The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-07-09

acters in domestic drama, which MIS-
Kelly had rendered peculiarly her own III
England, and the consummate sklll with
which she supported Cooper, WallacE
and other eminent stars, caused her &c
rise higher and higher in the esteem OF the
audience, until her GROWING triumph ar
rived during the engagement OF the elder
Kean, in FEBRUARY, 1927, when, on several
occasion, she fairly divided the honors Of
the evening with him. Annoyed BY SC
unusual circumstance, NJ. Kean took
occasion, to request her to repress the
force and intensity Of her personation, rs
he merely desired his efforts seconded, not
riyaled-.an unintentional, though GER
tainly the highest compliment he ever
paid an actress. a.
AT this period Mrs. Duff was IN the
zenith of her beauty. but she continued
to improve in professional skill Tor sever,
al years longer, until she was pronounced
by ali American critics the best actress
in ON country without exception. Her
voic. WAS described as breathing melo-
DIV her features as living harmony, and
her form rs model for the sculptor, and
she was said to captiyate with enhancing
and irresistible power the minds of all
who witnessed her tragic assumptions.
IN ENGLAND-RETURN TO AMERICA.
In the fall of 1927, Mrs, Duff played
farewell engagements preparatory to a
trip to Englasd, and in the spring of 1923
appeared at Drury Lane rs Adclgitha
and Isabella, assisted by MaCready, Wal
lack, j. Cooper, Charles kcan and Miss
Foote, Although the elder Booth had ut
this time proclaimed her not only the
be actress in America, but in the world,
and although these were familiar charac-
tiers in which she was unrivallcd here, the
prciudiceagainst everything trans-Atlan-
tic was then 50 great that she was very
coollv received by Che audience although
the press acknowledged that she posses
sed merit. Not caring to labor for po-
sition which her genius should ut once
have commanded, she soon returned with
unlimin ished powers To the land Of her
adoption. where hearty welcome await
cd her. Pursuing her professional career
with undated appreciation, She came III
frequent contract with Mr.. Forrest, and
when he first produced her in 1879, his
tragedy nt "Metamoru. Mrs. Dutf Wa.
thtoriginal Nahmcokrc They last play
ed "a ioInt engagement in Boston, We
think. in the sprin2 Of 1881. During
tina, wear Mrs. Duff experienced the los,
ol her husband. aud ia 1882 tn" appear
ancc Of Fanny Hcmblr. with her youth
and acknowledged hrillianey, caused II
decline in her atlrac,ivcn",>.
Az ECCENTRIC MARRIAGE.
Perhaps there was also decline in her
capabilities, ioroppressrd with griefGt her
widowhooi. and overwhelmed wiki the
care and support Of a numerous family,
her condition bord"rrd On insanity; and
in the spring OF 1883, while performing
in New York. she received nm abrupt Of
fer Of marriage from Charles Young, an
actor once well known in Boston, and
accepting it without hesitation, the pair
Immediately wended their way first to II
Protestant and then 10 Catholic clergy
man. by each of whom the rite OF natri-
monv was celebrated between them. But
soon returning reason resumed It's sway,
and ere the twain had reached the resi-
deucc of either, Mrs. Duff disavowcd and
repudiatcd tho act, and would neither
accompany her ncwlv-wcdded husband
to his home nor suffer him to enter hers.
Pleading temporary alteration ofmind
us the cause of her connection with the
affair, she soon obtained legal dissolu-
tion of the union In 1884 and 80, Mrs.
Duff played principally in Philadelphia
and New York, her last engagement in
the latter city being ut the little Frank
lin Thcater whore her representations
displayed all the spirit, force, feeling and
pathos that characterized her earlier eff
forts. She here babe farewell to the pro-
fe.sion, having reached her fOrtie.h year,
and. won b. the promise of aitiuence and
comfort in her retirement, accepted tn"
hand Of II Mr.. Scavcr, whom she accom-
panied to New Orleans, where for many
wears her home was found. Here, with
ont the duties of the stage to interest or
occupy her thoughts, II devotion to relIg.
lou, pursuits became the main object OF
her life. Naiuring the Catholic faith, in
which she bad been educated, and to
which she had hitherto been ardcntly at
,achcd, She entered. with Il meek and low
" spirit, the humble communion Of the
Methodist church. She soon became
noted for her deeds of charity and mercy,
for her loving, gentle spirit which, indeed,
she had always displayed during the
proudest periods OF her theatrical career
tor her persuasive entreaties to the stu
ming, her eloquent eXhortations TO the
reprutaut, and her kindly ministrations
to the sick and suffering. Her volunteer
services to those dying Of cholera on
board Il vessel bound to New Orleans,
whereon she was passenger, are grnce-
fully recorded in the papers of the day,
which pronounced her name more truly
ilustrlous by those deeds than by the
highest houors she had achieved on the
mimic stage.
LATER YEARS.
In Boston her society has been courtcd
by tile intellectual and cultiyated--in
New Orleans she was the center of a rel-
gious circle. from whom the bounty Of her
hand and the comfort OF her prayers were
never withheld. She avoided players
and pluy-hou,eS, and seemingly stroye to
forget she had ever been among them.
Her husband, it was said, idolized her,
.pI ftrpisppl nor wifi every facility for