The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-13
THE ROYAL OLD AND NEW.
STORIES OF DUBLIN's FAMOUS
"NURsERY OF STARS"

Gordon Cunming, the ''Lion slayer"
DUBLIN, March 5.-Dublin has q now Theatre
ROYAL, the third playhouse to take that name in
tho "City of the Gods" Eighteen years ago It's
famous predecessor was destroyed by 1re. Be-
fore this new theatre gets fairly under way 1t
may bo interesting to rummago a little among
the ruins OF the old one, which was justly called
the nursery OF stars" Kean, Macready,
Young, Booth, and Komble trod the boards of
the old Royal. and among the famous actresses
who appeared thero were Miss Cushman, Miss
Helen gaucit. and Miss Marriott. In 1858 1t had
astook company, the majority of whose members
became stars. including Mr.. I. G. King. Mrs.
Hudson Kirby. and Mr.. T. Robson.
This was tho time when the play of the
"Corsioan Brothers" which, with Charles Kean
and his company in London, had proved a nat
failure, was boldly brought out in Dublin by tho
iSssee and manager Of the Royal, Mr.. John
Harris. King played the Brothers, and an accom-
plishod actor named Webster. q chip Of the old
block possibly, took tho part Of Chateau Renaud.
Webster was fond Of fencing, and he suggested
the employment of NJ. Satelle, the mditre
d'a-nes Of the town, to train himself and King
for the duel scenc. Satelle was engaged for
the purpose. In the two actors he had apt
pupils, and in o short time no put them in shape
to give o splendid exhibition of stage or fake
fencing which looked like tho genuine work Of
two experts of the very highest order. Nothing
pleases the gods more than a grand fight. and
they were treated to . flrst-class one certainly
By the two players in question.
The Corsican Brothers" had q long run and
brought crowded houses. Ono evening, when
the famous duel scene wns about to be pre-
nented. and while the principals were rolling up
their shirt sleeves after taking of their coats
and waistcoats, o shrill voice from tho gallery
broke the stiffness of the suspense with the
warning cry. " Horney in sight!" which, in tho
language of the Bowery, means Cheese It'll The
eopl" A prolonged roar of laughter followed.
The actors caught the Infection, and tho curtain
had to DO rung down. 1t was ten or fifteen min.
utes before the play could go on.
Seven years afterward tho great Sir Henry
Irving was . soldier" glad to carry q banner
upon the same old stage.
Dublin's favorito actor was the somewhat
mysterious T. G. King. In the capitals of tho
British Isles ho always appeared Unexpectedly
and at irregular intervals. Where he concealed
himself during his long absences nobody could
tell. Whom he first oame to Dublin in 1853 he
was o remarkable looking man-tall. erect. and
admirably built. Hishead, which was generously
supplied with Jet black hair. was of tho military
and commanding type. His eyes were large and
piercing. and his profile. accentuated by q bold
and purely aquiline nose, might serve as a
model for the medallion of Q Cesar. In truth
no was q notwithstanding fellow, and it was no
him King Tom, the Grand" His voice. which
Yves stertlingly deep. was also rich and musical.
and without even tho shadow of the stage
ntrut. His gestures were few and never exag-
The was always true to nature" The old
city went wild over its King. Dublin claimed
h n1o SIN e. AZ so sidS0 Z Si1tS son psod IL pilsge c3 shs Of t ls@s
Ihfch, they received whom ]. g. King and q. V.
3rooiS appeasea. t9GSfSSt a1sa s each . In turn unap playing
%sfsvSllsusfgy Ssausitui and accomplished girl.
A fSW Critics found fault with King because no
vas unable to disg9ise his own personality.
h !sss sssy S ssss S Tsns sdiEas' s sst in II @aSS BE- s sHS;
81 IL Ss 49, sss sssIss' t sas ! sss sa Ria RiS iSus e sS5s
SI:ssi' .:;, fRa I ssy sas SA SiS sys 81 say y. Fin lP1s q s r.
az s;Ssn r i sssFi .gs H. =: was 49, ! ff III E, T ssSis
f ss Fay T msa q n bdsG aK; S ssf haa sa g Soss t q ws DrS,
s ersd 70 suppress ap sSP hs rsma nins si voiss. but sna once
~ q while 1t would break out In spite Of him.
S S@ss e disnsTs party %aSn he aI ls ~as Z S1 iesd y a. 2 n a jole ef Of
one Of the wags at table. and then commented
i nRSe Il toM w saSe sppssr tene Whose q d sSes o psses With h
establishment at the tragedian. King, who was
s sassSs sha 5 fisflo CT shs Sail by Tho f ssna. f HTss r sna
ming his fingers caressingly through tho little
H""Weii, my nice little man. how do you do to-
I'm very well, f." replied tho younEster. "and
"You dol Well. now let's SEQ. Who an ."
% > ~ are +. d ingoIRa "a but the lady naked you
Towhead was astonished at the effect he
produced. His father had taken him to the
A short time after that little dinner party
King was playing Moc6eth by command of tho
Ipiendidly up to tha interview with tho Doctor.
Pointing, accidentally or designodly, to the box
tones repeated the lines:
What rhubarb; SIENNA. or what %purgative drug
Would scour those English hence?
The galleries. which were never without their
full contingent of rebels, instantly caught the
spark from the actors eye, and an explosion fol-
were in order. The Viceroy left the theatre, and
the remainder OF the play was drowned in con.
t teiiiU Whether her his i look Of % astonisim DSs was was real eoH or
assumed 2 AT all events he left Dublin, and for
2 long time nothing was known of his wherea-
The great Phelps and Walter Montgomery
were the next attractions in Dublin. Montgon-
cry, although a man OF great talent. did not
make much of II hit. There was a little legend
among the actors. according 10 which certain
to fame u and fortune. Poor r'l Montgom merry f cer.
tainly missed those, magic boards. for he was
hard fate. ending in his suicide in London on
the day of his marriage.
When King returned to Dublin again there
was a fellow %locturing in the Rotundo upon
his wonderful exploits in Africa. His name
WAS Gordon INNING He was an Off
Ger IN the army. On the posters no was
Gordon Cumming. the Lion Slayer Accord
ing TO his own story, lions for him were no more
formidable than rabbits. He certainly was a
powerful looking man, but his look belied him.
In reality he WAS what the boys in the Bowery
evening into tho scotch House" nm old
time inn or gin palace, whore King and a
few friends were quietly chatting and INDUCING
themselves. Cumming behaved like a rowdy.
lie inSulted several grntlomen, including King.
The actor promptly knocked him down. and the
walters pickcd him mp and threw him out. A
few days aftcr@ard he had to ny from Dublin.
Tho police were after him for-wcll. for conduct
certainly not becoming an officer and "a gentle
man. The poets pat mis- cI plot into verses which
can be dispensed with, ana nothing more was
evCr heard Of tho Lion Slayer"
After \ tour IN the United States which was
NOT brilliant, King returned TO Dublin for tho
last time. Broken down in health and in spirits.
he was no longer Tom tho Grand he was
Tom Nc Hr IL, He seemed omaCiatcd and pre-.
maturcly old. HIS great energy was gone, and
his one" splendid voice was cracked. But he was
still erect and digniled, every inch n King
Tho lE,tlnp which Ia. p..4i.nI Nxn. 49, Il.