The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-12-12
An Actors Romance.

Among these here In attendance at
the late meeting of the Gas Managers
Association, says the st. Louis Post,
was Michael Moran, superintendent of
the gas works of the city of Joliet, Ill :.
On a little excursion taken by some
members of the association he gave II
representative of the Post some very
interesting "reminiscences of John Nc
Cullough, the well-known actor. The
whole party was somewhat lively, and
Mr.. Moran was not disposed to make it
less so. He is an enthusiastic admirer
of Mr.. Mccullough, and he has good
reason to be, as will appear from the
following bit of history
Perhaps" said Mr.. Moran, "you
would not believe it, but John McCul-
Tough and 1 were boys together, and
worked together in the Philadelphia gas
works. l never shall forget him. l
was a Charger and he a barrow man
in the retort building. He had the
very lowest place in the whole building
His business was to wheel coal up to
the furnace, dump the cinders and carry
away trash. He was student man
from the beginning. Many night l
have seen him walking alone in front of
the retorts with a copy of Shakespeare
in one hand and crust of bread in the
other. He was great admirer of Ham
let, and he read that play more than any
other. l would say to him John, quit
your foolishness. 'Ah, Mickey, he'd
say, I'll make money out of this yet.
There were two men in the works
named Ned Downey and Dan Dugan,
and of nights they would sometimes 60
to sleep. John would come along read
ing his Hamlet or Othello, and all at
once he would yell out some important
part, slap his foot upon the floor and
make such noise that would wake up
the sleepy fellows, and they would growl
out, 'Ye gulp, Mccullough, will we
never learn senseF He gave them so
much disturbance that at last they went
to the superintendent and complained
about the strange conduct of the crazy
spalpeen. The superintendent, however,
told them to 60 back and attend to their
work, that the boy was ust wanted to
keep them awake, so they would attend
to their business. Every now and then,
when somebody would scold him for his
loud talking and reading, he would re-
peat to me, Mickey, I'll make money
out of this yet. And sure enough, he
has; but | never dreamed of it then.
Iax hn 10 md
Mickey, we must quit the brogue. We
are living in America now, and must be
Americans, and I'm going to quit the
brogue.' He quit it, but | have little
of it, as you observe. John worked
with me four years and then left place
where he was getting IS so Il week to
take supe's place in a theater at Sc Il
week. He was bent on satisfying his
ambition, and nothing could hold him
back. He is now one of the greatest
tragedians in America, and has thor
oughly quit the brogue, but he is a full
blooded Irshman for all that. | see
him occasionally. Some time ago met
him in Chicago. He was fine, mag
niticent- looking man and the people
were crazy after him. We were stand
ing in the hotel. | says, John, let's
get away, I'm too rough looking man
to be talking to you here 'Ah, says
he, Mickey, you are the same to me
that you used to be, and I'd as soon
have hold of your hand as that of a
Prince. And that was true. He is
that kind of man and love him the
more for it; l do not envy him his
honor and his fame He took one road
and | took another | am very well
satisfied with what | have done, and if
you ever come to Joliet, I'll show you
what l have done and what kind of
man l am. Now, let's drink the health
of Americas star tragedian, John Nc
Cullough; may his shadow never grow
less. The bumper was hearty one