The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-25
conversationalist and alI-aronnd amiable
fellow, whom l invited to call on me
Joseph Keppler.


fellow, whom l invited TO call on me
occasionally.
Zone vear.ha passed. l had forgotten
the young Nlennese variety artist entirely,
when, going to answer my doorbell in
Hamburg one day, j saw d man before me
with black curly hair and mustache. a
small vaIise in his right hand, looking at
me apparently expecting 80 be recognized.
Failing 10 do so. had to ask for his name.
Why, don't you know me? l am
Kepper,' he answered, with blush.
"Keppier was welcomed and invitedIinto
the house. After dinner he began to talk
about his plan of crossing the ocean 10 try
his good luck in the United States, where
he expected TO do we'll as an actor, not
having had a good chance at it IN the old
country.
Having been made acquainted with his
circumstances and that they would not
permit him TO travel otherwise than as an
emigrant. | wrote letter to my friend,
Senator GodefrOy, the president of the
Ham burg-American Steamship Company,
asking him for pass to New York.
'Godefr0y complied with the request,
giving expression TO the hope that Mr.
Keppler wouldn't spare efforts to enter
tain the passengers on the steamer to the
best OF his ability.
'sThe young man sailed with my best
wishes for his welfare. and while on board
the Hammonia Captain SchwepsoD) musl
have been surprisingly entertaining. In
letter l received few weeks later Sena-
tor GodefrOy expressed his thanks to me
for the recommendation, saying that pas
sengers had never before spoken kinder
words about tellow-traveler than they
had spoken of the brilliant entertainer,
Keppler.
For eight years no tldings of the where
ab0uts of my friend came in until 1876
Il had been rather fortunate in the posi-
ton Of director of Waltersdorff Theater
in Berlin, especially with the creation of
the role of Pinnsberg, and had become
very popular. when | received packag
mailed in New York. containing a copy of
a paper called Puck and letter signed
Joseph Keppier'
In very appreciative terms he reminded
me OF the good service | had done him in
Hamburg and called my attention 10 the
pictures accompanying a humorous arti-
Gle about Berlin. representing me in the
character Of Pinneberg, special design
for this number of Puck.
Again ten years had passed when I
crossed the ocean myself to fill an engage
ment with the Thalia Theater in New
York.
Between the first and second acts of my
first appearance in that city gentleman
entered my dressing-rOom, distinguished
in manners. the dark hair somewhat sill
vered, with mustache curled in half
Hungarian, half Turkish style. Without
utterlng a word he looked at me, and the
same kind of scene took place tbs had
previously occurred In Hamburg [ did
not recognize him right off, but soon tum-
bied to the fact that the visitor must be
my friend. Keppler.
latter an exchange of hearty words of
greeting Keppler gave vent to sigh and
said:
thing now worth haying-a handsome
wife. charming children, lots of money I;
but one ambition of my life has never been
realized ! desire to become an actor Of
reputation And the man who had
gained the name of being the most bril-
liant cartoonist of America looked into my
eyes sadly and drearily.
How we'll have been received by his
family and many friends in New York l
can hardly describe. KepDler's home was
most luxuriously and Iastefully furnished
and decorated. Rare works OF art, g0T-
eeous draperies, everything in the house,
gave evidence of his exquisite sense OF
beauty.
"Ihe coffee after dinner was served In
room fitted up entirely "a la Turk There
we sat upon divan with our legs crossed,
slipped the mecca and smoked the mar
gileh,' or a Turkish cigarette, while
Kepper told us of his earIy experience In
the United States
He described how he tried to be a sue
cess as an actor, veterinary surgeon !;
how he expected TO make great money on
patent for new kind of shoe blackipg.
until his talent for drawing and caricatnr.
ing was utilized.
"Havng been stage-struck to such an
extent he never thought OF bringing this
artistic ability of his into practical use.
'In Vienna as a young fellow he had
done considerable work in the line of
wood-engraving for the Kikeriki, the lead
ing humorous paper at the Austrian me-
tropois in the sixties aud Sc venties, but
the mechanical work had not suited him
at ALL
Good fortune had finally brough. him 10
contact with Schenck q SchwarZmann
clever journalists and publishers, who's