The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-27
10. JEFFERSON.
RETDRN OF THE CHARLESTON En-
TORITE OF TWENTY YEARS AGO.

RETURN OF TIE CHARLESTON FA-
VORITE OF TWENTY YEARS AGO.
"Reminiscences Of his Early Career.-An
Interesting Occasion-His SON to Make
his First Appearance ON Wednesday
Next.
The temperance OF Mr.. Joseph Jefferson
on the Charleston boards is an event worthy
OF more than passing notice. It is twenty
years-just the length Of Rip Van Wrinkles
aap-since the greatest of actors last de-
lighted Charleston audience, and 1t is
pleasant 10 think that it was here that his re-.
markable comic genius was first fully recog-
nIzed and rewarded. Mr.. Jefferson comes Of
ancestors with whom dramatic power
seems to have been an hereditary trait.
He Is the son of Joseph Jefferson the
second, whom many Of the older readers of
The NEWS will remember. His mother was
Mrs. Burke Jefferson, daughter of a citizen
of Charleston, who escaped the massacre of
St. Domingo and settled In this city. By her
first husband this lady had but one con,
Charles Burke, comedian of the rarest gifts.
By her second marriage she had two children,
one Of whom appears tonight as Rip Van
Wrinkle. Apropos of Mr.. Jefierson's present
visit, "Nym," our chatty and wide-awake New
York correspondent, writes ns as follows:
II notice In The NEWS that You are to have
the greatest of living actors in the English
language on the boards Of your theatre next
week. The event suggests "reminiscences Of
Mr.. Jefferson's first appearance In Charleston
over twenty years ago. The rising genera.
tion of theatre-goers hardly know that he was
once manager of the old theatre on Meeting
street, which was destroyed In the great fire.
I remember, though I was but youngster
then, that Jefferson came to Charleston "a the
low comedian of the stock company. he was
not more than nineteen years old, but even
then gave striking evidence Of his wonderful
talents. There were plenty of critics In
those days, like the late Colonel G. W. Brown
and Mr.. Gatewood, who were predicting bis
future greatness. his Bob Acres recol-
lect was the town talk. He and some other
members of the company had disagreement
with the manager, and seeded, and went TO
Savannah to play. After the manager had duly
'bursted up as most Of them did In Charles
ton at that time, the seceders returned, and
reopened the theatre themselves. The arm
was Jefferson, Ellsler & Linden. Mr.. Ellsler
Is now manager Of Cleveland theatre, be-
lleve. I do not know what became of Linden.
The new managers were all young men, but
they had talent, were rewarded with good
houses, and played the season out. 1t was
during this winter that Jefferson and his vile
appeared one evening In the farce Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Peter White,' and introduced Master jef-
terson, their infant son, to the audieHce, mis-
first appearance on any stage I was present..
and remember how the little fellow kicked In
bis mothers arms"
And now this kicking infant, whose early
venture upon the mimic stage seems 80 fresh
In the memory Of our correspondent, Is once
more amongst us. Gifted with no mean share
of that dramatic power, which is bis rightful
Inheritance, young Charles Burke Jefferson
has chosen Charleston to be the scene Of bis
second, as 1t was of his frat appearance In
public. At matinee on Wednesday next no
will personate two Of bis fathers greatest comic
characters. For his own sake, for hIs fathers
sake, and for the sake Of Auld Lang syne,
our people will greet him with warm and
generous welcome.
or the wonderful dramatic creation which
has made the fame flo. Jefferson worldwide,
we need hardly speak. Those who have be-
held 1t can understand how hard 1t is to de-
scribe In words the subtle charm with which he
invests the character of the rollicking and In
corrieible Rip. We borrow the apt remarks
of contemporary, and everybody who sees
Jefferson tonight will feel their truth:
Jefferson plays the drunken little Dutch
vagabond to life, and that Is all oft. 1t is
simply perfectly true and natural represen-
tation, done go quietly, so easily, 80 otruthfally,
that art is exhausted. Every motion, every
word, every action, Is just what 1t should be-.
The dramatist, OF course, has had 10 make an
interesting character. But Jefferson hsscrys.
talized the character into life. The author's
genius and the actors genius blend to make up
the exquisite performance. From the time old
Rip comes on the stage until the curtain falls,
the packed audiences, In sympathetic rapport,
hang enraptured on the gliding like episode OF
the simple Dutchman's nnoouth but touching
career of dissipation, domestic frost, and hls
pathetic return 10 his home alter bis twenty
years of slumber. From roars of laughter to
quiet and rnsubdued tears the auditors pass,
and this under no fierce strainlng after fun
or drenchlng strains OF woe, but simply be-
meath the Inspiration of hum0r as quiet as
true grlet, and Of pathos that never appears
so touching as when most groteaque. That
this solt-talking actor, 10 such an odd, rldlcu-
lous old part, should so rivet bis vast aggro-
cations of hearers, keeping up the public In
terest at the cost of its pocket, In his simple
rendition year after year, Is marvel In
theatrical experience, and shows consum.
nation of art as rare as 1t Ia deservedly sue