Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-23

abeth Fisher, at the request OF William
Winter, furnished the following inter-
esting recollections; He was won
derfully precocious child, and when o
little more than two years old gave an
imitation of Fletcher, the statueman,
that was, indeed, an astonishing feat
His grandmother CHANGED to notice the
child in a corner OF the room trying
this experiment.; she called him to her
side and found that he had got all the
business of the statues, though he
could not have pronounced the name OF
one OF them. She made him a dress
similar to that worn by Fletcher, and
he gave these limitations upon the stage
In Washington when only three years
old. Rice came to Washington to sing
his Jim Crow songs. Little Joe caught
them up directly, and, in his baby voice,
sang the songs, although he could pot
correctly pronounce the words that be
sang. A taste for drawing and paint
ing showed itself at an early age. Ny
father could not keep his drawing box
away from him. His almost daily salu'
tation would be, Joe, where's my paint?'
IT'S gone the child would reply.
Yes, sir, l know it's gone; but where,
where?' Him lost would be Jde's
reply. yes, sir, l know it's lost
and gone; but how and where?' The
boy would look up roguishly and say,
Him hook 'em;' and then his grand
father would prophesy what great
artist that child would some day be-
come, and say that he was the greatest
boy in the world and let him destroy
any amount OF anything he chose. The
inheritance OF talent was never more
clearly shown In the case OF the present
Joseph jefferson; his habits, his tastes,
his acting-all he is and does, seems
Just reiteration of his grandfather. ="
The latter, admired as an actor and es-
teemed as a man, died Ia 1928, when
his grandson was only four years old.
THE wANDERINGs OF A YOUTHFUL ACTOR.
When Joseph Jefferson was nine years
old he went with his parents to Chicago,
then an uncouth and struggling West
ern village. The Jeffersons journeyed
from New York to Buffalo on canal
boat, and from Buffalo on steamer
through the lakes. For several years
they Wandered faom place TO place. Civ
Ing dramatic performances. The life OF
an actor on the road is hard one, even
in these times Of palace cars and
other aids to comfort, but in those
days it was species OF refined tor
ture, lightened though 1t was by
the amusing and often grotesque ex-
periences of which he has given US such
delightful recollectlons in his autobio-
graphy. The father died OF yellow
fever at Mobile, in 1912, and seven years
later, the mother, woman OF fine char
acter and unusual talent as an actress,
also passed away.
Young Jefferson's progress in his art
was slow but steady, and before he was
Booth, Macredy and other famous stars.
At the opening OF the Mexican war he
Joined a strolling company, managed by
q man named Hart, and, following in
the wake OF the American army, acted
IN the old spanish theatre In Matamoras
In the spring Of 1916. The company
prospered amazingly until the army
advanced into the interior OF
Mexico, leaving all civilians behind,
and then, for the want Of patronage, it
was forced to dIsband. Thrown upon
his own resources, and with only few
dollars in his pocket, young Jefferson,
with q fellow actor, opened stall for
the sale of coffee and cakes in the cor
DER Of a gambling hell The profits of
this venture were large and the partners
saw fortune almost within their grasp,
bat one night there was a fight in\the
gambling house; their coffee boiler vas