Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-12-12
NEW STORY OF LINCOLN.
How He kept Joe Jefferson's
Father From Bankruptcy.


Father From Bankruptcy.
In his "reminiscences of an actors lilo
In the Century, Joe Jefferson gives
an interesting story of Lincoln. OF
course it was away back in the sos.
He says: Springfield being the capital
OF Illinois, it was determined to devote
the entire season to the entertainment
OF the members of the legislature. .
Having made money for several weeks
previous to our arrival here, the man
agement resolved to hire n lot and
build theater This sounds like a
large undertaking. and perhaps with
their limited means it was rash step.
fancy that my father rather shrunk
from this bold enterprise, but the sem
ior partner (McKenzie) was made or
sterner stuff, and his energy being
quite equal to his ambition, the ground
was broken and the temple erected.
The building of temple in those
days did not require the amount OF cap
ital that it does now. Folding opera
chairs were unknown. Gas was an
occult mystery, not yet acknowledged
as fact By the unscientific world in
the west; a second-class quality OF
sperm oil was the height OF any man
ayers ambition. The iootlights OF the
best theaterS in the western country
were composed OF lamps set in q
''foath with the counter weights.
When dark stage was required, or
the lamps needed trimming or reflling,
the mechanical contrivance was made
TO sink under the stage. / believe IL
IL. Al. -
as it was sometimes called, had sud.
denly been illuminated with the same
material now in use, its enemies would
have declared that the light was fur
nisned from the "Old Boys" private
gasometer
The new theater. when completed.
was 80 feet deep aud 40 feet wide. No
attempt was made ut ornamentation;
and, as it was implanted, the simple
line OF architecture upon which it was
constructed gave it the appearance OF
large dry good box with roof. l do
not think my father or Mckenzie ever
owned anything with a roof until now,
so they were naturally proud OF their
possession.
In the midst OF their rising forum es
heavy blow fell upon them. A
religious revival was in progress at the
time. and the fathers OF the church
not only launched forth against us in
their sermons, but by some political
maneuver got the city to pass a new
law eujoiniug heavy license against
our "unholy" calling; l forget tho
amount, but it was large enough to be
Prohibitory. Here was terrible con-
dition of aft tirs-all our available
funds invested, the legislature in ses.
sion, the town full of people and by a
heavy license denied the privilege oil
opening the new thcater!
In the midst OF their troubles young
lawyer called on the managers. He
had heard OF the injustice, and offered,
II they would place the matter in his
hands, 10 have the license taken off,
declaring that he only desired to see
fair play, and he would accepting fee
whether no failed or succeeded. The
case was brought up before the coun-
Gil The young lawyer began hi:
harangue. He handled the subject
with tact. skill and humor, tracing the
history OF the drama from the time
when Thespis acted in a cart to the
stage OF to-day. He illustrated Ii:
speech with number OF anecdotes and
kept the council in roar OF laughter
his good humor prevailed and the ex.
orbitant tax was taken off.
, This young lawyer was very popular
In Springfield and was honored and be-
loved by all who knew him. and, after
the time Of which | write he held rath
, er an important position in the govern
ment OF the United States. He now
lies buried near Springfield, under /;
monument commemorative his great
; ness and his virtues-and his name was
Abraham Lincoln!