The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-01-12
JOSEPH JEPFERSOyS GENEROSITY.
for The Herald by Joseph
70. Banks.

lHcfe 10 uu iuClucHl IN Ine lie oil Joe
Jefferson that l am sure would have ap-
peared in his memoirs, recently published
in the Century magazine, had not his
modesty excluded any reference to it. 1t
comes naturally in the narrative, because
he gives full particulars OF partnership
that once existed between his father and
a man named Mckenzie how, while he
was yet child doing juvenile parts, the
company, OF which he WAS u member,
travelled through the Southern states I'M
der the management of this firm, and
finally located permanently in Spring
field, Illinois, where big box which they
called theater was built, with view of
entertaining through the winter months
the legislature and those who attended
that body. He enlivens the story of their
stay in Springfield by showing that when
the house had been built on rented
ground, the last cent consumed, and they
were about ready to give the first per-
formance, every pulpit in the town, I'M
der the inspiration of the redoubtable
Peter Cartwright, presiding elder of the
district, began to thunder against play
houses and play actors. So strong was
the clamor that the city council put the
price of a license high enough to amount
to prohibition. In their distress the pro-
prietors were called upon by very I'M
calmly looking young man, unknown to
them, who said he was a lawyer, loved
fair play, and would il they were willing,
free of charge, present their case to the
council, and secure if possible the repeal
of the obnoxious ordinance. Readily
giving their consent, the awkward young
attorney appeared before the next meet
ing of the city fathers and presented their
cause and that Of the stage, for he
sketched his story from the time Thespis
acted in cart to that day, so clearly, SO
humorously and so effectually, that the
house was in little while open to the
public. The name of this gawky fellow
afterwards became power in the land.
When he died the nation wept, and the
handsome mausoleum now over bis grave
bears the name abraham Lincoln
Jefferson's father died and Mr.. Nc
Kenzie drifted into other connections.
At last he settled in Nashville, Tennessee,
where he was manager of a theater and
stock company. Not being much of a
business man, his venture was failure,
and along in the early.seventies he lived
there, enfeebled and almost in want.
Jefferson, on one OF his first profess
sional visits to the south after the war,
was receiving then, as he has always re-
ceived, the unbounded admiration OF that
people, expressed by overlooking houses.
While in Nashville, I met him, and in
this way.
As boy / used to play in the corridors
OF the big building in which my father,
who was solicitor, had his quarters.
They were adjoining those OF Bates &
Williams, the former of whom has re-
Gently been returned TO the United States
senate from Tennessee. The offices were
connected by folding doors, usually left
apart, 80 that what occurred in one could
easily be seen and heard in the other.
One day while chasing the cat, the COM
mon property of everybody in the block,
l was stopped in full pursuit by a clear
and mellow voice that have loved from
that moment, with "Say, my fine fellow,
can't you show me General Bates Officer"
l pointed out the door, which he entered,
while watched and listened from the
adjoining room. My questioner was a
benevolent looking man with a most
kindly expression. A shade above mid
die height and rather slight in build, with
reddish hair already turning gray, but
whose splendid eyes showed him yet gay
and good for many years of life.
The General was in, and asked his
visitor to take a seat, which he did. In
few moments heard him say, "Why,
this amt old Rip is it?" EYES," re-
piled the stranger, cts the man who
tries sometimes to be Old Rip" True
to southern hospitality, the General at