Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-01-17
ANNA DICKINSON.
From the Stage 10 the PLATFORM Why
She Abandoned the Green Room and
Will Lecture ASain-.A Woman OF
Nerve. Who will not be Driven.
Old Home nj West PittSton.

GUS WORTH is aShllS WIN +Ahaa tAINNH-
son has abandoned the stage 1t is ma.
tural that the query should arise, and
while ii may involve the great dlSpleaS-
ure OF the lady Ill question, Stillit is due
that the public should know something
about the cause of her return TO 4 bus
mess which only u short time ago She
vehemently proclaimed she would new
er, never resume again. On her retire
ment from the lecture field everybody
supposed that Miss Dickinson had an
excellent bank account. Two hundred
dollars i night for years through the
lecture season, il was thought, ought TO
have secured n snug sum for the rainy
day. Ii is perhaps nohodv's business
how the lady managed to keep her
name off the books OF banking mstltu-
tons or why she was never called upon
to discount large notes. She did So
manage, and that is enough. To her
credit be it said however, that while
She was lecturing She was generally
flush, and was not by any means stingy.
But once upon time she lost her wits
and invested NIL She had in Il land spec
uhtion III the west which proved untor-
tunate
Annals Joan Dare lecture was the
stepping-Stone to the stage. In il She
first gave to the critics glimpse of II
dramatic art which some thought would
lead her up 10 the ladder III fame very
rapidly. CuShman was dead, and the
world wanted another one like her,
Here We're the opportunity and tempta-
ton, and Anna, not entirely OF her own
accord, was led from the lyceum to the
grcen-room. This was all done III ias-
tiduouS Boston. There the critics were
sure of her success. There she found
among the refined and cassicnlly cul.
tured circles many 10 urge her forward,
and there, too, when she wanted So
O0Oto start her i'll her new career, she
found friend to advance her that
amount Can anybody really blame
her for indulging in dreams Of II star
crowned nation, under tho circum-
stances? 1t only required minute for
Anna Dickinson to make up her mind
to enter upon the new business. It is
said she did it iii less time than this.
She didn't stop to think ANYTHING about
what the world would say when she
stepped for the first time before the
footlights us Anna Boleyn. She only
thought about her ability TO conquer u
success.
Anna Dickinson Went on the stage
and worked hard to win the golden
prize that slittercd before her eyes.
The world is familiar with her expert
encc in one way, but not i'll another.
They saw her before the scenes, butnot
behind them. Just across the river, III
West pittston, lived Il Quaker mother
far passed the allotted term of human
days. During her daughters early
career on the stage she drilted between
Philadelphia and Pittston, and nearly a
year She was UNCONSCIOUS of the change
made by Anna in her business. Tho
secret was kept from her by n system
Of espionage, that was creditablc TO
those who wished to postpone a sorrow
that they feaIed would break her heart
when she became acquainted with it,.
There il no need to shy TINT her strict
Quaker soul shuddered when she learned
that daughter of hers had become Il
"play actor" When by accident she
became informed Of it her distress was
terrible. In the meantime Anna was
receiving hundreds Of letters every
week from her blossom friends, some
of them women distinguished in the
literary world, urging her to abandon
the step she had taken.
Many informed her that they
were praying nightly that she would
fail in her theatrical undertaking In
the opinion Of many good people the
stage appeared to be the door to the
internal regions. But Anna continued
TO act, and finally stopped. Not be
cause of the admonitions and suppl N
tons, but because-to put il mildly
she did not meet all the requirements
of the present day tastes Then she
went into retirement, and then, for the
first time, she began to feel the sting Of
poverty. Anna Dickinson was worse
than flat broke; she was deeply in debt
and no hope to earn money in her new
avocatien. There were $4,000 wrapped
up in glittering wardrobe, but could
bring no immediate relief. There was
4 little home in Pittston that needed
help, too, and she could give no succor.
Then her health broke down and
she was IN Il sorrowful POI
siton. Friends who suggested her
lecturing again were met with n direct
appeal not to mention that subject, rs
she never would do IT, Pride, strong
and remorseess, pride, built a bulwark
around her and the voice Of wisdom
could not pierce it. The days the weeks
and months went by and the world
heard Of Anna Dickinson occasionally
as engaged in studying Or writing new
play. Now she was to be brought out
in the spring and now in the fall, but
the seasons slipped by and Anna sank
at last almost into oblivion. Now she
is announced to lecture, but the an
nouncement il coupled with the assur-
ance that it is only to fill up a temper
airy gap in her dramatic career She
goes back to the stage by.and-by. But
there are those who know that Anna
Dickinson has made her last appear
ance as an actress.
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