Show The Martyrs of the Stage I LAYERS often fall victims to dis disease disease PLAYERS P ease through exposure and sheer hard work and not a few tew have succumbed to their zeal for far their art artIn artIn In the Theatre Magazine for December a writer gives these instances of these stage martyrs As soldiers have haYe fallen In battle so have players died on or for the stage Soldiers have faced the enemy saying that death was almost inevitable In Inthe Inthe the same spirit actors have given a performance while they should have been in the hush of the death chamber hamber None doubt that Sir Henry Irvings end was hastened by his continuing his tour when he should have been rest resting resting ing When the news carne came and we car carried vied ried him from the lobby ot of the hotel to his room said Percy Burton who was with him at the last I felt as It we were carrying a fallen warrior on his shield from the field ot of battle No soldier was ever braver than was Nel Nd Nelson son Wheatcroft whose great success in was followed by the universal Ho He tapped upon the door doar of Virginia dressing room and thrust a tev feverish face within HIs cheeks were scarlet banners His eyes were large and bright and feverishly burning I am very ill he said I 1 dont see how I can give a performance tonight Oh we cant get along without you Mr Wheatcroft Dont fall fail us cried Miss Harned We all have grip this dreadful weather I have It too The actor looked at her with a strange smile Ill do my best ho he saId He kept his word giving a fine per performance performance but the next night an actor had to read his lines Nelson Wheatcroft Wheat croft was dead From playing a deathbed scene In damp sheets provided by a careless property man beautiful Dorothy Dene who was the model for the best of Leightons paintings and an accomplished pushed actress as well played a r real al death sc scene ne The lang scene between the damp sheets Induced rheumatism which after atter months of torture reached her heart and In one excruciating pang killed her Harry Crisp a matinee Idol ot of the Union Square theatre when that house was the most popular theatre In New NewYork NewYork York contracted pneumonia and was promised exemption from the final pen penalty penalty alty ot of that Insidious disease If he would take care ot of himself Stay at home Go to bed and all allwill allwill will be well In a few days Play and An ominous professional sh g completed the Mr Crisp pre presented presented his case The manager of the Union Square presented his Its only a cold Walt Wait till Sunday for tor your rest ho was requested It If you dont play I will have to close the theatre And the manager reckoned upon a writing pad his loss In that event which sum he held in scrawled figures before the actors comprehending eyes Ill try saId Harry Crisp He did tr try end nd trying died While playing Undine In a Boston theatre Hester Proctor who was an offshoot of the famous Marble family caught a cold which developed into pneumonia and with fatal results |