Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1876 — A Stuttering Genius. [ARTICLE]

A Stuttering Genius.

Mrs. Kemble, in her reminiscences in the. July says: One day, at the tndof my sitnn<ro Lawrence shewed me a lovely portrait of Mrs. Inchbald, of whom my moiher ( as we/lrove hoqie, told me a ninibeT of upusing anecdotes. She was heij begirt if i$ ana gifted, with original genius, as her plays and farces and novels . (above all, the Simple Story), testify; she was nos an actress of any special merit, but of respectable mediocrity. She stutsterej haltjtualh', bid her delivery was HCTer impdflecF by this the stage, a curious circumstance, not. uncommon to peasants wftp havf that infoiiytyjfasd who can read and recite without suffering from it, though quite unable to speak flu- • entJy. Mty/lnohbald was a person of a ven’ remarkable character, lovely poor, with unusual mental powers, and of irreproachable conduct.’»Her life was devoted to the care' of some dependent Relation, pho from sickness was incapable of hmhbaE-liad a singular upright new and JunvJirldUness, ana a cniliTnke'flirectnesS tfrftl simplicity of nature, which, with her personal loveliness and halting, broken utterance, gave to her conversation, which was both humorous and witty, 4 most peculiar and comical charm. Once, after traveling all day in a pouring rain, on alighting at her inn, the coachman, dripping all over With wet, offered his arm to help her out of the coach, when she exclaimed, to the great amusement Of her fellow-travelers: “O, no, no! y-y-y-you will give me m-m-tp-my death of c-c-c-cold; do bring nine a-a-a-a dry man.” An aristocratic neighbor of hers, with whom she was slightly acquainted, driving in the vicinity of her humble suburban residence, overtook her walking along the road One veiy hot ;day, and. stopping his asked her to am «Wr'the characteristic excuse that she had just tot oniops M **an unsophisticated statement of facts which made them laugh extremely. Coming off the stage one evenin,;, ghe was about to sit down by’ Mrs. Siddc ns yi .the green-room, whqn suddenly, lo< lang Mett. mflMfcjmyjieighbor, she paid : wJWtWFi't f-s-iksit by you; you’re t-t-t-too handsome!”—in which respect she certajuly peydbave feared no cqmpe’tition, and less with 'aunt than anyone, their style of beauty being so absolutely dissimilar. Somebody speaking of having ousters for supper, much surprise was excited by Mrs. Jnchbald s saying that she luid never eaten one. Questions and remonstrances, exclamations of astonishment and advice to enlarge her experience in that respect assailed her from the whole green-room, when she finally delivered herself thus: “Oh, no, indeed, I-I-I-I never, never could! What! e-e-e-eat the eyes and t-t-t-tlie nose, the teeth, a-a-a-and the toes, the a-a-a-all of a creature!”