New Orleans Republican., 1877-05-23
Comedians Exit.


1E vas on an autumn night, in the year
aEsg, that a comedian lay dying in an
hEmble,room in q moldy building, ON the
Garzer of Eighth and Wash streets. He
EElsv the time for his exit had come, and
rIa day Isng, as if to mock the grizzly king
who was sunmoning him, he had INDUCED
tEae humor of a comedian even on that
dnsad subject AT noon he sent for bar
AEg akad had his emaciated face cleanly
sEaEved, with the exception of light tuft
81 beard on the chin, which he was as
careful to have colored with cosmetic as
"a hs WIS preparing to go before the foot
6Shta for an evenings performance.
44Fa2d that glass before me, barber" said
Ess stI want to see myself once more be-
slre the curtain drops" The cheap mir
r7r es1at hung on the wall opposite the
slcz Eaan was taken down and held i'm
xDadiately in front of his face. As he
MAEeI upon the reflection of his pallid
sdEn6eaance, with the shrunken cheeks,
psOlsSting jaws and once bright eyes now
Eszden, an expression of disgust came over
hiua- and he whispered in ghastly tones:
'HTa1ze it away take it away Turn it to
ans wall so can not see myself again.
EaA too ugly even for a corpse" 1" He then
had his clothing brought to him. To the
VEaiseSand Of the pants a roll Of Irrational
currency was pinned; taking fifty cents
sse0a the roll, he handed it to the barber,
0ads with an effort to smile, he said:
s-EVe cheated you out of just S4 So"
sfHeY's thal?" asked the barber.
why, you charge me fifty cents to-
day, because you shaved live man. If
NuE it off till tomorrow you would have
charged me S5 that is the price for shaw
iEE. -SaeGd men"
II Was a ghastly Joke, and its grim
h1naor exemplifed the exuberant good
HGeore that was so strong with the dying
man that its exhibition could only stop at
t0s grave.
Ehe few watchers by his bedside en-
dsoGESred to persuade him that the crisis
Fas not SO near as he thought, but they
fat and knew that dissolution was in
RsfuAi progress. The hours flew by, and
When day had heightened into night the
uzrtxl coil had almost unwound itself.
The comedian had sunk rapidly, and was
ma longer able to speak. Respiration was
) &ard and slow. About eight o'clock he
NrRfhea little, and, rolling his eyes
aEo1nd, said, after several Intellectual
e1E6xts, and in a broken whisper: ''Go
AND see DIR. -" calling the name of q
~a5i known st. Louis medical gentleman;
tell him to come quickly-that am dy-
ing, and no mistake.
she doctor was summoned. He arrived
a{S.ut nine, and Immediately made his
way Ge the bedside of his dying friend
They had been intimate associates in by
gzaG years, and he was awed by the
strange solemnity of the occasion. The
ascne inside the room was q weird one.
a dickering lamp gave forth an uncertain
kght that threw CHASTITY radiance over
Gaa face of the actor struggling in the
a1ils Of merciless death. Around the bed
S1e we're two men and two women, the
hitter bitterly weeping over the cruel fate
8f one they had known in better days.
E1spEiest had performed his sacred office
aNd gone away.
Don't you know me, Bill?" asked the |
docear, as be took hold of the clammy
hHrd.
The comedian only glared at him with |
egea that were already set.
squeeze my Land if you know me,
8I1l. said the doctor, and the skeleton |
igeEG made'a spAsmodic effort to grasp
Cha fEiendly hand that rested within them,
a1s0wing that consciousness was not gone. |
e'0h,s I'm glad you know me-" said the |
dluctoE. /
EEe dying man looked at him hard and |
aasperately, slightly raised his head from |
tzns pillow, and, while the muscles of his |
nss tEitched nervously, he gasped out, |
lable by syllable: "CAod damn youl I'd |
know you in hellg' sank back and ceased |
a. breathe.
Hes dead man, said the doctor.
no; he1l breathe three more times; |
Ss9ing men always do, said an aged print |
ANIho was one of the watchers.
SuGa enough, two minuter after respira- |
Nnn had ceased there came a violent |
tp. thenSspother less intense, and then |
s s1ft and gentle breath, as if the worn |
rIt body felt trelieyed at the spirits escape.
Aaa body was nowNas limp as the sheets |
nn which il lay. Theaomedian was dead
aE& the curtain had dfQpped. This is |
DE way William P. Smith lied. For ff- |
e14n years he was favorite &ctor in ST. /
4cniss where be won an enviabfs, reputa-
lielA as low comedian Of skin and genius, /
ariA many warm friends a. a gentleraan Of |
nT and a genial asaociate.--sE Louis i
Z - Deaa0cfdt
A RnshIssorIo Cisy.