The herald., 1896-02-13
JOE JEFFERSON AT THM SOUTH
Experiences Of the Great Actor In Char
lesion Forty Years Ago.

lesion Forty Years Ago.
Joseph Jefferson passed through Atlan-
ia on Thursday on his way to Louisiana
for a pleasure trip, and was, Of course,
captured by the reporters for the Com
stitution. In the course Of Mr.. Jeffer.
sons talk he gave little sketch Of his
southern experiences in the f1fties,
II always like to come to Atlanta" he
said. "You know one Of my children was
born in Georgia. That was before your
time, my boy. Yes, that was back In
the fifties, before the war You see,
Johnny Ellsler and myself were down
this way playing, transforming it was,
and were not having much luck. We
had been with a stock company at Char
lesion, and when it closed down wa
struck out on our own line. We tried
Savannah, Macon and Ausgusta in Geor-
gia. painted some of the scenery and
John looked after the front Of the house
and did turn or two ON the stage. We
did not find it a profitable venture and
went back to Savannah. While there
we got in correspondence with Sir Will
liam Don, an English baronet, who had
come over to this country with excellent
letters and desire to play. To tell the
truth, Sir William was not a remarkable
player, except at the tables. His money
went in gaming. He came to Savan-
nah from Charleston. I met him one
day walking up Bull street, and al
though had never seen him I felt that
it was Don. After he passed turned
to watch him, and found that he had
turned to watch me. We then approach
ed, and inquired il he were not Sir Will
liam Don. He replied that his name was
Don, and asked whether 1 We're Jeffer-
son or Ellsler. We made an arrange
ment with him and sent over for his
baggage, which the hotel had held for his
bill.
don had been in poker game on the
ship coming down and was financially
embarrassed during his stay in Charles
ton. Ellsler and l played Sir William
at the old Savannah theater, and such
brilliant audience I had never before
seen. Indeed, have never seen one
since which impressed me more than
that one did. The reason probably was
that the receipts at the box Office were
great beyond anything in our existence.
The ladies in the audience that night
wore the old rose cut diamonds which
sparkled, and to Ellsler and me they
seemed to be as big as apples. The
grand danes were not, and the aristo-
cratic old gentlemen in their stiff neck
wear. nodded in lordly fashion from box
to box. Yes. sir, that audience was pic
ture, and the receipts put Ellsler,, Don
myself on our financial feet. We played
Sir William two or three engagements
in Savannah. and with great success,
for he presented his letters of introduce
ton, and all the grand people of the city
sought him and went to see him play.
That was the first real big success which
we had ever met"
The John Ellsier referred to by Mr..
Jefferson is the father of Ef11e Ellsler.
He is still alive and acting, or was up to
year or two ago, out on the road, with
his daughter. Mr.. Jefferson was accom-
panied by one Of his sons and some
grandchildren and ladies. They were
going down to his plantation in Louis
lana, where the comedian will enjoy
few weeks hunting and fishing. He was
travelling in a compartment car and was
ticketed through from New York to New
Orleans.-Atlanta Constitution.