The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-05-13

| and divided almost equally with my
father the smiles and tears Of the town,
Oh he alone who has commanded them
can testify to the sweetness Of the
power.
''About this time there appeared on
tile scene one whom my father neryously
feared as a possible rival. He played
parts that my father considered pecu-
iarly his own by right Of repeated rep
resentation, and, being young, hand.
some and of good address, secured a
large following of friends. The misun
derstanding between this stranger and
my father was of so serious a character
that they only spoke to each other when
the demands of their profession forced
some courtesy from one or the other, and
it required all the tirmness of the stage
manager to keep them to their duties.
One night, late in the season, when all
the new plays had been worn thread
bare, an old melodrama was revived, and
to my father and this newcomer the
principal parts were assigned. Each
now started out in the race to enlist
the applause Of the audience. My faith
en- watched the house nervously, both
off and on the stage, to see to which sido
its favor might incline. He seemed to
feel the laurels plucked from his owl
and bound on q younger brow. Near
the close of the play my father was TO
shoot his opponent, who was ofull dead at
his feet. You have already apprehend.
ed the sequel. The gun, an old, unused
one, supposed to be loaded with small
charge of powder, went off in my faith
er's hands, and the rival, whom he had
so lately feared and hated, lay dead be-
fore him.
II have related this incident to show
YOU the cloud of misfortune that hung
over our family, and shortly alterward
enyeloped me in its folds.
Although probably no one actually
believed that this tragedy was other
than sad accident, yet some there were
who, recalling the enmity between the
two men, were malicious enough to whis
per that the shooting was premeditated
under cover of the play These rumors
coming to my fathers ears cut short his
stage career. He secluded himself close.
~ ut home ana would see no one. One
night, / recollect, lie called me into his
room, and said: My son, it would have
been far better for me if / had purposely
killed that man, for in that case my pun
ishment would be deserved and sure.
This distrust, the averted eyes of those
WHO were once proud to cnll themselves
my friends, is killing me-. He must
have spoken in a spirit OF prophecy, for
on the following morning he died.
Soon after this event | was the re-
cipicnt Of some fattering offers from
theatrical managers, and ] determined
70 return to the stage, although my
mother bitterly opposed it. Oh that ]
nud listened to her gentle pleadings,
But youth is proud and hcadstrong, and
unwilling to heed words of caution.
Vas | moi desirous Of providing for all
lcr present and future needs? Had ],
slthough acting contrary to her wishes,
aly other object than her ultimate hap
piness ia view? Would She not, sooner
| 81 later, come round to look at things in
.ay way?
I" My return to the stage was followed
IA almost immediate promotion, and the
people ilocked TO SOC me in parts which
my father lind rendered famous. Many
of my friends were anxious 10 see ne
ttempt Tho higher walks OF my art, and
partly to please them, as well as to air
certain theories and innovations Of my
own, / gave ont that would shortly es-
say the role Of Othello. For weeks
and months ! studied this creation Of
tile great dramatist, and succeeded iii
thoroughly identifying myself with the
part. On the night before my debut as
u tragedian was to take place retired
early, but my sleep was disturbed by
! dreams. BY turns / was the fond and
} tender lover, the proud and powerful
General, the crazed, relentless muir
dcrer.
"The morning dawned and developed
in my own home more horrible tragedy
: than was ever conceived by dramatist,
: lor while / slept and dreamed BASTARD
~ assassin had crept into my mothers
: chamber and strangled the life from her
2 sweet body Upon her fair white throat
was the cruel imprint Of the murderous
! hand, and, oh, God while / slept, I'M
2 conscious Of her agony, she was strug-
e Cling with her slayer.
: Weeks and months passed, but nc
q elew to the murderer could be discovered,
nor the object of the crime imagined.
: My life, robbed of its truest friend,
seemed dull and melancholy. There
I was hut one thing left for me TO do. and
q that was to recall and act upon her ad-
I monitions, so that, if haply her spirit
I looked down on me, she might bless my
I efforts. / left the State and sought in 9
e Western State to give new direction tc
: my life. But even here my reputation
' as an actor had preceded me, and 1 was
4 waited upon one evening by the man
n ager OF the local theater with the re
/ quest that | would take the place Of his
"a leading man ON the following evening
\ he being incapacitated by sickness from
~ n appearing. The piece was to be "Othel
= 10. , / accepted the proposal, pleased tina
q my name had not been entirely forgotten
y |, by the public The hotel at which
= = stopped was overcrowded, and the land
y y lord informed me that / would hav'
y to share my room with stranger
Z But the stranger when he came in
~ proved TO be an old friend. and we talke,