The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-04
He pENlERABL|E DEAN
OF THE -
AMERICAN STAGE.


OF course I was stage manager
cy right OF possession and had 10 compile
All Of The plays. The plots We're very sim
PIE and made to conform with what set
pieces We could get a. or what properties
We could secure and hide during the ao-
sence OF the property man. II the set cot
fage was handy would come OUT OF the
coor as an old man tine age represented by
spinal anection1 with a Gaugaier and
market basket. old man cross. daughter
rebsiious old man locks daughter In cot
tage, goes of 70 market, shaking his fist
tsplne still weak. The favored lover en-
tiers, cIaps his hands three times daugh-
ter appears at window kisses her hand:
old man coughs outside; favored lover con-
csats himself: enter old man with market
basket fun Of gi.de6 pasteboard gobless, az
companied by untavorea lover; they sit
down and drink wine out Of goblets TIL
overcome. Favored lover steals key from
old mans pocket releases reoellous iaugh-
ter: the sieepers awaken: general pursuit;
favored lover and rebe.lious daughter es-
CAPE over bridge: Old man and unfayored
lover fat into the water. Curtain
In such manner were spent the early days
OF Joseph jefferson. Whenever a child was
wanted on the stage little Joe was appro-
priatsiy dressed and decorated aid brought
forth His frst active appearance on the
boards however. was with that once Illus
trious knight of the burnt cork. T. d. Rice
who Delighted our grandtathers with his
then famous jim Grow sketches and
dances. The little Joe had beheid these
wonderful dances and had learned to irui-
tate THEM. One day the comedian himself
caught the child at his mime;lc perform
ance and stralghtway insisted on his ap-
pearance In public The child was put in a
big bag and carried on the stage by Jim
Crow. where during one OF the comedian .
jigs he was dumped on; head first before
the eyes Of the astonished house. Then the
little child of years. dressed and disguised
exactly as the big comedian. danced and
sang In turn with his large confrere The
experiment was great success Pennies
sixpences and shiilings showered down on
the stage. and little Joe secured some 81
a short time afterward the tiny actor
was taken TO New York. where he appeared
iu most wonderful combat scene. This
scene represented an American sailor as
yanquishing and planting his victorious
foot on Il Creek pirate at the same TINA
exultingiy waving a star spansled banner
above his own head.
Irelands Records Of the New York
Stage contain the following notice Of this
dramatic performance. which notice, by the
way. must have been the first press criti-
cism layisaed upon the aspiring young
comedian:
Master TTtus. whose songs and dances
were much applau6ed. took a benefit on the
soth, when he appeared with Master JOS
eph jefferson I'm a celebrated combat, 1t
being this lads first appearance out Of the
Juvenile SUPPLEMENTARY ranks. This little
fellow was the grandson OF the great come
dian Of the same name and Is the third
Joseph Jefferson known 10 our stage. He
was born at Philadelphia February 90 1929 -
In 1898. few years after his New York
debut little Joe. with his father and his
mother, who was likewise disciple OF
Thespis started out from Albany for a
theatrical tour OF the West. The family
was in straitenea circumstances, and in
those days journey from the East to Chi
cago was no Insignificant venture. During
their adventurous trip to the West they led
the life of the od-fashoned English stroll
ing players. giving performances In the dif-
ferent towns as they went through the
country. sometimes with success and some
times with dismal failure. At Buffalo the