Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-04-11
A THRILLING SCENE.
A Stirring Incident of War Days OF VIII,
HlgtOrY Maksa Nh Rarord-

refined work of Mrs Jean Clara Wal
!, ters in Gillette's play, '.ALegal Wreck,
!. would have fancied that the sedate
motherly lady had once upon a tim
d fearlessly faced a scene which blanche
the face OF many a strong man, causes
!, grown women to scream and faint, an,
, produced general panic in an audi
E ence of goodly proportions in one of tn
, principal theaters in the United States
Yet such is the sober fact, and Mrs. Wal
tiers to-day recalls the affair and tell
the story of that awful night in a man
/ ner which can not fail to thoroughly
captlvate the listener-nay, almos
, bring to him the realization of al
event which must have impressed upor
all those who saw it a memory which
the years can never efface.
1t was during the stormy period of the
'late unpleasantness" that Mrs. Wal
tiers found herself in the then radiant
city OF New Orleans. The year was
that OF 1S63-one of the most eventful
OF the civil war-when the minds oil
men and women particularly the men
and women who happened to be in the
South at the time) were at tension
which nothing but a state of affairs
such as was then existent can produce
The affair in which Mrs. Walters was
the principal actor is one worthy of
historic note, but which, like others of
Its kind, will probably never reach
other ANIMAL than that of newspaper
record. The manner in which the lady
told the story to a reporter yesterday
In the parlor of the ST. James Hotel,
can not be reproduced in cold type.
She told it dramatically, and threw her
whole soul into the recital. The best
that can be done is to let her tell the
tale herself, minus the expression, atti-
tude, modulation and other personal
emphasis and establishment which
came quite naturally to her as the story
grew upon her.
1T was in 1863" she said, 'that our
company, under the management of
Ben De Bar. who will be remembered
by st. Louisians as dear old man,
was closing the season in New Orleans.
We were playing a fine spectacular
piece called 1.-The Seven Sisters" At
that time General Ben Butler was eccu-
plying the city, and was in command of
the army there. In the play there was
a number of young ladies, of whom l
was the chief, who, in the garb of Zou-
ayes executed pretty drill or march.
The costumes they wore were composed
of red, white and red stripes-rather
gaudy, to be sure, but still very pretty.
We were playing at the st. Charles Thea
ter, and the first few nights drew splen-
did crowds. Everybody in the city |
came to see US. In the play. you know,
the young ladies executed their little |
drill and then stood to one side, while l |
went to the front and sang the song Raj
ly Round the Flag. Boys, Rally Once
Again. etc The song was received
with semi-approbation, for you must
that the audiences were
mixed and there were a great many
rebels in the crowd. Well, every thing
passed off peaceably for the first two
nights, but on the morning of the third
lay Tom Davy, who was then the act
ng manager of the theater, came to me
md told me a story that made me feel
unny. He said that the fame of my
song had reached General Butler and
hat orders had been issued from head
quarters that l would have to sing the.
National air and that the young ladies
must wear blue sash-to complete the
National colors, you know, red, white
Ind blue-or that the theater would be
losed up. 1t was all the same to me
What song 1 Rally Round the
lag, or 'Star-spangled Banner so l
greed, rather than lose the receipts,
o sing the latter song. The news of
he order had been noised abroad, and
n that night the house was packed
rom pit to dome.
I'VE got through with the play I'M
until the time came for my {
ong. The girls did their little march 6
nd fell back, and the flag of the Union
Tas brought to me. took and flung
around me and sang the first stanza !
The Star-spangled Banner I felt I.
lstfnctively that an explosion was .
oming. As sure as / am now talking
} you, you could have heard a pin
rop when 1 began that song. This
ainful silence endured until the first
Ianza was finished, and then about half =
he audience, l suppose, began to hiss.
N! it was awful! Suddenly the hiss
lg was drowned in a burst of the wild
st applause l ever heard. I
Then there was a lull-the silence
the tomb fell upon the vast audience
and man in one of the orchestra
Eats rose from where he sat. In his G
ght hand he held pistol. which he IL
punished above his head. Then, re- U
ardless of the audience, the actors, the 81
dies who were personal---very. thing a
2 cried out: IL
" so help me God, I'll shoot down u
ke dog the first fellow who Kisses a
lat song again!" 81
I'm the ominous silence which fol- q
wed this burst of irresistible passion
could hear the 'clickr 'clickr 'clickr ID
lickr of hundreds of revolvers which OF
ere cooked in an instant The Union g
en- in the crowd covered the Confed- 9
ates. all of whom were armed, and h'
q play, song, actors and all were for To
'tten in the intensity of the excitement. 81
ne audience realized that something &C
rrible was about to take place. Ladies U