Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-01
THE sue 0EsSOR OF STDDONS.
From Miss Stebbins' Biography of Oh rio
Cu3hman.l

utility at 80 week. For three yearS-frOm
September, 1887, to June, 1S49-She rem tined
at 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 "OthellO"
by her powerful denunclatiOn 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 a favor
tie. AfteTward, when she became the mana
geTeSS 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-
ton a. the leading actress of America But
while she was playing general utility" al the
Park in 1899 40, her Meg -IerriLjeS was c.ea-
ted. One night, during the engagement of
Graham, the great English tenor, Guy Man
herring was announced, and as Mrs. Chppen-
dale, who bad been cast for Neg, was taken
H. Miss CUshman was ordered to read the
part. Instead of reading it, she winged
THAT Is 10 say, she learned the words While
she as waiting To 90 on the stage Struck by
me line, Meg-wny, she Is no longer what
Sue was; she dOats, that weird conception of
the character. which afterward brought her
such fame and for une. flashed upon her miad
HE effect was electrical. - | had not thought
had done anything remarkable, she says,
and when Brdham Knocked at her door after
the performance she believed that he had
said, Il have come TO thank YOU for the most
ycIitab.e sensation l have experienced for
long time / give you my word, when turned
ard saw you in that first scene felt a cod
chill run all over me. Where have You learned
to do anything like that?' 1t will be remem-
beTed that Miss CuShman made her second APP
PeaTance on the stage at Boston as LUcy Ber-
ITGDt in this same Guy Mannering."
HER FIRST VISIT TO EUROPE.
The business faculty which Miss CuShm4n
possessed in very high degree led her to I'M
dertake the management of the Philadelphia
Walnut street Theater, and by gathering a
strong stock company about her, WORKING
herself or support her stars she made money
and gave the theater an immense pres iga,
which it has n0t yet entirely lost There is a
theatrical tradition mot mentioned By Miss
StebbinS). that, while playing Nancy Sykes at
her own theater, she discovered that She was
a genius, and forced the public toackn0wledge
II, also. Her experiences at the Park Theater
had laugh, 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 a Ruthschid Her
money was SO Invested as 10 maintain her
family during her absence abroad and suff
Gent sum left intact to secure her return to
1s44, She sailed for England i'll the packet ship
Garrick-appIOpriateiy named-accOmpanied
only by Sallie, her faithful maid and dresser.
AT Liverpool a letter from Macready awaited
her, proposing that she should act with himself
and the great Miss Helen Fauct at Paris: but
Miss Cushman had not crossed the Atlantic to
play second to Miss Faucit or Macready. she
rejected the proposition then, and after
ward refused to fill Miss Faucits place
when Macready had quarreled with the
aE En tsb d aetes tip to Scotland md
studied the French school of acting: and the
undaunted American settled DOWN tothe seige
OF London Sallie. her maid; says: We lived
or mutton chop dly, aud always bought
the baker, dozen of mullins for the sake OF the
extra one" Miss Cushman declared that She
becam 81 poor hat she was glad of an invita-
ton out to dinner. The siege was a long one.
She arrived at Liverpool Nov. Is, lSA, and
made her hrst appearance in London, a. the
rrincess IheatIe, as B'Gnea in ''Fazio," on
card the tradition which attributes her ell
gagement to a good round oath. like Washing
tens profanity at the battle of Monmouth, let
US do justice To the pluck that enabled her to
refuse to support Edwin Forrest in his London
debut until she had first played as s.ar. Mad
dOX engaged her at Il night, and her triumph
was instantaneous and overwhelming. "AH
NY successes put together since i have be IN
upon the stage would not come near my sue
cess in London" she writes: invita- ions pour
in for every night that do not act, and ali the
day i have steady stream of callers Ser
g. ant TalfOurd prOmi- ed To write new play
ments, hastily made, ha to be c N .eled The
Times and other leading Journals awarded her
stage Her Blamed, her Emlid, her Lqdg
e Ma beth, her Mrs. Htuer, and her r. ,satind
were equally praiseI. The most distinguished
perSOnageS OIL the day crowded a bout her. The
poet Rcd erS gave Breakfasts to her for which
she was permitted To N ime for the other guests
al the c lehri;ieS she most wished to meet.
The ''tal,, thin, lanky girl of Maeier's opera
troupe had now become splendid woman
with me ~, clear, blue eyes, a fresh frank
face, and regal tread. The world was at her
feet
TIE moment Miss Cushman felt that her
surct SIS was assured she Selt TO America for
Ter amily, and began TO study Romeo and
juliet with her sister Susan. Whether Sh
ielt Il az the only requisite for sustained pecu-
mary success which she lacked was beauty
which Susan Sunp'ied-Or whether she deter
III NED To play Romeo In order to present her
81 ter TO the best possible advantage, is unim
pOrtant. AS We have said, her commercial
Instincts were strong; they amour ed ts a
second genius. She realized fortune by her
first provincial tour in England; she created
another furO!s and another fortune BY OPEN
ing at the London Hiymarket with her sister,
in Romeo and Juliet when her first pro-
Iineiai tour was oyer. The H..ymirket Cum
Pany, always a Close corporation, resented
he Introduction IF the American Indians"
IS they called the Cushman sisters iuto their
charmed circle; bu; eighty nights Of Romeo
mes said The Rom; S of HS, Gu i1 Imam IS
Sheridan Know es said On ;nmous and
hvish as were the encomiums of the Lond IN
Hess, was no: prepared for such a triumph
nge;hel in Ion" and in Twelfth Night"
Queen Kathafine for Macr adys tsreSe,i
hing present. She made friends every
vhe e, and among her crOnies was Mrs.
II, mas Carlyle, whom she deftly sketches
o. clever witty, calm, cool. unsniiing, un-
Earring, rdcCn'eur unparalleled manner
iaIhIts Bile, behavior scrupulous, and a
pTwer invincible-a combination rare and
s1auge exists in that plain, keen, una trac-
tita, yet unacceptable WOMAN" In March.
49, Susan CuShman married D.. James Sheri-
d. MuSpratt, of Liverpool, and left the stage
II following August Miss Cushman sailed
fos Anne. lea. reapiDg a golden harvest here
frpn h-r English celebrity. The average of
hd nightly receipts was greater than M l.
cH dy'S. In May. 49,, she took her first for
n farewell here a. the old Broadway Thea
tIs and in October she paid her ii rst visit 10
Rtlr in company with Harriet HuSmer and
Gle GTt enNOOd. Tne season of 1854 again
fo3Ld HI acting in London, and in 1850 sh,
oSied h,r charming home at BJlton-row
Nj fair. where she dispensed the most grace
futO pTaiy. Her dinner To RiStUri in 1856
e,xS, walters, dishes, al ltIlian-iS memDr
abb and led to a warm fri 'ndshlp between
liStWo tragedlenne>. Miss Cu>iIman pre-
t,Sd ElstOTi 10 Rachel, As being mJre true
10 - uIe- As Miss CusnmIn spoke very Ii =
teN ian and RlStOri less English. their in err
COZ might seem limited: but, nevertheless
haapp, AIRED 10 comprehend each Osher = |
l04 Know what l said,' Miss CuShman re-
pO1 In describing one of their interviews,
Hb4 Z rev all The i allan had a her pelI
ps and she understood me, as she always
~ tEeatre-goers of the present generation
reilnleT Cha iot e CuShnau oniy A. Queen
Ee4 Tinc ard N@0 Hrriijes 'rhey wi |