The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-05

I Would my father could havs lived unti
the Queen made her last visit 10 the Emer
aid Isle. when she consented to tie wearing
of the shamrock, and. as the royal part!
landed from the Albert Victoria. her Ma
jesty's yacht, at the dock, the Dragons
Fusileers and Lancers were Drawn up II
full uniform to salute their ruler; sprg o.
shamrock was on every breast: while tn,
first melody that greeted the Queen wa,
my fathers old song
THE Wearing OF the Green"
Now here is a curious coincidence.
For the last time her Majesty attended q
theater It was to witness q Performance Of
my fathers THE Colleen Bawn," and he
has told me how an equerry brought word
TO the Queens box that the Duchess OF
Kent, her mother. was dying.
Immediately following the decease Of her
mother came the demise OF the Prince Con-
sort. From that time to her death she
never put her foot in q theater.
1 cannot conceive anything more brilliant
IN the matter Of brains than 1 rave seen
gathered together on a Sunday evening IN
the house In London where I was born.
With a little sharp eyed Irishman presid-
Ing at the feast. / have eeen there at va
rious times Patti. Sir Jules Benedict, BaIfe,
blanche. II. J. Byron. Toole, Irving. Terry,
Jefferson. Booth, Florence, Mccullough.
Sarah Bernhard. De NaJac, Paul du
Chaillu. Sir Henry Ponsonby, chamberlain
to the then Prince Of Wales. Charles Lamb
Kenny, Sothern. Adelaide Nelson, Lanstry,
Dickens Charles Reade. Sir Frederick
Leighton.
Actors. artists. musicians, travellers Dip
lomats. met there as on common ground.
h a pot-pourn OF intellect was there,
Would that 1 had been Of an age to ep-
preciate it,
STARTED JEFFERSON
ON TO FORTUNE.
Tar1r h.- nfz- n-
on the English speaking world In more WAYS
than one, and as for the debt the theater
owes him. 1t seems that at this tardy time
words cannot frame a tribute that would
suggest a manner in which a 1.-THE Of Il
can be repaid to his genius.
1 am not speaking now as q son, but as
an actor. him Of the men Dion Bouci-
cault has made! Then dean Of our American
professionally. joseph J~enerson-owes q
great measure OF his success TO this man,
by which / do not wish to pose as decrying
MI. Jenerson's art as an actor.
Jefferson" my father told me. was
STOCK actor at the Winter Garden IN 1Ss.
where he originated his since famous role of
Caleb Plumme in The Cricket on the
Hearth The same year he played Newman
Noggs In Nicholas Nickleby.' and after
ward a role in The octorocn.'
1t was that very year that Jerrson read
Irv1ngs legend Of Rip Van Wrinkle. II had
been used for stage purposes in an old. dis
?olnted version. Jefferson rearranged Il, bet
II was not a great success. Jefferson went
TO Australia and after playing there went
to England.
The adaptability OF the character of Rip
van Wrinkle still stuck In his mind, not
Mlthstanolng ne had failed with It 80 far.
he talked the matter over with me with
the result that I went over the version, re-
writing much Of It and r~earranging the
-Jenerson presented my revision before he
ieIt London with q success that was abso-
luteiy startling. What Rip Van Wrinkle
has been IN his career now Is a matter OF
theatrical history" Everything NV fathers
nand touched seems to have turned into
gold-for others.
HOW HE DISCOVERED
SIR HENRY IRVING.
Think OF those who made their first rue
In my fathers playsi Charles Thorne
md Smart Rnhann -arn A-.a .----A. -.