friend, as it there were something
hanging over me o-night--imag ination
some may call il, superstition, others-I
know not what it is but, my God feel
a strange fatality over me, as if my yery
life we're leaving me-
! IL was in vain | tried to reassure tho
young tragedian. lie seemed like one
over whom some great evil was impend-
ing. And as the curtain rang up ON the
fourth act, ne seemed so thoroughly alb
sorbed and griel-strtcken, deemed it best
to leave him to himself
In the fourth act where the Stranger
relates the story OF bis life the deep shame
which has driven him from contact with
the world, bis shrinking self.secusion, his
utter lonllness, his agonizing despair and
breaking heaIt-a heart requiring conso-
auou, as kotzebue eloquently destribes it:
- NV heart is like close-shut scpulchre,
Let what Is within 10 moulder and decay
Why open the Wretohed charnel house
10 spread pestllence around ~
| never IN myself felt 50 thoroughly
carried away as in the last. scene of the
act, where the Stranger and Mrs. Halter
met tor the frs. time The situation was
so startling as to eleotrily both actors and
audience. \ single glance Of recognition
told the story--a story behind the scenes
IA sorrow stricken husband aud an err.
ing wife had come together under crcum
stances stranger than any novelist could
invent, but, nevertheless, gentlemen
said Dashall, "what tell YOU is strictly
true"
" You may perhaps imagine that | am
going to finish this story with startling
denouement,' continued Dashall. "Noth.
ing Of the sort-that is, at loast, so far as
the public ever knew. Between the fourth
and last acts-and then, mind YOU, il was
known that the Stranger and Adeline were
actually husband and wife, as was saw
ing, between the acts Adeline Law in con
yulslons IN her dressing-room, while the
Stranger, IN an adjoining apartment, sat
motto less As death, with his face buried
IN his hands, his fingers twisted in the
masses o. his luxuriant hair, silent, save as
to the heavy, suppressed breathing, which
told too plainly the inward struggle that
was tugging at his very heart. strings.
When all was ready for the fifth act
approached him gently, and laying nv
hand upon his shoulder. | informed him Of
the fact. As be looked up think never
saw a face so ehanged-pale as a marble
statue, the large, dark eyes sunken in the
sockets, and with look Of controlled
agony painful in the extreme even for a
moment to look upon. His bearing was
that OF thorough gentleman, who had |
made up his mind to keep his feelings in 4
check even if the effort should kill him. /
Walking calmly ON the stage, he proceed
ed with the play with wonderful self |
command till the final interview with his
errlng and repentant wife. Poor Adeline
came on the scene sustain d ON NV arm.
and as she taltered out, Leave me- it
seemed to me- rs if she would sink, fainting
to the stage. To describe the scene that
followed is entirely beyond my power.
Suffice Il 70 say that, since that scene was
written by the Inflated Kotzebue, il has
never been acted as it was that night.
Acted, did | say? No, there was no act.
ing about it, but stern and painful
reality, whore fact and fiction were so
strangely blended as to leave upon me an
impression shall never forget.
As you know, gentlemen, there is not a
line IN the whole scene which did not
directly apply TO the actual situation, YOU
may Judge Of the effect when rendered by
two highly sensitive natures, wrought up
to The greatest pitch Of feeling by the
agonizing realities Of the scene. The act
ors and audience seemed spell bound AS
the scene reached it's climax, and the re.
pentant wife fell ialnting at the feet Of The
abandoned husband. Pointing solemnly
to heaven, aud speaking the concluding
line, There, Adelinc, you may be mine
again. be stopped gently down, raised
her head tendcrly from the ground, gave
parting kiss upon her pale forehead, laid
her gently down, gave a long, tender, aud
heartbroken look, and, turning slowly up
the stage rs the curtain descended, the MI.
starred couple parted, no more TO meet
again upon earth
a headstone at the Mission. in San
Francisco, bears the names Of Adelaide
and the Stranger, who found rest beneath
The waves OF the Pacific. being ON board