Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-01
THE SUCCESSOR OF STDDOSS.
IFrom Miss Stebbins' Biography of Ch ulott
CuShman.l

q
September, 1887, to June, 1S49-She rem aimed
al the Park, playing all sorts of parts, support
ing all sorts of stars, and starring herself in
the summer at provincial cities. Her perform
anceS with Macready are best remembered /:
she made Emilia the leading part in "OsheIlO''
by her powerful Remuneration of the Moor :
she shared the hOnOrS with him in Macbeth :"
she was called out, hats and handkerchiefS
waved at her; she had made herself favor
tie. AfteTwaTd, when she became the mana
PeTeSS of the Walnut-Street Theater in 1872
she acted with MacTeady every other night in
New York. undergoing the fatigue of the daily
journey for the sake of maintaining her posi-
uOn as The leading actress OF America. But,
while she was playing general utility al the
Park in 1899 ~, her Meg HerruteS was c.ea-
ted. One night during the engagement of
BIahaln, the great English tenor, Guy Man
herring" was announced, and as Mrs. Chippen
dale, who had been cast for Neg, was taken
IL Miss CuShman was ordered to read the
part. Instead of reading IL, she winged
1S--that IS TO say, she learned the words while
she as waiting To 90 on the stage. Struck by
the line, "Meg-why, she is no longer whit
she was; she dOats,' that weird conception of
the character. which afte ward brought her
such fame and for une, flashed upon her mind.
i he effect was electrical. Il had not thought
i had done anything remarkable she says,
and when Brdham Knocked at her door after
tHe performance she believed that he had
c. me To find some fault. Miss CuShman, he
said, - have come to thank Won for the most
VeIitabie sensation | have experienced for a
long time. | give you my word, when turned
ard saw you i'll that first scene felt cod
t. do anything like that?' 1t will be remtm-
btTed that Miss CuShman made her second ap-
pearance on the stage at Boston as L!fcy Der
Irum in this same Guy Mannering''
HER FIRST VISIT TO EUROPE.
The business faculty which Miss CuShman
possessed in very high degree led her to un-
dertake the management of the Philadelphia
NaHut-StTeet Theater, and by gathering a
strong stock company about her, working
hard. and being always ready either To start
herself or support her stars. she made money
IN itr,a
which 1t has not yet entirely lost. There is a
theatrical tradition mot mentioned by Miss
SIebbinS). that, while playing Nancy Sykes at
her own tleater. she discovered that she was
genius, and forced the public to acknOwledge
il, also. Her experiences at the Park Thedter
had taught her the value OF foreign indorSe-
ment, and she went to work to secure one for
herself with systematic calculation that
would have done credit To RUthSchi.d. Her
money was so invested as TO maintain her
family during her absence abroad, and Suff
Gent sum left intact to secure her return TO
home in ease of failure. Then, on October 26
1874, She sailed for England in the packet ship
GaTrick-appI Oprlateiy named-accOmpanieu
only by Sallle, her faithful maid and dresser.
AT Liverpool letter from Macready awaited
her, proposing that she should act with himself
and the great Miss Helen FAUCET at Paris; but
Hiss CuShman had not crossed the Atlantic to
Play second 10 Miss Faucit or Macready. Sac
rejected the proposition then, and after
ward refused to fill Miss Faucits pace
when MacTeady had Quarreied with the
taYUTlte English actress. A trip TO Scotland
for rest; ten days in Paris, whore sh1
studied the French school of acting; and the
uEdaunted American settled d Iwn to the Seige
OF London Salie, her maid, says: We lived
nP mutton chop DIV, and always bought
The bakers dozen of mullins for the sake OF the
extra one" Miss Cushman declared that she
beeams 81 poor hat she was glad of an invita-
lion out to dinner. The siege was 4 long one.
