The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

lnstinc1ively-I had been TO The Old
Homestead the night before put out
my hand to prevent Denman Thomp-
son from walking into the elevator
shaft as We went roofward al his hotel
tfle other day. II was all Mr. Thomp-
sons fault The apple-cheeked. blue
eyed old gentleman who met me in the
little reception noom at-the Palace was
Joshua Whitcomb 10 the life. and most
of US know how much the old hcrne-
steader knows about elevators. Yet,
like Whitcomb. ] soon found that the
mild. wondering eyes Of Mr. Thompson
are as shrewdly observant as they are
kind that the elevator is no more a
strange beast TO him than to you and
me.
.Withal, it is not for nothing that a
man plays the same character for
twenty-nine years. as Denman Thomp-
son has played Joshua whitcomb. The
actor has preserved the same buoyant
interest in life as the old cOuntryman;
his outlook has the same quaint. fresh,
shrewd sweetness; his cheek even the
sun-bOrn rosiness Of Whitcomb's-
ever he has managed it. One wonders,
aprOpOs. just what effect a twenty
nine year course of Ghosts" for ex-
ample, would have had on the Oswald
of the cast
AIr. Thompson was for chatting in
the reception room, but ] decided for
the palm-set Veranda on the sixth floor,
at the instigation of my Photographic
accomplice.
L. Of
snap?" the actor asked. as We informed
him Of our pictorial intentions. be
cause 7 have refused TO be photo
araphed SO many times. And I don't
want 10 hurt any one. Why. it is years
and years since I was photographed.
T couldn't go TO any gallery, you know"
he was told that he would not have
20 pose. that he need not be cognizant
of the proceedings at all. and that we
should be greatly favored If he would
simply permit the photographer within
swapping distance.
Wen I guess you have your living TO
set same as me-" he put it WhitcOmbly,
and you amt always got the choice Of
how TO git ii. Come along, boy
The boy" and 7 came along, and
. the next moment were among the
palms Of the top story.
wonderful place this" the old gen
tleslan began. looking up at the big
Eirders of the glass roof. Never been
beat Tt was built just two years when
] came here first. They thought it a
dazzlin' place then. Twas a wonder,
t00-way out here so far from any
thing. Like the railroads. Those men
deserved all they got. They put every
bean they owned into the roads. Every
time I cross those deserts comm out
here / wonder more how they had the
: courage 10 lay those tracks"
That's a long time ago, Mr. Thomp-
SON"
I came here first in rs" the actor
supplied. Been playin' joshua for
twenty-nine years. Quite a record"
He put up a proud finger here-that
looked curiOusly more used TO the feel
Of -four than Of a hares foot-then
went on. 7 was in Joshua WhitcOmb'
then. The Old Homestead is a sequel
play
sAnd before that. Mr.. Thompson?"
"Oh. everything" the veteran player
replied He has the gentle drawl Of
Whitcomb. the quaint lift Of the voice
at the end Of the sentence. Yes. sir;
I could show you a playbill where
PLAYED Uncle Tom in 1855. and Paddy
Mvles in The Limerick Boy at the
end Of the evening. Not 10 speak'-
with a soft chuckle-"of dancing a
hornpipe between pieces. And
T'u tell YOU I'M a minute who was in the
company with me. Just wait. I'll re-
member soon.
The placid old face takes on a far
away look as Mr.. Thompson "remem-
bers" ] find later that to the actor
there are Just two kinds Of people
those that are living and those that are
dead. II is a little shivery. But he has
recalled his man. The actors memory
is indeed a truly notable one. His
gentle wrinkles deepen as he says.
slspping the arm Of the velvet couch
he Is seated upon:
Jim Warwick's the man. He came to
Calfforny afterward, and represented
somewhere or other for a long time in
the LEGISLATURE. He was j. H War
wick then. look you. But he was Jim
when we were playing together. He's
living. Jim is a newspaper correspond
ent in Brooklyn. y. Y, now. writing
under the nom de plume Of Broad
brirns You must know him. But 1
tell YOU the scene between Henry Hop
bfns and me in the play amt circum-
stance TO when Jim and / get to-
gether."
Mr. Thompson. would you please
lift your hand again as you did little
zvhile ago?" this. rashly. from the art
ist.
-eNav boy" Thompson smiled,
'twarnt like me. Anybody seeing a
picture ~ me with those spreadeagle
ways wouldn't know it, You know I'm
"a quiet sort Of hoss. I try TO sit and
walk and talk perfectly naturally off
stage and on. And that's the thing
about plays-the fitness OF things as
colonel IngersoH says. Get a play TO
suit you so that you can be yourself
that you want 10 cry, and kick and