Charlotte Cushman

lVrhaps the very lust ptnM that any one wtnilil suppose ever expvrienci t itj Mjlder passion, mucli leas snflered frotn tlie pane of unfcqirlted Ion; was Charlotte riislnnaii, and vet twice In her I 't ie slic w as remly to sacrifice ever_viliin_' tor the man of her in-art. Miai ( iisliniiiii melved n coiniiion school educado biBoaUM; her disk mate u the daiijfdttr yl ia actor, whir li led U ii coiivcrsations i. to au mt.-rt".1 i tli'll) t 'i ;,n that '¦ tliat sllOUld ever coinpi'l lier to hv her oivn liread-w inner, itvould be in lome wiilk of public life. She liad barely reached the age ot sixteen before ihe was deeply enainnred of a young gentleman who hail his way to make in the world, and a speedy marriae bclng thereby prevented, she had little tliought ur boj but to do away witk the oiwuwles which separated them. Circninstance9 soon compelled her to cast abotit for some means of gelf-support, her mother being a widow with several childreu to prorlde for. Miss Cushman had a pretty, sympathetic singinj? vo no ereat power, but much sweetn.ss. Airs. WooU was an EnglisU bailad singer, among tlie flrst of tbat dass to make a gltat sensation in this eoimtry, and dnriníf an engagement ia Boston. Miss ( ushman manag .1 to ler, and final)y, Mr". '. irrs, she maile her appearanoe in the concert room, being siniply annouoeed as "a younglady." Her succegs waü sufflciently pronouncetl to determine herto continue in that mode of life, or at least untlj her U'trothed should have iM-conie able to tnarry her, but he took great umbrnge at what he stijfmatized as " au iiiiwomaiily prooeeding," and declard al' lii J him. Hot wonls follow i „fter much altercation and mutual pain the engagement was broken oíT, and Charlotte Cushmai. was free to follow out her destiny us agreat urtist. She went her way and lie went liis. AfUr miich hard striijrfilinjr, it led liini into "tablishmenl oi trinmiag store, cnmbined with readymade undcr-lothinír for ladies and chilares - In wblch he grospered. He is now one of the foreniost merchants of the kind in Boston. Long years elapsed before the two met Vtr.iin ; Charlotte was fumous, mul he as :iflliiciit and influential. 'l'liov mi strangers meet, were Introduoea, and ever aflerniaintaincil a mica ble, butnot amtory relations, for he liad marricl in the meantime. A ti'v years ugo I was In Boston, and dropped Into bla itora to make tornt parchases. It happened that MiM MhatM preceded me by ¦ few steps. As soon m the floor-walker rauffht sijrht of lier he hurried off and returneri with tlir proprietor, a hale, rnddj tai rd. whitA-htlred gentlenian, of qalet and diirniliod licaring. Thy took, rather tlian sliook hands, he holdine hers for a moment, and then side by sidc thcy walleed (o the batk of Uie ;4ore. To las those twocalm, selfe,ontainel, old silver hairt'd peopte, one would liave littlc sugpect'(Itliclicart rending romance wliiih hiinj; over tlii-ir voutli. It is ill vcry tinc to dente noacj, bot the lack of it frequenUycliangesthe destinies of cutiré lives. Had .Hls-, ( unhmaii'B Icrrt-r boii suf flciently well otV to hare imirricd her nt the blooming of tlieir lovè, n all probabiiltv Iheatege wimid ueyerhavekjjqwn berbrilllant genius. Bhe once remarked U a frieiid, wh was ¦ iigüUiml vt ti' . i a . .iiM-ini " - - "- "Wlicii I M4 him mow, rich and rcspcct(], hut not grent, and t hink whataeood husband lic Ras made, I tigb for what I've lost, and rejoice for wbat Ivo gnined. Nevertheless, fame and fbrtuiifi ottly can ciiiiijiiMi-aic b woman for the lift-Jong :iiscucc of a Itusbauil's affecüon, rliildrcn V love, the peace and liappincss of private When I returned from N'ow Orleaii witli iny vuieeall gpne und in deípair, if lio bad Cdine lurwanl Ilien and olfered me a home I would jiladly Imvc accepted, and would have live] my life untroiibleil hy aoibitious dreams, unsuspectinjr of the divine aftlatus within me. I havo liad a thousand times oTer in my liand more Üian the money which wohW have gceured my happiness when a Lirl, and always tliink for what a paltrv sum mv whole domestic