The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-05-18

hiIlC iilO hllpN ludL utdI JACK Nll
come back for Il little while-that it was
love for his dear ones that brought him
and that knowledge gives us patience to
wait unI,l we can go to him
Anecdotes of the Late Actor Bar
ney Williams.
Hospitable as prince in his own house
Barney refused to frequent bar-rooms and
waste his money in standing treat to the
bummers of the profession. But on Broad
way one day he tell victim to the wiles
of Dan Bryant, who persuaded him to
break his usual rule and treat at the New
York Hotel
AS the two comedians walked up Broad
wsy, Dan tipped the wink to the prone
nading whiskey-braves, VINO, without a
word, filed in behind, until the affair re-
sembled procession.
When Barney looked down the long bar
at the New York Hotel he was confronted
with thirty well known, friendly, but Sc
rious faces - and in them he read his
DOOM
What will you have, gentlemen ?n
asked Barney. Disgusting his feelings.
"Allow me to give the order" said Dan
"Ou! friends have been up a little late
last night. and now have only one crav-
ing-tor champagne cocktails
In those days, and at that hotel, cham
pagne cocktails We're 81 each.
Barney paid the bill; but no persuasion
could induce him ever to practice at the
bar again.
For many years past, the real life Of
Barney Williams was divided between the
theatre and his handsome. happy home in
Thirty ighth street
Around his table he delighted to gather
the cle1erest and most distinguished men,
and nothing was too good for them to en-
JOY.
| especially remember supper which
supper the conversation was upon high
art Nothing lower than Shakespeare and
the musical glasses was listened to. But,
when the table was cleared, Barney soon
Set it in roar, and Charles hean delight
ed the company by improvising ballot
girl from two of his fingers and a napkin
"a performance as good in its way as
Maccabe's Welsh parson.
Before leaving England, Kean had su-
perntended the theatrical performances at
Windsor Castle, and he told us several
anecdotes about the penuriousness Of the
royal family, winding up by displaying q
small diamond ring which the Queen had
given him as a reward for his trouble, and
which he afterwards ascertained that
Prince Alfred had given the Queen as her
engagement ring Never before had so
little diamond done such royal double
duty
1t is pleasant to recall poor Barney
among these happy and congenial scenes
and associates; but in contrast with them
his end seems all the more terribly tragic.
AS we now know, his fatal illness at-
fected his brain, and his delusion was that
he had murdered his wife--the wife to
whom he was most fondly and devotedly
attached, and who as completely recipro-
Gated his affection.
He had murdered his wife and was lock-
ed up in prison. He must get out to see
her and confess his crime. These insane
visions made him struggle madly with
his nurses, try to throw himself ont of the
window, and shrek "Murder y in a
voice that alarmed the neighborhood.
DR.. Fleming, who attended him, has a
mania for hyperdermic injections; but
this treatment although sanctioned in
this case by the highest authorities, was
of no avail Mr.. Williams was kept un-
der the influences of morphine, and the
large that the doctor declared that anoth-
officer at Blackwell's Island is said to have
recommended more morphine!
When doctors disagree sick men get
well but in Barney's case the fina! con-
sultation was unanimous, and poor Bar
ney died, unconscious of his death
One of the watchers tells me that at
times the insanity of Mr.. Williams assum-
ed a pleasantor phrase. He would imag
inc himself in the theatre, and in dumb
show would go through all the forms of
dressing for the stage. Then he would
WELD phantom shilelagh, his feet would
move as if in dancing and 50 admirable
was his pantomime that Mrs. Williams,
sitting by, could tell in what piece he
thought he was acting and give the words
for every scene.
Before she quite broke down and fell in
to her present illness this estimable lady
complained most of her loneliness while
her husband was i'll. The Irish boy and
Yankee girl were always lonely apart. |
remember that she made the same COM
plant to me when she was playing with
out Barney one night at the Academy of
Music
1--WE have been married more than
twenty years" she said the other day;
"but up to this time the last year has been
as happy as any of the rest
1t is good to put such facts upon record
at time when the stage is assailed as the
violater of all domestic ties. No happier
and more loving married couple could be
found in the world than this actor and ac-
tress. Before their fair fame calumny
shrinks abashed. When the elite of the
city and the profession followed Barney
Williams to his grave they did honor to
the good man, the good husband and the
good citizen, as well as to the popular ac-
tor
Mr.. George W. Eyers of Portsmouth n
H., last season pastured yearling heifer
in Greenland, but when fall came she could
not be caught. The farmer set his shep-
herd dog to catch her, but he only sue
ceeded in driving her from the pasture
and she has wandered about the woods
and pastures between Greenland and
Stratham all winter subsisting mainly
upon browsing trees. For severa! weeks
she has been known to be in the vicinity
of farm in Stratham. and has been fed
in the woods; but though coming near
the farm several times with the cattle, she