Evening journal., 1897-04-08
STORIES OF STETsON.
ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING MEN
EVER ~ TIE SHOW BUSINESS.

There is a man bern row and then
with q sort of humorous silver spoon in
his mouth. uninterrupted good fortune
as humorist smiles on him through
life, ard that, too. with no seeming
effort Of his own. He somehow acquires
an early reputation for saying or doing
funny things, which, once gained, Moth
ing can take away. All the jokes in his
line Of his generation, and often some
Of earlier and later generations, are
credited TO him, and nobody cares TO
dispute the honor. Collectors Of jokes
are ready to accept Joe Miller as Joe
Miller, but 10 literary scholar believes
that he originated all the jests in his
alleged book. Anybody can think for
himself Of two or three similar examples
in the present half century, and, even
so. it is not likely that John stotson
ever really said all or half the amusing
things that were attributed to him
They were good stories, some Of them,
and they were told Of Stetson, just as
the story of fiddling while Rome burned
was told of Nero, not because they were
true, but TO show what kind Of man
Stetson was.
The stories which it was thought
proper to fix upon John Stetson were
those which exhibited any bread, COM
prehensive and picturesque ignorance.
He was an ignorant man no doubt-ig-
norant enough, perhaps, to say all the
things that it was ever said that he
said, but the chances are that he did
not say them all But the stories are
none the worse for that. Years ago
Sophocles' "OEdipus Tyrannus" was
played by the students Of Harvard col
lege and excited great comment through
out the country. 1t was discussed one
evening at a dinner at which Stetson
was present, and he cheered the COM
pany by announcing that he had con-
tracted with Sophocles for the writing
of a new play to be produced by him
the following season.
This story belongs in the same class
rs a somewhat more elaborate one.
Stetson once took possession of new
theater and discovered in the lobby a
picture that did not meet his artistic
taste. "Take that picture down, " he
said
"But, Mr. Stetson, somebody re-
monstrated, that picture was painted
by Michael Angelo.
Michael who:" said Stetson.
Michael Angelo. "
"Well, take it down., said Stetson,
land discharge Angelo l won't have
any Of these foreign scene painters
around my thoater; I'm going TO en-
plOy Americans
This so amused those who heard it
that they at once told the incident 70
friends OF Steison and themselves, and
among thom was Jack Havcrly, the
famous negro minstrel manager Eav-
erly did not laugh when be heard it,
hut simply looked puzzled. He thought
for few moments, and then q faint
smile came into his face, and be said.
"Oh. yes, see; there ain tho such per.
son as Michael Angelor
This answer was thought gocd enough
10 take back to Stetson, who, it was as
sumed must have taken pains in the
meantime to inform himself Of the his
tory of art sufficiently to understand it.
what do you think, Stetsong" said his
friend 1--WE have told Jack Haverly
what you said about Michael Angelo,
and he said, Oh, l see; there amt no
uch person as Michael Angelon "
Stotson looked blank in his turn for a
moment and then received his own little
illumination as to the humor Of the
thing why, the ignorant old fool,
ne said; "of course he ought TO have
said, There isn't any such person as
Michael Angelo
This story again recalls another with
a similar touch in it, The conversation
once turned on clever passage in W
} Florence's old play, "The Mighty
Il Dollar, in which Bardwcll SlOat ex
poses his ignorance by referring to &
hackman whom he had encountered il
Venice "Yes, said Stetson, 'that il
clever; of course they don't have hack
IN Venice; it's such a slow place they
don have anything but omnibuses anS
mule carts This fable found its wa,
INTO priut again only few weeks be
fore Mr. Stetson S death.
what do you think Of So-and-so?
Stetson asked of friend, naming on
of the actors of his company. He mean
to ask what his friend thought of tn
way the actor was playing the part il
which he was then engaged, but tn
3 friend supposed that he meant to as
y what manner of man he thought him
So he answered, "Ho's well enough
only he seems to me to be a little to
pedantic
This struck Stetson as good word
and he stored it up in his memory fo
future use. A few days later, when h
{ met the actor, he said, Il was in iron
S watching you last night and though
:. you didn't play that part quite as Pc
+ dantic as you usually do.
c Sometimes Mr. Stetson's expression
= amounted to epigrams. II Will be +,
membercd that when Gilbert and Sull
van S 1.-The Goadoliers" was first don
in this country at the New Park theatei
now the Herald Square. it was a drea,
ful failure. It was clearly and obviou