Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-10-17
MARRYING AN ACTRESS.

MARRYING An ACTRESS.
In the winter of 1S1S-'l9 party Of
bright and lively young people had as
sembled to spend the period of Christmas
festiyity at a spacious old country seat
not far llom Dublin. Several of them,
ladies' us well as gentlemen, had already
acted creditably upon the amateur stage;
so they fitted out u large hall as a thea
tire. and got up several standard come
lies in q manner that elected hearty APP
nlause. Encouraged by this snccess,
they thought they might manage one of
shakespeare 5 tragedies, and their choice
fell on "Romeo and Juliet" They sue
ceeded in casting all the characters ex-
eept one, that of Juliet herself. 1t was
offered to several young ladies in success
sion, but they all persistently refused,
fearing to attempt so arduous part. In
this dilemma some one suggested an ex-
Incident. Miss O'Neill, then in the zenith
of her fame, was an actress Of unblem-
ished reputation, most ladylike in de-
meanor and eminent talent, whom once
saw as Juliet She was then regarded,
ius.lv, imagine, as the most perfect
Interpreter of Shakespeare's embodiment
of fervid passion and devotion in the
daughter OF Capulet that had ever APP
peared on the London boards; her singu-
lar beauty admirably seconding her rare
powers, and turning the heads of half
The fashionable Young men OF the day.
She was universally respected, was often
admitted to the best society, and had
several times assisted at private theat-
rcals. -
It so happened that she was then in
Dublin. and, for the time, without an
engagement The proposal was to write
her and ask her, on her own terms, to
take the part Of Juliet. This was eagerly
acceeded to, and letter forwarded &C.
cordingly. The part of Romeo had been
assigned to a gentleman of fortune and
family, Mr.. Becher of Ballygibben, Coun-
tv Cork: jueRe encore, as the French say,
for he was still on the right side OF 40,
and excelling all his companions in his
trionic talent. To him, as soon as the
invitation had been given, came one OF
his intimate friends. Becher," said
he, take my advice, before it is too
late. Throw up the part Of Romeo. /
dare say some one else can be found to
take it. ... ....-.
Back ont of the part, and why, pray?
Do you think my acting is not worthy to
support Miss o Neills?" ~
You act only too well, my good fel-
low, and identify yourself only too per-
fectly with the characters you undertake.
know Miss O'Neill well; there can't be
a better girl, but she s dangerous. She's
perfectly bewitching in her great role.
1t is notorious that no man ever played
Romeo to her Juliet without falling in
love with her. Now. / d be sorry to see
YOU go to the stage for wife.
Marry an actress! and at my age.
Do you take me for fool? H-H
Anything but that, Becher. l do
take YOU for whole-souled, splendid
fellow, with little touch of romance
about him, impressible by beauty, and
still more alive to grace and talent, and
really can't make up my mind to address
even that glorious creature as Mrs.
.B6cher.
"Do talk sense, Tom Ii l hadn't
agreed to play Romeo, I'd 60 and offer
TO take the part now, just to convince
you how ridiculous you are.
"Well, all | hope is that the enchan-
tress will decline.
But she accepted. Becher played Ro-
meo, shared the fate of his predecessors,
was engaged within the month, and mar
ried few weeks afterward. My father
spent several days with them at their
country seat He was charmed with
Mrs. Becher, IN whom he said he could
not detect the slightest trace Of the
actress And the marriage, my father
told us, seemed to have been eminently
fortunate, though up to that time they
had no children. In the sequel they
had several children. Mr.. Becher,
eight years later, was created baronet
lived thirty years with his wife, and wa'
succeeded in 1850 by their son. Sir Ed
ward Wrixon Becher. the present Baron
1t. Lady Becher died only last Winter
loved and mourned by friends and de
pendents, having survived her husband
more than twenty years. Robert. Dal,
Owen, in The Atlantic Monthly.