The Florida star., 1905-05-05
STORIES OF JEFFERSON
Veteran Actors First Use of His
Rare Gifts.
ANYTHING EXPERIENCE III LosDok

Dfs % Eaesasessss Assisw Thae Drew
q Crows aaa Blsekea q ssress-Wfs-
AZ nepsy rass Brs.shs De,sa the
ne~se Dsrt.s . Perfsrnaaes Of
s<nsp ysa Wfakie--Hsw o straaEep
csse 60 Hfs aesess In q Ressa ara q
Joseph Jefferson, the veteran actor.
practically was born on the stage.
says the New York American The
fertile imagination which earned him
fame In later life was evidenced when
he still wore frOcks- IL used to be one
Of Jefrerson's chief delights in days Of
triumph 10 tell how he first employed
his rare gifts on a Mrs. Joe Neal. a
friend of his mother. In those times.
"a Jefferson frequently told L. he was
continually In deep Insolvency. being
heavily pressed for debt by the cansiy
store man aud the peanut vehder-
So. whenever be wanted a penny. he
would ''iishevei his hair. rush into the
back room aud. sinking down In an
apparently exhausted condition. would
tell q most vivid story nj how be had
saved a little girl from q fTightful
death beneath ths wheels Of an oncom-
fng Gre engine.-
The startled old woman. who l0vei
feelings by giving him the much eovet
esl coin.
His normally strung. youthful imag
tnation was stimulated by his home
surroundings JefTsrson's earliest rec
elections began in q rickety frame
buildins. with a broad gable, In Wash
sngfon. The rear door of his home
opened on the stage OF a nearby thea
Ger, and tt was In the scenes that he
made his playground. In the dark
corners were robbers' dens and weiri
mysteries, which were vivified by the
stage pieces suiting the part always on
hand-
Often On those hours jefferson would
wander cut on the deserted stage and
hap out In childish fashion the words
he had heard the actors say. In after
years. when the plaudits II thousands
rsng in praise Of his art. jefferson was
went TO remark that the pleasure was
nos haif 90 keen O. that which Ae ez-
periencesi when a. a baby On ths de
serted stzge.
AT the age of one he spoiled q scene
IN which be ss property baby was
supposed tn lie quiet GA his mothers
breast. At the age Of three he ap-
,.eared as i fun felged actor In the
role OF theaafant Hercules stTsHgitas
q lion- A yeAr later hs Mas carried on
the stage IN bag by T. H. Rice black
ensd aud dressed as q miniature ~
troauctian OF the a.iaStrel
Rice was more than six feet tz!A
sad whea the diIninutive form Of the
haiy Jeffersun rolled out Of the bag
shs confrast Was 80 lsR2icrpas that th-
audience shriekesi with laughter. Mon-
ey Was shawered upoa the stAge. AMI
the retesan player IN his autoeiogTs
phy takes ysalns 90 explain that he ran
after q silver dollar which rolled down
10 the foossixAs ead made q face al
sha errhestra leadsx while dosns IL
sae a his experieaces IN London Is
shns related By Js9erssa IL the Gen
fury Magazine:
My approscAknx sppearsnce was the
inporsxnt dramatic event Of my HE
1 had been ave years frOSn America
ana was en- nay way hesns. and tsit
sasisosus that II this Rew sersion OF
Hap ysa wlnkle' succeedssi In London
nay way was Iuite clear Ehcn retaFS-
I'd % the un:fei States
~0a Sunday eyenlns. being AIone N
mn lozgiagz. Eoi oct Tor Esy own sd-
znfrarfoa my new wig aRd beard. the
pezss 90 my heart and vhtch ! ~>s
q szss "a sAe last act ! could n'a
r~niss srsinz kAsm 90 fer ths tsen-
ssszA dina. thiak. ~ g0t N tro1s 81
fAe gizss sad adjusted them 10 Eny per
Se<t safisfActsoa- ! sooe o=H>aIss sa
fhussa and began setins and posins =