The St. Louis Republic., 1903-10-27
Mr.. JOSEPH JEFFERSON'S
RIP VAN WINKLE.'

As one bv one the years are added to
the sum of life m old play ami a venerable
player recur TO Us, as II now and th'n
We summoned hack n dear familiar dream
or recollection. as II we dwelt upon som"
old and faded picture of the plst-faded
and still fading
II IS upon the Rip Van WinklH'' % YES
terlay that We look. and upon IN" actor
of yesterday. OF many yesterdays. Vet of
to-day. too. and. We hope. of many to-
morrgws
II was never n great play. and. 60 be
sure. II isn't a great play now. "a bit be-
dimmed and subdued. but il has worn
we'll Ike many an old poem that WIS
never classic: and to the AmcricaI play
E"cr Il Is as dear as a tradition u We're
almost sacrilsre TO see its faults. and W
view IL s,utimeutally. much as We smil.'
a fearful Indulgence upon the precious old
NaEahuud sHSldycd 90 his SrhudppS.
Seemingly. 10 WIS the same old scenery
Ar- Jefferson Wgs never much Tor EettlnE
new settings: and it - apprupritt" tnat
old PLAYS should wear old uuv>-'Ntu lp
the same Old chalk marks on the tavern
single unnecessary stick OF chalk ~ as
these decades. And they We're the same
Old characters. some ~ thrin Nt1s i.It,Ns,s
by new people. but they acted Just Ike
the OLD OueS-uO better and hardly any
worse. well enough. hut none too good
And Mr.. jefferson PLAYS his part As 81
wore. 'SuitiuE the action 10 the Wori.
the word to the action. with this special
observance, that he uygr~teTs not the
moiesty Of nature Last cyeninE -. ~
things. not the least " which was Mr.
Jofersun's speech at IN" conclusion.
which sent the fond audience home
thinking perhaps. on life and on the
stage unon which zone man in his time
plays many parts his acts being seven
ages and glad that eth" last scene "t
all. that ends this strange. cyentful his
toTy.' had been deferred 50 long In the
ease Of our venerable and still charming
Mr.. Jefferson.
The Pot and the Kettle" pIaylet by
Oliver White. son Of Porter White the
vseII-known ST. Louis architect. Is again
being presented at the Columbia by En-
NETT Corrican and his company. i is a
mos; divertinE little concc!t The prin-
ciUaI character proves to he "A genie
man burglar. who invadCs a friend
apartments after his diamond The
rrGrkemau's adventures there with little
EraEs the sneak thief. is like scene
from Sherlock Holmes. only the nero i
Muriarity instead Of detective.
Billy CLIFFORD. great iaEgrlie az ine
Columbia. tells new Jokes and jcsts with
the audience in his seemly way HIS
songs. though. are absurd and without
CTfgrd can sing and knows sc-oral
things about music. and how he selected
such a sad affair as AT the Se3Shnre.
his openinl. number. Is one 81 tho things
that cannot be explained. Notwithstard-
ing this crtIdity. however. the act Is one
OF the best on the list The Clinoru stage
presence and chappie makeup are still 10
the good.
Mr. and Mrs Mark Murphy offer
comedy bv the author % Foxy Grandpa,
called Why DOoEan SwOre Df-
The other entertainers ar" swan ana
Ramhard. acrobatic performers: De Van
Sisters. in "a ladder specially. Lanp, the
rnarician: Kennedy and Rooney. dancing
due: Meredith Sisters. character change
artists. Martin and RiiEeway. wire walk
crs: Holmes and Waldron. Stiuson and
Merton.