The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-09-30
THE STRICKEN rnAeEprAN.
A visitor 10 John Mccullough nj
Bi0omiugdaIe Asylum.

AS inc visitors were passing VI
stairs. Tecumseb. the faithful )lor e,
servant who attended the actor 70
years, was coming down. He was al
most in tears, The tragedian, h,
.aid, after having talked to him in al
incoherent way Tor an hour, had hel,
him by the arm, and pleaded with
him not TO leave. The actor, h,
| added, was, so far as looks went
rather better than he had been fol
some days, though his mind was nc
clearer. A physician who had Joined
the party added that yesterday was
one of the tragediau's "good days
for general appearance, though Is fol
his mind no improvement was even
10 be hoped for there. Tecumseh
passed down and the new visitors
assembled to the top of the first flight
of steps and passed down wide
checrfully lighted hallway. Away
down, almost at the eud, tall broad.
shonldered, ick-necked, attendant
was standing with his arms lightly
clasped together behind his back.
"There is Mr.. McCullOugh's ROOM"
said the: physician; "that man is his
private servant"
"rhat pouderous individual; 10 Mr..
Mccullough then so violenip
"Violent! all attendants in insane
asylums are powerful men. Poor
Mccullough Is as docile as child.
He sleeps half the day and oil the
night as peacefully as babe. He
naturally would fro IN the nature OF
his disease"
"What is the disease like?'
at has long Latin name, but in
simple English II is gradual hard
ening of the brain"
By this time the actors room was
reached. The door was ajar. MIR.
Mccullough was lying on a lounge,
sleeping as usual. The attendant
went in and reused him. lie rose
YEARLY, but recognized the visitors
readily enough. Mrs. Mccullough
sat beside him AT the foot OF the
lounge. She is little, slender wo-
man with pleasant, motherly face,
and an engaging smile. She looks so
much like the mother of Lolita, the
actress, that people often inquire
whether the two ladies are of kin.
The actor looked at her for an ill.,
slant. Ably dia;" then he said, dis
that you, dear"
at is ;" she answore d, and gladly
added In whisper TO her counsel:
ayes, he is much better to-day. The
other day it was II long, long time
before he knew me at ALL"
The tragedian was silent for long
time after that lie was dressed very
neatly in light tweed, aud his thin
grey hair was adjusted in the style
that he has always favored. AT II
first glimpse one would think that he
was Just as of old, only thinner and
paler, rs il he We're recovering from
an illness. But when he lifted his
eyes everything changed. The light
in them, the weird shining of mind
disordered, told how terrible the
change really was. lie sat quite still,
and unbuttoning his coat
again aud again, and gazing vacantly
around the handsome and cozily fur
nishcd room.
"They tell me that you were out
riding in the grounds to-day" said
Captain Corners, at length.
"Ycs," tho actor answered, with q
hcstancy and twiiching OF the lips
that told of paralysis. "Oh, yesp
and then in moment he added, "and
yesterday; why yesterday was in
Mexico" and his nervous fingers
went on toying with the buttons of
his coat. After whilo he turned to
his wife and said: "What are you
doing here? What pleasure can you
find in a mad-houseF' He rose alb
ruptly, tottered across to the ward
robe, took out white summer hat,
and said; "Well, | must be going
now' He walked once. or twice
raal.d the room, anu then sat down
again and went on very busily with
the old work of the buttons. ale
often docs that" the attendant said,
"and sometimes he will pack up all
his clothes and his little kecpsakes,
only to forget his purpose AS soon as
the work is completed"
'The man who owned this place
must be very rich" he said presently
"And what do you ihink-he has
presented II all TO us" and he laughed
low and joyfully.
After time he said that he should
like to walk. lie rose, but his steJ
was very uncertain, and il the arm o
Mr.. johnson had not been place.
around him he must have fallen
His limbs grow weaker constantly
the attendant said, and soon he VII
hardly be able TO walk at all. lie
with the lawyer ana Captain Con
ners, walked up and Gown iogrthc
for few minutes, the actor looking
very bright and contented. Pres
emily visitor came by and the actol
with suggestion of his gallant ole
manner, introduced Captain Connerl
MS Mr.. johnson and Mr.. johnson Al
his sister. Mr.. johnson kindly pre-
tended to consider ii all Jest, ant
the actor vacantly Joined in the rathel
hollow laugh. Mr.. Mccullough sa
down on bench in the corridor, and
went back to work ON tho coat. ii,
did not notice the visitors at all fol
y long time after that, When they
were leaving. however, he SHOOK
each one by the hand and kindly said
goodby. But when one of them, {
moment afterward, went back to sa,
another word, the actors eyes gazed
classify up into his face. Only thu
wild light was in them. The yisi
tors were already forgotten.
1t transpired yesterday that som'
other members Of Mr.. Mccullough
family died insane, aud prophetic
fear that the same fate would be hi
was, II is said, expressed by one o
his relatives when he was in tn,
height of success. Mr., Mccullough
earned great deal of money In ny
day. During the last ten years hi
returns were large, They average!
| probably $4,000 season. Thougl
he made much, however, he spen
much. lie was asked out a grea
deal and he maintained costly AM
splendid hospitality. During tn
past two or three years he was mucl
more conservative in money matters
and II tho disease had been staid 70
a year or two longer his friend
think h6 would after all have az