The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-01-25
The new bell tower now being erected
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noo, ~ suo 0ofnof OF Laurel AID FsiChkrd.'
son strests.a The elevation is, higher
tnan tho place In the eeeeple a Of tho
church whore the WAtuhman. has for
some tims past, been ssatioped. The
bsil in che present tower. as feh> foot of
Taylor street. il TO be- used for the new
one. Two wstohmen will be employed.
one Of whom will, during the night, be
constantly on duty. and required also to
strike every hour of the night; The To-
cation of the tower is q good zone, and.
doubtless. with it and the othet arfanRe-
ments, the annoyance caused tho Ere de-
partmsnt heretofore to learn thelocstion'
OF fires will, in q great measure, be les
sened. Captain Jackson is entitled to
much credit for his labors id this direc.
tion." :':Yl utr"'.~,, "a
RIP VAN WIAEnr. night, Oolum-
bis is to have rich and rare trsat-Mr.
Joseph Jefferson with sn at!s support!
in his renowned character Of Rip Van
Winkle. Mr.. Jefferson has performed
this character i'm all of the principal
cities, North, East, and West. This is
his first visit South in tweniy-o one years.
About that time, Mr.. Ellsler and himself
managed company which performed
successfully throughout the South. and
for several weeks in American Hall, in
this city. The Jefferson family for seve-
raj generations, have been renowned in
the histrionio art-the father and grand
father OF Grip" being well-known actors.
1t is universally conceded that Mr..
Joseph Jefferson's rendition Of tho title
roles OF Grip Van Winkle" and "Our
American Cousin" are unexcelled. "The
Local" has seen Booths Theatre crowd
ed, night after night, to witness the one,
and, at an earlier day. ''Laura Keene's"
filled to its utmost capacity 10 see the
other. We heartily welcome him to Co.
lumbia, and feel satisfied that be will be
greeted as cordially here as he has been
throughout the South. The Atlanta.
Ga. Sun thus speaks OF the performance
in that city: -
Notwithstanding the extremely un.
pleasant weather last evening. the theatre
was brilliant sight. Looking from tho
stage along the sweep of tho g!ittering
curves. rising one above the other, even
up to the galleries, gemmed withnature's
in. Seldom has there been gathered in
our city an audience comparable to this,
either as to numbers, elegance or high
social status OF those composing it. And
we'll did Mr.. Jefferson, as Rip Van
WiIkle, deserve such an audience.
1T would seem presumptuous for rs to
attempt to criticise the performance of
one who, after years of careful and con-
soientious study of the character of Rip
Van Winkle. and who has played it,
night after night, week sfter week, in the
first theatres of the Union, to large and
delighted audiences, and perhaps it is
beat simply to say that, in our Judgment,
the rendition of Rip Van Winkle by Mr..
Jefferson was superb throughout. Never
have We witnessed the character of the
hapless, thriftless. drunken, rollioking
Datchman receive suoh q rendition.
There is great power and pathos in his
acting, while his bearing is full OF easy
appearance on the stage; the night OF the
driven from home; afterwards, when the
demons get hold of him; the long sleep;
then the gray hairs, which he could not
understand; puzzled by his gun, by
Meenie. by Gretchen, everything was in
tensely satisfactory to the audience.
His return to Falling Water. how eager
to be recognized by some old acquaint.
ance, and how disappointed at not being
recognised; his hesitation in askingif
his daughter was yet living. the emotion
exhibited in meeting that daughter. all
this carried the audience by storm; and
when the white haired, pleading old man
stood with arms outstretched before the
daughter. and asks if che don't know
hoT father, tie emotions in many heart
was apparent.
"After the performance was over, and
the lights we're ont. and the curtain had
fallen, this reporter found many in the
audience who had shed tears over the
poor outoast going his dark way all alone.
Tears are all actor's costliest homage.
he who draws them should be content.
eve can only say that the audience was
swayed by the will OF Mr.. Jefferson.
There is certainly no artist Of the present
day, OF whom we have any knowledge.
who controls an audience with such ap-
parent ease as does Mr.. Jefferson, and
certainly none whose performance will
be remembered with such infinite plea.
snre in years to come"