The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-05
JOE JEFFERSON IN SAVANNAH.
The Famous Actor Tells of an Inter-
esting Experience.

The Famous Actor Tells OF an inter-
esting Experience.
Mr.. Joseph Jefferson, the famous actor,
is publishing his "reminiscences in the Cent
ury Magazine. In the January number
he gives q sketch of dramatic season in
Savannah in 1850, at the present Savannah
theater. The theater looked then much like
it does now. Mr.. jefferson picked up in
Savannah Sir William Don, an English
baronet, and an actor, and he proved to be
a drawing card. The following is au ex-
tract from MIR. Jefferson's January paper:
Our season 1850 in Macon was quite
good, but in Savannah our fortunes had a
reverse. From some unknown cause, the
business here was very bad. | say unknown
cause, for it is characteristic of members of
the theatrical profession TO attribute their
failures to anything or everything else but
themselves. 1t is so disheartening to feel
tnat we are responsible for the disaster In
mercantile affairs if losses are incurred the
loser can console himself with the fact that
il is the merchandise that is worthless: if
an artists picture be refused admission to
the gallery it is his work that is disregarded,
but If an actor fails, it is himself who is
neglected. As ] had been married a year
and our first child had Just been born, was
naturally beginning to feel the weight of
new responsibilities.
1t has always been my habit, when any
thing important was TO be thought over, to
get Off alone and some where in the woods
OF TO lock myself up in a room, where | can
turn the matter over quietly. / had left
the theater after rehearsal and was walking
alone in search of some solitary place where
| could ruminate.
Savannah is a lovely city at all times but
in April il is like fairy land The beautiful
southern houses of semi tropical architect
ure are surrounded with live oak and
magnolia shade trees, aud the gardens are
laden with flowers. The city was peaceful
and quiet-too much SO for a manager in
distress. The air was redolent of ora ,pe
blossoms and bad business. | was looking
down one of the long solitary avenues of
trees for which the city is famous, when
in the distance | espied the tall figure
of a man walking leisurely toward
me. His hight was so enormous
that l thought some optical illu-
sion, caused by the long vista through
which was looking, mad elongated the gen
tleman beyond his natural proportions. No.
as he came nearer he seemed to get taller
ana taller; he was at least feet inches in
hight. He sauntered leisurely along, with
an elegant carriage aud an aristocratic
bearing, not assumed, but perfectly natural.
| had never seen this man until now. but
imagined that l knew who he was, for if
was not mistaken in his hight and appear
ance | had already heard of him. AS we
approached nearer his easy and confident
manner were al most impertinent He had
one hand in his pocket, and with the other
slowly twirled long, gold-headed cane.
As we met there was on his handsome face
self-sufiicient smile, and he turned his
large eyes from one side OF the street to the
other with the air Of man who owned
half OF Savannah, aud was contemplating
the possibility Of getting mortgage ol it.
with the ultimate view Of purchasing the
rest of the city. After we had passed, l
turned TO look back, and found that he had
done the same. We were both caught dead:
there was no Disgusting it. so we approached
each other.
Pardon me-" said I, "if am mistaken,
but are you not Sir William Donp
Quito right, old chap How are youg'
he replied. We shook hands, and thore was
pause. He looked at me with a quiZzical
twinkle in his eye, and said: "Well, which
is it--Jetferson or Ellsler! You can't be
both, you know"
laughed heartily au this; not so much at
what he said, which was commonplace
enough, but the way in which he said it.
thought to myself, this must be u great
comedian. He saw he had made hit, and
laughed in the enjoyment of it,
my name is Jefferson" said I. ''Mr.
Ellsler is my partner"
well, JEFF old fellow" as il he had
known me all his life, "I'll be frank with
you. Here | am, a star in search Of a man.
ager"
"Well, said, 81 will DO frank with you.
l am a manager in search of a STAR
"CaDitall' said he. "Will dog
"Will you doc You are the very man, y
replied.
"Hurrah! We will play BOX and Cox
together" IAen throws1g his arms around