The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-11-09
HIS LAST REHEARSAL.

His LASI REHEARSAL.
THE STORY OF JOHN M.cuL-.
LOUGH'S DECLINE.
Richelieu's Defiance to the Conspirator
Who scoffed at His Failing Mind-The
Last Words Spoken on the Stage
The Dying Gladiator.
No tragedy in which the late John
Mccullough ever played is so full of
pathos as was his last night upon the
stage. The ediice of his dramatic
fame, erected by patient and labori-
Gus processes, had been slowly
crumbling for months, but there
was an awful suddenness in the final
collapse. This downfall of great
mental and physical forces, this
cracking of a noble heart, has never
been put rightly upon record. The
memory of a good and gentle man,
whose life was one long chapter OF
kind deeds and benefactions, has
been assaulted by the vilest asper-
sions. These, it is to be hoped, were
born of a deplorable tendency to
scandal and idle gossip, rather than
personal malignity, for John McCul
Tough did harm to no one, and he
should not have had an enemy on
earth.
The theater was crowded that
night Mr.. McCullough's entrance
was made early in the opening scene
that where the rugged Thracian,
weighted with chains, is brought cap
tive into Rome and persuaded to
fight in the arena, under promise of
freedom for his wife and child. Mr.
Mccullough strobe feebly to the CEN
ter of the stage, and stood with
clasped hands and bowed head.
When he spoke the hollow, empty
sound of his voice struck terror to
the hearts of the actors who stood
about him and loved him. It was
not Spartacus, but the ghost of
Spartacus confronting them. Slowly
and carefully he continued, but with
steadily increasing uncertainty. His
spirit was broken, his faculties were
rebellious; he was like a man dazed
by terrible blow.
AS the action of the play pro-
crossed, he went from bad to worse.
In the thrilling scene in the arena,
where Spartacus discovers that he
has for an adversary his own brother
and melted the gladiators to revolt,
his helplessness was alike distressing
TO his fellow players and the people
who sat in front, amazed by the
STANCE spectacle. He did not know
where to move or what to do, and
several times he looked despairingly
toward the prompt entrance and in
quired audibly, "What shall l say ~
The last act was chaos, says E. D!
Price in the New York Sun. Mr.. Nc
Cullough stammered and muttered
disconnected speeches.; he CROPPED his
way like one stricken with blindness.
The members of his company rallied
about him like a body guard around
their leader in the defeat of
battle They supported and. sus-
tanned Kim. They threw him some
of his lines and spoke others them
selves. They rushed the unhappy
scene to its quickest possible climax
There were in that wondering
audience many who OWNED the
truth. and whose eyes were wet with
sympathy: Others, thoughtless and
ribald, who seemed to believe that
Mr.. Mccullough was under the in
fluence of drink. scoffed and ieered
as the curtain fell upon the tableau
of tie dying gladiator. ~
Mr.. Mccullough, utterly exhausted.
was lifted to his feet. The sound OF
applause came to his ears 1t was
the rebuke of his generous sympa
thizers to the human jackals snarling
at the fallen lion. He almost stag
gered in front Of the curtain and
stood for. an instant confronting the
people who had risen for exit, and
many of whom were still applauding.
His face was pinched and haggard
and the dab of red paint upon his
forehead to represent the death wound
made the effect infinitely CHASTITY and
horrible. For an instant he stood
irresolute, and then, the remem-
brance Of insult uppermost in his
mind, he said: \.
Ladies and gentlemen, If YOU h ad
suffered tonight as have you would
not have done this
These were the last words in pub
lie OF an actor gifted in. the highest
degree, upon whom every form of
popular adulation had been lavished.
As the applause, this time ringing
and admiratiye, burst forth anew,
John Mccullough made his last sad,
dignified exit from the stage which
he had so nobly adorned.
Half an hour later Mr.. McCul-
Tough emerged from his dressing
room refreshed and smiling. AS he
passed several of his people, who
stood with sad faces and uncovered
heads, he said eheerily:
THAT'S the way to play Spartacu 5 /!
1 never acted SO we'll in my life.''
He had already forgotten the
troubled scenes of that awful night.
A rehearsal had been called for l2
o7o1ooL tho r