Connecticut western news., 1878-10-09
AN ACTORS ROMANCE.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE HUMBLE DAYS OF
 JOHN MCCULLOUGH.

Among those in attendance at the late meeting of the Gas Managers Associa- tion in St. Louis was Mir. Michael Moran, Superintendent of the gas-works of the city of Joliet, III. On little excursion taken by some members of the associa- tion he gave reporter some very inter- est "reminiscences of John Mccullough. the well-known actor.
 "Perhaps," said MT. Moran, "you would not believe it, but John McCul- tough and I were boys together and worked together in the Philadelphia gas works. I never shall forget him. was charger and he barrow man in the retort building. He had the very lowest place in the whole works. His business was to wheel coal up to the furnace. dump the cinders and carry away trash. He was a student from the beginning. Many night have seen him walking along in front of the retort with copy of Shakespeare in one hand and crust of bread in the other. He was 8 greal ad- mirer of Hamlet, and read that play more than any other. I would say to him, John, quit your foolishness.' 'Ah, Mickey, he would answer, 'Ill 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 gc to sleep. John would come along read. ing his Hamlet or his sOthello' and all at once he would yell out some i'm. portant part, slap his foot upon the floor and make such a noise that it would wake up the sleepy fellows, and they would growl out, Ye gulph, MoCul tough, will ye never learn sense 9 He gave them such disturbance that they finally went to the Superintendent anc complained about the strange conduc of the crazy spalpeen. The Superin tendent, however, told them to go bacl and attend to their work, that the bo, was just what was wanted to keep then awake, so they would attend to thei business. Every now and then, whe1 somebody would scold him for his lout talking and reading, he would repeat t, me, Mickey, I'll make money out o this yet.' And sure enough, he has but ] never dreamed of 1t then. On day he came tc me and said: Mickey we must quit the brogue. We are liv ing in America now, and must be Amer jeans, and I'm going to get rid of tn brogue. He quit it, but I have ittl of it yet, as you observe.
 "John worked with me four years and then left place where he was get ting $7.5O a week to take supe's plac in theater at $6 a week. He was ben on satisfying his ambition, and nothin, could hold him back. He is now one 0 the greatest tragedians in America, an
 has thoroughly quit the brogue, but h is full-blooded Irishman for all that l see him occasionally. Some time az l met him in Chicago. He was fine magnificent looking mau, and. the pee pie were crazy after him. We wer standing in the hotel. I says, John lets get away I'm too rough a lookin
 man to be talking to you here.' An says he, Mickey, you are the same t me that you used to be, and I'd as 500 have hold of your hand as that of prince" And that was true. He i that kind of a man, and I love h1m tn more for it. I do not envy him his honc and his fame. He took one road in lii and I took another. I am very we <: satisfied with what I have done, and you ever come to Joliet I'll show yo
 what I have done, and what kind of
 man am. Now let's drink the healt
 of America's star tragedian, John M
 Cullough. May his shadow never gro
 Iess." The bumper was hearty one.