The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-14
JEFFERSON TALKS STAGE.
THE VETERAN ACTOR At THE NINE
TENTH CENTURY CLUE.

~ M AO1Or NJ n nLNE@
TENTH CENTURY CLUB.
------a---
He Entertains the Member with Anecdotes
OF Hia Personal Experiences and Gives
.rnis Views OF the American Drnna-Iuter-
estinE stories or sothern and the Booths.
Joseph jefferson last evening delighted mem.
bers and friends OF the Nineteenth Century
Club, who came to Sherry's in such large num-
bors that the carriages blocked tho street out
side and the guests crowded the ballroom.
President Taylor, In introducing Mr.. Jefferson,
said:
We have with us tonight. i think I may
say, the ono man of tho nineteenth century
who, in his own person and character, repre-.
sents all that is highest and best and noblost on
the American stage. Behind the character Of
RIP Pan Winkic we have recognized tho warm.
generous heart of an American gentleman and
actor"
while it is pleasant to know that one has
succeeded in art" Mr.. Jefferson began, at IL
very embarrassing to DO SO respectable. Thank
you for this welcome. There Is nothing 30 VOL
como to an actor rs a good round of applause.
Applause shows that l am welcome and gives
mo time to think Of what I am going to say. Not
that I am unpreparcd," no added. "for prcpara-
ton to me Is almost q second nature"
Preparation. Mr.. Jefferson said was necessary
W. $50 wv N''a So WV SShhNh y AoD Oehr
and then he told an anecdotc of Florence and
himself Just before they separated. I'VE Or
ranged our little extemporaneous wit" he
said, ready for q speech when they should
call us before the curtain. He was to say
something, and I was to come forward and reply
to 1t, with O surprised expression. as though I
had ne yer heard It before. The act closed, the
curtain fell. and they never called us out at all.
But you see the yaalue Of preparation"
appear conscious of the humor of his lines. Not
by the turn Of an eye, no said. must tho grave.
a1ss Snm la Of a@ Whss ts seSw sa eRy i HPsp tSon acted d
tho part OF the gruvediggers. and said that ho
Miss Isabel Hapgood asked Mr.. Jefferson IL
military dramas based on incidents of our Civil
she, such a thing as an American drama T.
There have been a great many American
Jefferson said. There is one in this City which
I have. not seen. Shore, Acres that I under
MaPS i Tw yGTy successful stoSs !pu 4 aP5fSy fSn1 %iI.oS on
which I have seen. Is a very excellent drama.
Bronson Howard wrote some American plnys,
and The Henrietta a most excellent play. Tho
American drama has greatly improved in my
S West stun ever SeTi put ton on hostage stSse. 'i i don't a mem.
ton names, because some of the heirs, admin
i%strators, and leg9tees may be here tonight"
and Edwin Booth.
81 remember both men very well" he said.
both were very great actors, surprisingly diff
ferent in methods. form and beauty. but both
powerful and effective. acted the Duke 81
w wSeh w Mas 8 t esars s ois. I BS9ah as as J ksf&sr Sr1 mf;
IN "A New Way to Pay, Old. Debts and
In other plays J. was with him.. His son is well
and honored, and | need not speak
Of him. While not SO scholarly as his father.
he was a more agreeable actor. because person
on. the stage. which depends 80 much on the
inimitable."
one, and then said no would like to boar what
Mr.. Jefferson would say as to the INTERPRETATION
Of actors on the stage at tho same time in q
Mr.; Jefferson said that many years ago Glider
ark, Glider playing as ono of tho villagers in tho
mountain scene-"two parts to my one. as he
says. l was happy to receive any local talent
at that time. l told him then that he was tho
best yillager and the worst demon that I ever
The audience seemed to enjoy this and gave
Mr.. Glider a good laugh.
., sSomes one asked Nj Je TTen.son opinion s Of tho
trio comedian. 1.-THE best OF his day,
T Tss 7 taa answ With hi w %r. t 5sircf 9Fisin n%l
ded. Everybody said when he took Dundrearv
70 London that It would be a failure. that the
it meant somebody else"
Frank Damrosch diseoursed on music, and
as to whether Americans were musical. We
had the German mAnnerchors and Italian
Almost all of our musical culture had
come, thus far. from without. Not in
all the world was there n moro hyper
critical audience than in the city of Now York,
he said. because of the great range of musical
productions here and the fact that New York
had heard the best the world had produced. But
Americans had done very little as q nation to
show that as a nation they were musical. Tho
Italians, in a land where nature was so good to
them and who wore careless of tho morrow,
were happy, and, like children when they
were happy. wanted to sing about it. And tho
Germans likcd the fields and the woods and
liked to sing of their delight. We could not lay
claim to such q natural method of the growth
of music within us. Americans had come here;
not as children. but pretty well grown. and
found hard work ready ut thoir hand.
but we have made progress, he said, IF
we have not an American race, we have at least
an American ideal and an American duty. and
from these we may hopeto develop an American
art, an American music. and an American abil-
ity of performance of the desires that will have
upgTown within u.s."