Sunday Washington globe., 1901-12-29
A NOBLE SON
James K. Hackett's Beautiful
Devotion to His Mother.
A STORY OF THE STAGE
More Eleyating In Morality Than All
the Utterances OF the Pulpit-The
Practical Lesson Tanght the Youth
OF America by the Life Of this Great
Artist-Death Alone Can Separate
Mother and Son

James x Hackett may or may not be as
great in Don Caesar's Return, from the ar
tistic point Of view as the late Salvini but
that he has other attributes which dis
tinguish him in this age Of irreverence and
cynicsm we have been made aware by the
merest accident. Among these attributes
is the admirable one of hlial love. In this
particular James K. Hackett has no SUI
perior 10 either artist or citizen of any
vocation. Il he has many equals we will be
pleased aud delighted to know and realize.
Certainly nc more beautiful devotion to a
mother by son has ever come within our
ken or experience.
While playing his recent engagement at
the National Theatre, he was as usual ac-
conpanied by his mother. This venerable
lady instead Of taking her meals at the
Raleigh, where she was stopping, preferred
a restaurant close by, the lady proprietress
of which was an old acquaintance. Noticing
her regular appearance at meals and being
struck with the superior intelligence and
calm repose of features, which while bear
ing the marks Of time, showed unmistak-
ably a long life Of days we'll spent and
nights of serene reposei we inquired of the
probretress;
''Who Is that venerable and digui6ed old
LADY,"
That, sir, is the mother of James K.
Hackett the actor, now playing at the
Natonalp
Bling a regular attendant at the restau-
rant we were acquainted sufficiently with
the lady conducting it to make inquiries
which elected the following beautiful chap
ss,h 49, 4
and his devoted mother:
'Yot know pleasantly began the lady,
that have one son I am making every
sacrifceIt TO educate, keeping him at
I aLsooi2 2Naan' couiu secure him several
nice positions the salary of which I badly
need. But / am determined to educate
him, cost what it will in personal sacrifices.
Now Mrs. Hackett Is aware of this fact and
that is the reason, maybe, why she told me
her history under similar conditions.
When her husband died he left her suf-
fcient to educate James. This she de-
termined to do to the last penny. Like in
my case there were times when tempting
offers we're made of employment for the
boy, but these she resisted, although need
ing his salhry as badly as I do my Carls
The boy James too, like my Carl often be-
sought her TO let him accept a position and
contribute TO their mutual support but to
this she would by no means listen. AS a
boy he early developed penchant for the
stage He would write little plays and
marshal his youthful companions in the
drama, of which, by the way, he always
insisted OF taking the leading role In
fact, there was but one actor, the other
boys and girls filling the thinking parts
AS young Jlmes grew up Mrs Hackett be-
came alarmed at his persistency along
these lines and endeavored to give his mind
direction bwards one of the polite pro-
fessions But James had such evident
talent for his chosen profession and so
many peoIle became aware of it that the
mother, after many struggles against the
inevitable finally consented that James
should prepare himself for the stage Her
great OBJECTION to the profession was her
fear of long periods of separation from her
idolized sDn, and the reputation the stage
had as tending to sap the morals of those
who followed the life of an actor
Her SON however, promised her that she
should always accompany him on his tours,
and this promise or vow he has religiously
observed In short while after his debut
his salary was sufficient to keep them both
comfortably; and they were as happy as a
doting mother and a manly, loyal son could
possibly be on this earth.
AS tine wore on, however, and Mrs
Hackett perceived that James had another
attachment, she secretly grieved that if this
fancy developed into love and marriage,
she would lose her boy, or at least, see the
younger woman fill the place of fellow
traveller and guardian which she so long
occupied to the great actor When the fatal
momeutarrived and James informed her of
his inteided marriage, conditional on her
consent she gave it with a faltering heart
and tears in her eyes. But the noble youth
suspectng the cause, or rather drawing It
out of her inadvertently, assured her that as
long as The lived she should never be sepa-
rated frpm him, but should always, while
she wasable to travel, accompany him on
his starring tours. This vow James K
Hacketthas kept and that is the reason you
find her in my restaurant Wherever her
son is she is close at hand, where he goes
she too, goes; his people and acquaintance
are also known to her and neither wife nor
friend can separate this mother and this
noble son"
And as the lady concluded, with tears in
her eyes she added,
And I know my Carl and will never
be separated.
Surely James K Hackett richly deserves
the esteem in which he is held by the
purest and best Of women and men who
have the pleasure Of his acquaintance.
His wife MARY Manneriugl is fortunate
indeed in possessing the love of such a
man, for 50 devoted a son must assuredly
make a model husband. Mary Mannering
with her own company is having very
successful season, her great talents as an