Evening star., 1936-10-11
About Well-KnOWn Folk
In Books, Art and Politics
Fanny Hurst Goes Campaign Shopping
Louise Foraker Cushman Presents Cush-
man Relics to Folger Library.


distinguished names and deeds IN his |
biography in the Congressional Direc-
tory, makes the simple statement:
"Democrat--Rhode ISland"-whicn it |
goes without saying means volumes in
itself.
Louise Foraker Cushman
Donates Cushman Relics.
The numerous friends In Washing
ton OF Mrs. Victor N. CuShman, 30
weli-known as Louise Foraker. daugh-
ter of the late Senator Foraker of
Ohio, and q belle of several decades
ago, will be much interested In . do.
nation which she just recently made
to the Folger Shakespeare Library.
It's very interesting and delightful
collection OF personal relics Of Amer
icas mos. celebrated actress Of the
nineteenth century, who was the idol
OF not only the American theatergolng
public, but OF many distinguished men
and women Of letters OF her time, and
who had the same ancestry as Mrs.
Cushman's husband. Charlotte Ccsh-
man-her grave still after more than
q hslf-century since her death at
tracts visitors to Trinity Churchyard.
New York. where she is buried-was
descended from Robert Cushman, the
ancestor OF Victor, who was instru-
mental in making possible the voyage
OF the Mayfiower to America In 1920.
Finding the little vessel 0vercrOWded
he gave up his place to some one else
iaI Nata utoe Rnh.
ert who Is said to have preached the
first sermon to be printed in America.
Perhaps it was from this ancestor
that Charlotte got her histrionic
It seems in 1882 Mrs. cushman
made available to the library 4 good
deal Of interesting material relating
to the actress. DR.. Joseph Quincy
Adams OF South Carollna-not OF
Massa sachusetts-who c is director Of the
Folger Library, Is much elated over
this last gift Of Mrs. Cushman's rs
he says it makes the Folger-CuShman
collection the most important Of its
kind In the world. 1t consists Of por-
traits, photograph albums-fascina-
| ting they are-programs. prompt
books. hlSterware cup plates and sew
eral albums of testimonials presented
to Miss Cushman for her service to
hygiene in the War Between the
States, and containing the autographs
Of President and Mrs. Lincoln and
| many noted men and women OF the
time. The signatures Of Oliver Wen
dell Holmes-at whose house Char
lotte was often entertsined-Long-
fellow, Emerson and others. A pro-
gram showing Edwin Booth in the
cast.
SulIy's Portrait Of Charlotte
Cuxhman In the Collection.
The outstanding gift in the collec-
tion Is Sully's portrait Of Charlotte
in her early teens. in which her sunny
face and witching eyes are portrayed
in all their loveliness. This Is just
the head coiffed In some light, soft
material, the hair drawn away from
the face and the lovely charm Of light
and shadows which Sully knew 50
well how to use to bring out some dis
tinsuishinE feature-in this portrait
1t Is the eyes which were said TO be
so remarkable. There Is In the collec-
tion q miniature. STUDY Of Charlotte
Cushmans Eye" painted in Rome by
Mrs. Young. Another miniature
which Is by Sally, when Miss CuSh-
man was more mature is set in an
old fashioned hair bracelet made from
the hair Of Fanny Kemble. The little
luster plates which were specially
made for her by admirers. have each
. small head Of Shakespeare entwined
In the decoration.
While the history Of the theater
shows that it has not been unusual
for several members of a family to
take part In the same play, 1t re-
mained for Charlotte and her beau-
tiful sister, Susan Cushman. to play
opposite each other in male and female
parts. Their most noted performance
together was when Susan played
Juliet to Charlotte's Romeo. The
London Times Of the '40's pronounced
Chsrlotte's Romeo far superior 10 any
ever seen in England and Susan q
beautiful and soulful Juliet. Over In
the National Museum-the old mu-
seum-packed away in mothballs, is
the costume Charlotte wore when she
played the part Of Cardinal Wolsey,
one Of her greatest triumphS, and the
black velvet gown she wore in the
part OF Katherine, Henry Wis first
Queen. These costumes were presented