The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1874-03-05

cnlt task, and the impressions made were
socn efaced. My mother directed my ac
lions and guided my tastes go carefully that
even after our return to England was never
taken to theatre, and the dramatic authors
were kept out Of my reach. Strange as the
statement may seem to you. 1, the descend
ant of one Of Eng,and's greatest Interpreters
Of Englsnd's greatest dramatists,-I never
saw play of Shakespeare's in theatre be-
fore was married. After / was married
vent occasionally to the theatre, but, being
always excited by the play, and sometimes
feeling the irresistible longing to undertake
the part which particularly attracted my at
tentiop, | Was prevented from attending
often, NV health ut the time being qui,e
poor But il was not until some time alter
my marrisge that the event occurred which,
q l said, shaped my future and determined
my career.
zone winter night" she continued, ga
friend of Toms her husband an officer in
his regimenf-came up to our house TO spend
the night with us. During the evening, the
conversation turned upon dramatic snhjects.
whea Tens fiieni began TO dispute with
him about the
READING OF SOME LINES IN "NACBErH."
which he had heard rendered few nights
before, as he claimed, without sense of mesn-
ing. To defend his interpretation Of the
lines. be went 70 the library, and taking
down copy OF Shakespeare, began to read
the play. lie wss line natural reader, ard,
in his earne-;ness ID convince Tom, read
with considerable dramatic effect.
II shall never forget that scene" said
| Mr.. Siddons, with great animation. II
was sitting al the table sewing. Tom was
in chair before the the crate, his back TO
| me, and his .rieais sat facing Us. He read
the play from the beginning, connecting the
| paris oaliited with some remarks tending To
show the unity OF his interpretation of the
character oi L:dv Macbeth. When he APP
preached the climax Of the 'Slsep-Walkins
Scene he rose aud with great animation de-
claimed the lines. The effect upon me was
| like nervous shock. cold treamor seizsd
upon me. Although had never before felt
20 strong, my body ,rembled with agitation.
feared, if 1 remained longer, that the feel
ing Of scstscy would ovespower me. and
should burst into tears. NY nervous sensi-
bility had undoubtedly been made more
keen by severe sickness from Which i hod
hardly recovered. and afraid that nv sgi,a-
ton would be noticed. i stole to my cham
Der. where, standing in the middle of tie
room, my brain on lire with the long pent-up
desire to Represent TO others the power | felt
stirring my soul, nv mind exalted by the
conception bad of the woe which drove
Lady Macbeth forth from her bed at mid
night, began TO feel | myself was Lady
Macbeth. | WAS seized, almost ssonixsd.
with an inexpressib!e dresd,-a kind of
nightmare horror, and felt that could on
ly exercise the terrible spirit which he'd seiz
- h.. L.
and driving it forth in their presence.
| dreaded To stay longer alone, yet Was
FASCINATED By MY IDEAL,
and. with the almost insane desire To appear
to INV hu.b,nd as Lady Macbeth, ! quickly
bound up nv face with handkerchief.
threw about nv body a white wrapper, ar d
taking my WAX csndle, started for the door.
In the mirror as | passed | caught the first
sight Of nv fsce-pallii with iesr and d. avn
into an expression OF woe unuterable. My
ewes, made large by recent sickness, seem ed
fixed with strong stare thar so frightened
me that dropped my csndIest'ck from my
hand. and was alone in the dark. | ran out
into the hall and down the stairs, and
paused at the library door Only for mo-
ment.
"Remember," said Mrs Siidons, 81 had
never before studied Macbeth, and knew
nothing OF the lines. only felt I 'crs L0dy
3 Macbeth. So inspired wss by the conceP-
, I ton caught during the reading OF the scene
thrt self myself able u render II IN pan
; tomime.
, "Swinsiry back the door" she continued,
81 glided into the room and stood for mo-
ment so absorbed in NV conception that
|, forgot to act mus, have looked like q
sraye-risen person with my white wrapper,
my chin tied up with n handkerchief, and
', | my wide open eyes staring out Of my psslid
face. Toms friend, who IA, facing the door
sprang to his feet in great conformation, aud
wheeled his chair in front Of him. My
, husband, seeing his excitement, turned, spd
!. catching a glimpse Of my face, exclaimed
oh, my God, she l,a1 gone mad'
/ "rhi. broke tie charpl," ssid Mr.. Sid
\ dons, "and the nervous strain had been d
great that Tom had merely time TO save me
from falling en- the floor as fell faintiDs IL
a chair. Do You wonder now tina, Away,
feel a kind Of dread when attempt 10 rem
: der the 'Sleep-Walking Scene" -aid Mrs
. Siddons, with laugh.
q "Dut did this incident determine you TO
: appear at once on the stage?' | asked.
: 81 began Immediately after recovered
: nv health to study Macbeth" she answered,
: "and soon after determined to appear on
| the stage. And that reminds me OF asoihef
curious coincidence, between the career o
E my great-grandmCther,
SARAH SiDDOS@,
: and NV own--a confidence which makes ulf
prize more highly the tilisman have asIe4-
> dy spoken OF.
"And what gas the coiGcdescs?' AXE
: my friend.
81 began az have said. continued NJ "a.
Siddon.. "to study Lady Macbeth. Alter
had determined to go on the stage ! could
;. not brook the delay required to complete The
! preliminary studies winch almost al
. actors must submit to in order thai
: they may become familiar with
!. what is known as the ztsge business but
; went at once down to London and applied ID
the managers of the different thester- They
did no, relish the idea Of Il !aiy's wilking
!. out OF her psrlor upon the stage, and without
any previous instruction attempting TO Per
form LAZY Macbeth. They wanted me to
undertake some lighter character. But
vas determined 70 make my debut az Lady
Macbeth, and 20 went ID Manchester and
| Edinburgh There the manager repeated
the story, and finally, with almost no study
, for the part, consented to spp-sr in EdiB-
, burg "a Portia, in the Merchant OF Venice
About two years ago, while rummagins
through some old family papers, | came mp,
on some letters OF my great-grsndmohsr,a ard
in them | found my experience related ~
exactly a. to almost slartle me. She. too,
had determined to make her debut az Lady
Macbeth, had studied the character, had been
refused everywhere by the manager, an,i
finally on few day. notice had made hsr
debut n the stately and elegant Partia-'
NIo,Lot, brr Tolorrponh