Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-25
RIP VAN wuNKLE.
Dion BOucicaulfss Account OF Joseph
JeffersOn'S Greaacss Success.
From tie New York Critic.

L
! JeffersOn's Greatess Success.
| From tie New York Critic. {
| He walked into my study in London and
| rose with sincere pleasure to greet my old COL
league, Jefferson. This was In 1865 and in
summer time. l. had not seen him for five
years Who remembers the Winter Garden
where he played Caleb flamn.er in dot" aud
Salem IScaddr in9 ''The Octoroon" in 1882
Australia: had been Ia London.
By the way, talking Of Caleb Ph4mnse,. when
I opened the Winter Garden in 1859, having
engaged Joe Jefferson as leading comedian, it
| struck me that Cdteo Patnt,er was a character
| he could grasp. He was called to rehearsal and
the part was placed 10 his hand. shall never
| forget the expression on his face. Approaching
him. sad whats the matter. JoeS" ooh"
he replied, ''don't ask me to play this. have
tried 1t in the old edition and failed in it con-
spicuously. You have brought me to New
| York Is this to be my opening part2" I
| tried vainly to persuade him that he would
make hit in it. He would not see it, How
ever. was obliged to insist, and he went to his
duty. He began to rehearse. and saw at once
| he had struck the wrong key. He mstOok the
| character. He made it weary. dreary, senti-
| mental old bore. Rising from my managerial
chair | stopped the rehearsal. "Sit there,
Joe. said, placing him in my seat. 1 took his
place on the stage; then, giving an imitation of
| himself. playing the character as | knew he
| could play it, in comic, simple genial vein,
had not spoken three speeches before he began
| TO wrlggle IN his CHAIR ana then. leaping up, he
cried: ''Stop! see know. That is enouyh."
And so 1t was. Hestruck the key. Those who
saw his performance can understand how fine
and delicate piece OF work his portraiture Of
| the Old t0y-maker was.
| But this was in 1859 Let us return to 1865
Jefferson was anxious to appear in London.
| All his pieces had been played there The man
| ayers would not give him an appearance unless
| he could offer them a new play. He had PLAYED
| piece called rip Van Winkle." but when sub
| mtted to their perusal they rejected it. Still
| he was so DESTROYS of playing Rip that took
| down Washington 1rving's story and read 1t
over. 1t was hopelessly undramatiU. ''Joe," |
said, "this old sot is not pleasant figure. He
| lacks romance. | dare say you made a fine
| sketch of the old beast, but there is no interest
in him. He may be picturesque, but he is not
dramatic. | would prefer to start him in play
as young scamp-thoughtless gay. just such
village girls would love and the children aud
dogs would run after" Jefferson threw up his
| hands In despair. 1t was totally opposed to his
artistic prec0nception. But insisted and he
reluctantly conceded.
| Well, | wrote the play as he plays it now It
was not much Of literary production and it
was with some apology it was handed to him.
He read it, and when he met me l said, Its
poor thing, joe" "Well," he replied, !" it's
| good enough for me-" 1t was produced. Three
/
his first words were, '"You were right about
making Rip young man. Now could not
conceive and play him In any other shape
How small thing is seed. yet how grand a
seed without which the, dramatist would have
been barren and Jefferson would have possibly
| remained statue without pedestal-pros-
trate, unrecognizea and unknown.
Wednesday Whatmo,s.
| Scotch minister: ''Jolln, john, Tn afraid YOU
are on the broad road" lnebriated parishioner:
'Weei minister, as far as I'm concerned the
| breadth is a required"
The editor of tho London Sportsman who re-
Gently visited this country. seems to have &C
| commOdated himself to the ways OF tie republic
with remarkable sweetness and content. as the
following extract from an interview with him
on his return to London sufficiently demon
strates:
"pid you make many speeches when YOU
were in American" they asked him.
Yes was the reply. Il was frequently
called on to respond
And what did you say for the most part?"
THANK you. don't mind if do
Murphy was repeating to F0ote some remarks
by Garrick on Laceys love of money as mere
attempt to cover his own stingincss by throw
ing it on his ellOw-patentee. when it was asked
why on earth Garrck didn't take the beam out
Of his own eye before attacking the mote in
other peoples He is not sure, replied Foote.
"Of selling the timber"
gentleman, newly married and prominent
society man. took his bride to the opera. few
evenings afterward. speaking to some friends.
the lady said something about the OPERA and
was asked what the opera was.
81 can't recall the opera just now, said the lady.
but perhaps my husband can" "Oh. yes"
said he jumping at the chance to air his knOw-
edge; lit was the opera Of 'Libretto."-St Louis
Post Dispatch.
One of the great actors: eyes" said Brown
al ynr ic In SC,
real talent" And he hides it so perfectiy'
added Fogg. in sympathetic admiration. -Bos-
ION Transcript
Mis(s)understoor- At "ll Trovatore."
Miss Edith Bullion (passonately fond OF
music): "Oh here comes that too. too lovely
miserere" Tom Tnchaser (knows all about
everything): "oh! which? Who' Where is
Parsonby taken aback: 1t took Young Par
sonby all aback when, at the thcater the other
evening. he whispered to his girl that he guessed
he would step out moment to take the air.
and she quickly responded: at is very OBJ.
pressive George; III go out with ou."-BoSton
Transcript
Husband-'I want to tell you some good
news. have just had my life insured" Wife
Your life! That's just the way with you selfish
men. You would never think of having nv lie
insured. '-FIieyentie Blatter.
Yes" said the deacon, ''the organist GER
tainly did play opera boutfc airs and the can-cau
in his voluntary yesterday. But dear me,
can't kick UP row about It without giving my
self away by, showing that I recognize the
music. s-BOston Post
He was man who would weigh at least 800
pounds. and when he said to his small friend at
whose Office he called on his way down town.
III drop in on You when I return, =" the little
man exclaimed "If you'll let me know when
You coming I'll crawl under the safe"
''Out Of the Mouths of Babes"-Edith "Have:
you written all the invitations to my party.
mammal" Mamma: Eyes. Edith" Edith: But
the best part will be when the receptions and de-
cepfions begin to come in, won't it, mammal
Harvard La'npoon.
To Borrow Phrase-Jack: "Say. Old Man.
will you let me take your hat and top-coat to-
night: mine are looking little the worse for
Wear!" Chum Certainly you can have them:
but don't you call that taking your partners
best and going it aloneK'-Hdrpard Lampoon.
We learn from the Philadelphia Ne,cs that It
takes tour ladies of the bed-chamber, eyery
one peeress: eight common ladies of the bed
chamber, and twelve bed-chamber women to
put Queen Victoria to bed" This implies ter
rlbie state OF affairs In the royal paiace.-Nor-
rtsto,cn Herald
church In a western town has secured the
n n IT, II