She arrived at Liverpool Nov. IS, lSA, and
made her first appearance in LUHdpII, a. the
Prince S. Theatre, as Blanca in 'Fazio," on
he "A of the following February If we dis
ard the tradition which attributes her ell
gagemeHt to a good round oath like Washing
ems profanity at the battle of Monmouth, let
Is do justice To the pluck that enabled her to
efuse to support Edwin Forrest in his London
lrbut until She had first playel us star. Mad
lOxengaged her at - a night, and her triumph
vas instantaneous and overwhelming. "AH
~ successes put together since have be IN
pom the stage would not come near my sue
eSs in London" she writes invita- ions pour
for every night that l do not act, and all the
ay have steady stream of callers" ST.
ant Ta1OurG promised u write d new Dlay
II her, and referred To her in Op-n court as
he second SiddOnS." Her pr ,vincial engage
ents, hastily made, ha / to be an eled. The
mes and other Leading journals awarded her
age. Her Blanca, her Eatiid, her Lqdy
acbeth, hel Mrs III dker, and her r 'sa!ind
rsOndges OF the day crowded about her. The
ct Rcd erS gave bie.ktastS To her for which
? was permitted To name for the other guests
the c lehriiies She most wished to meet.
q
upe h&d now become a splendid woman
h me ~, clear, blue eyes, a fresh, frank
z, and regal tread. The world was at her
he moment Miss CuShman felt that her
ctss as ASSURED she sent To America for
family, and began TO study Romeo and
let with her sister Susan. Whether Sh
II az the Only requisite for sustained pecu-
~ success which she lacked WAS beauty
III Susan Suppied-Or whether she deter
eG to play Romeo In order TO present her
sr to the best possible advantage, is unim-
ant. As We have said, her commercial
lncts were strong; they amour ed to a
nd genius. She realized a fortune by her
provincial tour in England; she created
her Jurors and another fortune by open
Romeo and Juliet, when her first pro-
a tour was oyer, The H3ymlrket cyin-
always Close corporation, resented
production If the American Iniians,"
- called the Cushman sisters, iuto their
ned circle; bu; eighty nights Of Romeo
luliat" conque' Ell AL OppOI ion. The
$ said: The Rom 20 of Mis-, Gu Imam IS
periOr to an, Romeo We have ever had"
ian Knowes said: TN tnimOus and
as were the encOmiumS of the LOnd IN
was not prepared for such triumph
genius" AT Dublin IN sisters played
"a in Ion aud in Twelfth Nisht.T
as tyuly 10l Miss Cushman p.ayeI
kathGrine for Macr adys ttare"e.l
present. She made friends every
and among her cronies was Mrs
s Carlyle, whom she deity sketches
sCIs WITTY Cs&llIl. CrOI. utlSnltlllS, I'M
I, a rGcCn'eur unparalleled, a manner
Die, behavior scrupulOuS, and
1nvinclbe-a combination rare and
exists in that plain, keen, una trac-
.t unacceptable woman" I'm March
san CuShman married D.. james Sheri-
spratt, of Liverpool, and left the stage
lowing August Miss CuShman sailed
L, lea. reaplng golden harYtS. here
n English celebrity. The average of
htly receipts Was greater than NJ l.
In May, lS52, she took her first for
eWell here a. the Old Broadway Thea
in October she paid her first visit To
company with Harriet HuSmer aud
TCenWOOd. Tne season Of 1854 again
r acting in London, and in 1855 sh,.
her cha ming home at BJltOn-rbw
where she dispensed the most grace
iaiy. Her dinner to RiStori in 1856
Alters, dishes, al ItIlian-iS memDr
led To a warm fri .ndshlp between
tragedienneS. Miss Cu>hman pre-
.SlOTl 10 Rachel, as being mJre true
: AS Miss Cu>nmln spoke very Ii =
P. ana RiStoTi less En- Llish, their inter
Rut seem limited: but, nevertheless,
aIeu 10 comprehend each o5her. " |
w what l said" Miss CuShman re
IascidoihS one OF their Interview vs.,
Nv ali tne allan had a her pall
She understood ME, "a she always
ilIr-g1eTS OF the present generation
Nhdi 20. tuShrnau Oniy AZ Queen
ard Ma H7rrdigS TTbayT wi
abe |. believe he miracles whi,. h
.gT1-W.tQr>SF O her 49,,