Year: 1874

How Charlotte Cushmau N Ahe the


Character Famous.


The history of the great actress with
the part of Meg Merriles is thus told
of herself: Her assumption of this
part happened while she was filling the
position of walking lady at the Park
Theater, New York, in the season of
l837-'38, and was the result of pure ac-
cident. John Braham, the great Lon
don tenor, was performing an engage
ment at the time, and series of light
English operas had been put upon the
boards. Guy Mannering, which was
originally produced as a musical drama


was one of these. The greater part Of
the play was spoken, but melodies and
set pieces we're interspersed which called
into requisition the part OF the vocalist.
The character of Henry Bertram was
assumed by Braham, while Miss Cush-
man was cast for the humble part of
the young Gypsy Marie. As the busi-
ness of the play was then arranged, it fell
to the lot O. Marie to sing the cradle song
in the scene where Meg recalls to the
recollection of Bertram by means of the
ballad with which she used to soothe him
to sleep in his childhood. Acting upon
the supposition that her voice was broken
by age, and unequal to the task, it was
her custom to summon the young Gyp-
sy to revive the song for her. One day
after rehearsal the leading lady of the
theater was suddenly seized with indis-
position. In the dilemma that arose,
the manager begged Miss Cushman to
go on and read the part OF Meg Mer.
riles that evening. Miss Cushman
obligingly consented, but with no inten-
ton of reading the part. She took the
lines to her room, and had them at her
tongues end by nightfall | had never
paid any consideration to that charac-
ter said Miss Cushman;' it was always
my habit to attend studiously to my own
business, and give no heed to the per-
formances of others. When stars were
on the stage, | watched them closely to
learn whatever was possible. At other
times l confined myself to my in
dividual work. Thus it came about
that had little idea how Meg
Merriles was dressed or played, and
never having rehearsed the part was en-
tirely Ignorant of the business. While
| was coming my lines, and walking
back and forth behind the scenes, wait
ing for the curtain to rise on the play,
the manager came 70 me again in dis
tress. / have forgotten to provide a
singer in the part of the young gypsy,


he exclaimed. What shall we do2


L don't know, | am sure, replied L.
But after thinking a moment, | added


Perhaps, when | come to the place, /
can manage to introduce the song my
self-I viii try, and thus relieved, the
manager left me. In much trepidation,
/ listened at the wings trying to catch
some inspiration from the progress Of
the play, when / overheard the closing
words in the dialogue Hatteraick and
the Gipsy Just preceding the appear
ance Of Meg on the scene-when one
says of her, Oh, she dotes, to which
the other replies, but she rules the
tribe. These sentences gave me a sud
den clue to the situation of the decrepit
but still powerful queen, and a full
conception Of the character flashed
upon me. / Immediately sprang
before the footlights in the
attitude ] have ever since taken.
The pose was so novel and striking that
the audience manifested a good deal Of
emotion, and when Brahsm turned and
discovered me he gave an unaffected
start Of astonlshment. This assured me
somewhat, and l went on with the part,
giving it in all important particulars the
Interpretation and action which | have
always retained. saw that Mr.. Bra
J ham was puzzled throughout the even