The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-02-01
THE MAN OF THE DREAM.
AN INCIDENT OF THE BURNING OF THE
RICHMOND THEATRE.

contribution to the literature OF the burning
Of the Richmond Theatre in 1911, when so
many lives were lost. 1t is taken from the
last No. OF the New York Clipper, and win
be read with great interest, particularly in
this section. The author writes from men,
ory, and she makes mistake in the name
of the play and the actors, so the editor of
the Clipper Informs lis. The play was not
ssMacbeth,' but ''The Father; or, Family
Feuds," to which was added the pantomme
of Raymond and Agnes; or, The Bleeding
Nun"
Mr.. and Mrs. Poe were not then with the
company. Thetmanagers Of the Richmond
Theatre wez Messrs. Twaits, Alexander
Piacide, and William Green. With this brief
correction we give the article:
The late burning of the Brooklyn Theatre
has recalled to mind an incident connected
with the similar fate Of that of Richmond.
| Va, in 1911, and which / have often heard
related by venerable lady who was at that
time young girl, and the sister of one of
tile victims.
On the Goth December (the day of the fire.
there was brilliant dinner-party at ''The
Hermitage the elegant seat of Mrs. Abb
gail Mayo, some miles from Richmond.
Among the guests were Maj. James Gibbon
and lady; his son, Lieut.. James Gibbon, of
the navy; and Miss Sallic Conyers, of Will
liamsburg-tlie latter guest Of Maj. Glib
bon's family, and betrothed to his son, Lieut..
James Gibbon.
This young couple were at this time OBJ
| jects of extreme interest and admiration in
the brilliant and distinguished Richmond So
ciety. Lieut.. Gibbon was twenty-four years
of age, a gallant and handsome young off
Ger, and Miss Conyers was
DISTINGUISHED BELLE,
celebrated for her beauty, grace. and wit.
Independent of these, she was remarkable
for a charm OF manner and expression which
fascinated all who approached her, young
and old alike. She had been only a few
days engaged to Lieut.. Gibbon, and it was
remarked that 4 young couple had been sell
dom known more distinguished for beauty,
wit, and amiability, or more favored by gifts
of fortune than were these two.
Lieut.. Gibbon had not accompanied his
family to the dinner party, circumstance
which had rather piqued Miss Conyers, es-
pecially rs he gave what seemed tlimsy
and insufficient excuse for remaining at
home. But the truth was that the young Of
ficer had that morning received orders to
join his ship within three days for & cruise
| RI t1,o Noditarro op1 If woo Doooccarv
that he should make immediate and rather
hurried preparations for his departure. He
resolved to say nothing about the matter to
his mother or Miss Conyers until their re-
turn insthe evening, thus considerably think
ing to spare their feelings.
Returning home from his business, young
Gibbon found that he would have time to
ride out to Mrs. Mayo's in season for dinner,
and he accordingly proceeded thither. Miss
GoByers received him coldly, and to pique
him pretended to flirt with Col. Hamilton,
i then the British Consul, who was one OF her
most devoted admirers. A young lady with
whom Gibbon was intimate AIss Maria
Mayo, afterwards the wife of Gen. Winfield
Scott playfnly rallied him upon looking so
downcast; when his mother, seated by, OBJ
served laughingly that James seriousness
was owing to dream which he had had some
lays previously. The company insisted up
on hearing the dream, which Mrs. Gibbons
thereupon proceeded to relate. 1t was very
simple dream in itself-only that James had
seen man standing at the foot OF his bed
" | ~, eto oil otL nj
outstretched arm at him in a, warning or
threatening manner; but this dream had
been repeated three times, and had left upon
the young mans spirit an
IMPRESSION OF HORROR
which he said mo words could describe"
and which astonished even himself. He could
not get rid of it; something terrible he had
said to his mother seemed DIGGING his steps;
a vague, underlined horror, of the nature Of
which he could form no conception, and
wheresoever he went that mans face SEEM
ed to haunt him. At length, accompanying
his mother and Miss Conyers to the theatre,
some one had whispered to him:
''Look at the man opposite-how he stares
at Miss Conyers.''
Turning, the young officer had fixed his
eyes upon the man in question, and the two
had for fully a moment gazed steadily at
; each other, when Gibbon, turning to his
mother, whispered:
SHY God, mother, that is the man saw
in my dream y
This was what Mrs. G;bbon now laughing
| clo 1lol Iop, o.,
like superstition. But the incident, though
lightly treated at the time, was afterwards re-
called and remembered for a lifetime by ev-
eryone of that company who had heard 1t.
The dinner party broke up earlier than
usual every one OF those present having
agreed to attend the theatre that evening.
There was at this time fine company OF
actors in Richmond, among whom were Mr..
and Mrs. Green. Mr.. and Mrs. Placide, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Poe (he latter the par
ents of the poet Edgar A. Poe). The play
was to be ''Macbeth"-a part in which Mr..
Placide was distinguished, as was the beau
tiful Mrs. Green in that OF Lady Macbeth
and all the public were eager to witness the
: performance.
Miss Conyers on arriving at home, was
proceeding directly to her apartment in or
= der to make her toilet for the theatre, wher
Lieut. Gibbon requested to see her in the Ii
: brary. He there informed her of the order
he had received to rejoin his ship, an(
d begged her to remain at home with him th
> evening. Why the young lady should have
: refused to do so we may not conjecture, un
less it was from pure waywardness; though
y she did give as an excuse that she had prem
i ised Col. Hamilton to accompany him to tn
e play. When she made her appearance, at
Il tired Tor the theatre, she presented vision
of
u GRACE AND LONELINESS
) which was remembered for years BY all viii
y saw her on that fatal evening. She wor
y (being in mournng) light gray or dove
/ coored silk trimmed with black lace, will
jet-anl-gold ornaments, and white roses il
her hair. Her exquisite arms and shoulder
were bare. and her hands which were mod