Omaha daily bee., 1891-02-08
JEFFERSON AND FLORENCE.
They Pay Pleasant Visit to the Home
of The Bee.


Those two influential agencies in the1life of
the day-the press and the stage-were
brought in pleasant iuxtaposition last even
ing when Mr. Joseph jefferson, Mr. William
Florence and Mr. Thomas jefferson paid
visit to The BEE building, upon invitation OF
MIR Rosewater, to witness that most inter-
esting OF real dramas-the telling of the his
tory of the world for a day as presented and
made up in the modern newspaper, itself the
triumph and epitome Of the civilization ana
progress of the world.
The relationship o between stage and press,
between drama and literature, has always
been more or less intimate since Richard
Brinsley Sheridan or Shakespeare himself
and they are united in both Mr. jefferson and
Mr.. Florence who, besides being the repre-
sentative comedians of the American stage,
have written two very delightful books, the
former, "Jeffersons Autobiography and
the latter, "F'orcnce's Fables" which have
enriched the literature OF the stage.
1t was after the performance last night OF
''The Heir at Law" that Mr. Jefferson and
MIR Florence, when hundreds OF people were
still laughing over the comedy that is played
too rarely, were shown the building hich Is
the home of THE OMAHA BEE by the editor
himself acting as guide and mentor
There was nothing that escaped the atten-
tion of the distinguished guests, and 1T was
easy to see that it is this broad, deep, intense
interest in active affairs outside the realm In
which they are engaged that has made
them the actors they are, and which
enable them to strike so many
chords of popular appreciation There was
not a nook or corner of the editice from the
composing and stereotyping rooms on the
sixth floor to the press room on the ground
floor that escaped their notice, The court
was a wonder to them, the business Office a
matter Of surprise, the press room revela-
tion that so complete an establishment could
exist in city that twenty-five years ago had
hardly five thousand people.
There was nothing quite so delightful as To
see Billy Florence walk up to case in the
composing room and commence to name over
the boxes, showing that some time during
his life he had learned the art of type setting,
and his knowledge of stereotyping showed
that he was no tyro in that branch Of daily
newspaper.
After the guests had been shown all the
workings from the editorial rooms to the
ground floor they were given a little dinner
| in the French restaurant adjoining, Mr..
Rosewatcr occupying the head of the table,
| Mr.. jefferson to his right aud Mr.. Florence
| to his left, Mr.. Tom Jefferson and the
dramatic editor completing the quintette,
| menu being as follows:
Oysters ON Half Shells,
Omelettc au Rum,
Sweet Bre ads with Mushrooms,
Filet MiguOn, French Peas,
Cheese, Fruits.
For an hour the guests discussed the menu
| and indulgcd in delightful observations upon
many subjects from Voltaire and Shakes
peare and the late war and the part Mr.
| Rosewater played in it, to the modern drama
| end it's decline.
| twas so delightful visit that undoubt
| edly the guests who We're present will rever
| to it very pleasantly in years to come