The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-10

81 aoe JeHess3a-
joseph jefferson fhus describes. in the
Deeember t<Hkszrv. euriouK incident ss ais
early career We nov entered upon q
courss Of the most primitive acting. gpsag
from town 70 town and giving entertain
ments ID The dinsng-Fooms az the hotels
Ax there were no papers Published in these
small villages there we're no printing Offices.
consequently no bills: 80 flaming announce
Fnsnse Of orr arrival ia q bold handwriting
we're displayed In the three important
points 81 the town. VIZ. the hotel. the post
Office and the barber shop. II fell 10 my
duty, beng 80 adept wiEn the brush, to
write. Or rasiaer paint. these advertise
msnts. The plays we're acted Is eoatume.
but without scenery or euft6In. The
nightly receipts were smail-IHs about
enough 20 get as iFUsa place 20 rlkee-
Our shseetiEe point was fhe town Of
Liberty, Miss. but there was some Diff
Guilty In getting there. IS the distance vas
greater than we could accomplish in q day.
A farmer who h4d been 70 the theater the
night before for the first time in his Life
was so struck By the performance thzt be
proposed "a have bis teams brought Ia and
take rs 10 his farm house, about twenty
I've mites distant. According 10 his sag-
gsstion we were 10 rest for day. give an
entertainment Ia his barn. and so 70 on To
Liberty.
Bat, said my brother. 'yoa tell me
there Is no other house there bat your cwn.
What shall We do for an audieneeg
Well, said the farmer. all nay family
viii come, 70 begin with. and there is
dozen or more GA en-: then there's eight
or ten Greenhouses close by, and IL one OF
yonr men will drive there with my con
and blow the horn they viii eli come, for
there ant one on 'em sver seen play *
fore. III insure you a full harm.
SO the matter was settled. and we
actually played in barn. the house that
We staid Is Icing the only one in sight. Ia
seemed lie vain 70 look for an audience in
such q lonely place, bat the farmer Was
right Soon after the sun had gone down
the full harvest moon rose. and by is dim
light we could family see family groups OF
people. two aud sometimes three on horse.
coming from eli directions over the hill
now . wagon with a great load some Of
them walked. but all we're quiet ard serious,
ard apparently wondering what they were
going 10 see.
'''Thesv who have Travelled through the
50AtAEFa AAAes7 !" III tefHAf1 FektttHlo<E tAf
kind OF barn we acted in. There we're
$50 log houses joined together. with IN
opening between them. which was hosFed
and covered 10. The seats were arranged
outside IN the open benehes. chairs and
logs. The double barn oB each side was
used for dressing rooms and Tor making
gusfs2Ses and exits, while the opening
VAS devoted 90 the stage. The
opan sir was well filled, containing
an andienee OF about sixty persons.
our enthusiastic admirer. the farmer, col
les ted the admission fee, 81 being charged
aud freely given. The plays we're The
Lady Of Lyons. and The Specter Bride
groom. The farmer had supplied as lib
orally witk candles, SO that the early para
OF Abe entertainment was brilliantly iiln.
minated. hut the evening breeze bad
famed the lights so vigorously that by the
time the faeee began the footiights were
gone. The listle flaming ministers had ali
spatteFed out 50 The SpecleF Bridegroom
sas acted in the moonlight
at vas curious TO watch the effect Of q
strong emotional play Ike The Lady of
Lyons upon an audience that bad never
seen . drama before. They not only were
much interested. bat tAeg became excited
over the trials Of the hero and heroine
they talked freely among themselves and
at times 20 the actors One old lady IN
sisted that the lovers should be allowed
their own way and a stalwart young
farmer warned the villain not 10 interfere
again II he knew what was best for him "