The morning call., 1890-08-10

Those OF THE CALLS readers who know
Henry Clay Jarrett, the famous mana
ger, know a gentlemanly-lOokin man,
4 few years over the median line of
life, but whose colorless yet interest
ing face is rs yet unwrinkled, whose
eyes are yet bright and laughing, and
in whose ample raYen-blaek ehevelure there
is not intertwined a single gray nair. Per-
hhps it is the amiable nature of the man
and bis sunny temperament that measure
bly, preserve to him in middle age the de-
sirabe physical characteristics that invest
earlier manhood. Jarrett has been a great
traveller in his time, and this frequent
change of climate may also have had some
thing to do with the freshness Of his appear
ance and the activity of his movements.
He is familiar with all the great cities both
Of the Old World and the New, has sailed
on the summer seas in the tropics and
skinned over the fjOrds of Northern Eu-
rope. He is hand-and-glOve with all the
notables of his time. and, as a welcome
guest at the tables of the great ones of
tile earth, ''sits above the salt" He was
among the first of those who sought the
golden west on the Pacific shores in the
days of forty-nine 1t is no wonder, there
fore, that he possesses ''the travelled mind"
which, as Aleott says in his "Table-Talk,"
Is the catholic mind educated from eXclu-
siveness and egotism."
HIS PRESENT VISIT.
Mr.. jarrett has just concluded at the
Baldwin a lucrative five weeks engagement
with the Palmer Company, and when we
dropped in the other day to get some idea
Of the situation, we found the manager in
the best possible health and spirits.
We'll, jarrett, how did this California
experience pan out?" we asked.
More than satisfactory, my boy" was
the brisk answer; but hold. here is a lit
tie dispatch from A. NJ. that tells the whole
story in a nutshell" and he handed over
telegram, which read:
Delighted wiki your success. A. NJ. PALMER.
Being in such a comfortable frame of
mind and disposed TO Chat, Mr.. Jarrett's con-
verSation soon became discursive and from
present business went back to past events
in his managerial career, his manner be-
coming sad and merry by turns, according
to the nature of the incidents on which he
touched. Jarrett is a good talker. lie is
TtpleTe with matter, ana one does not TIRE
of his speech. His mind is like a full caSk
Of generous wine, that viii run wherever
tapped.
LOOKING BACKWARD.
"You may not know" he said. while re-
Prospective air came over his face, that
our family Is a Baltimore one, and Of an
cient Welsh extraction. Jarrett is Cam
brian name. My father was an old
fashioned Wesleyan Methodist, firm and
conscientious in that faith, without being
narruW-minded. When he found l had no
taste for mercantile pursuits, but rather for
theatrical management, lie shook his head
and sighed, but, at the same time, advanced
a sum Of money to help me along IN the
. career ! had chosen. Aud here l cannot re-
fran from telling an incident which may
illustrate his character First, let me
premise that his business was wholesale
clothing. and he sent large invoices Of
goods 10 Africa and South America. From
the former country the ships brought him
back ivory, palm Oil, caln-WoOd and other
realized four profits. These were the old
merchant days, remember, when there was
a chance to speculate; the world was not
tied together by telegraph wires as 1t Is at
present. Well. after | had been embarked
for some time in the managerial business, L
received in New York note from my
sister in Baltimore, telling me father
was acting strangely, and would l
come home and see him. went
at once, and when | saw the old
gentleman rallied him on his diseonsolate
appearance, aud asked what the trouble
was 4 trouble, my son. he replied,
that you cannot alleviate l persisted in
knowing the nature of his secret sorrow,
until l found it was the same that compelled
Antonio to apply to Shyloek for a loan OF
500 ducats-hls ships had not come in :;
both from Africa and South America they
were overdue; and, therefore, my son, he
added, ii | cannot make a payment Of
$4,000 by Monday next shall be a dlShon-
OIed merchant Ten thousand dollars,
p / exclaimed, in feigned amaZement; why,
father, that is a good deal Of money to raise
in a short time. know it, l know it, he
said, despOudingly, turning away his head.
Meantime / had written on sheet OF blank
paper, finding no form handy, a check on
the Chemical Bank, New York, in his favor
for the required amount. When l handed it
to him he regarded il silently for moment,
and then said to me in a repr0acbtul tone,
Henry, my son, did not tnlnk you
would indulge in unseemly leyity at
such a time had some diff
Guilty in convincing the old gentleman
that the check was good for its face, and
that furthermore l would draw him another
for the same amount to provide against
contingencies. lie really had an idea that
| was not worth cent in the world. The
ships came in after some delay, and he
realized more than $4,000 on their cargoes,
and the first thing he did was to remit me
the money | had advanced. All poor old
dad 20 continued Mr. Jarrett, with sus-
pcion Of moisture dimmiag his eyes, "he Is
sleeping the sleep of the Just. Lord, Lord,
what q dyed-in-the-WOol wing he was! l
used to think, when young man, his poll
tics had a firmer hold on him than his re-
,.ligion, strong as was the grasp OF that. He
called me Henry Clay, after his earthly
god, and when Harry Of the West was de-
feated for the Presidency, l do not eXag-
gerate when | say my father was IN tears
for nearly two hours after the news came.
MANAGERIAL VENTURES.
'0f course, you know all about my sub
.seQuent career as a manager, especially the
strike made when ] was In partnership with
Henry ID. Palmer and William WheatleY in
Barras Black Crook which Melted us
S110O,000 in run of seventeen months?
BarTas received $50 per week for his share,
made 100000 in royalties outside of New
York, and afterward broke his neck by a
misstep on a railroad bridge in Connecticut.
By the way, he had brother in this city, q
butcher by trade, who Inherited all his
money. 1t is a curious fact that when Bar
Tas called on us with his play we were
about putting piece Of similar character
on the stage, made up by group OF spec,
1acular works, with extracts from ,Undlne
and Der FreschutZ for {. base IL was
fortunate thing for BarraS that MS COM
position suited our bumor at the Time. l
need not say how lucky The Crook proved
for ourselves. That has gone into history.
The fast train business, too, caused little
talk, when / brought Lawrence Barrett here
in lightning time over the Central Paclhc
Railroad from New York TO play Henry
the Fifth against George RigDold-leavng
New Ork on the 1st day Of June, 1876 Qhe
Centennial year, and arriving on the 9TH
exact time days IL hours and % minutes.
This WAS a trim. hoWayer nv which we had