Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-11-04
THEATRICAL
 CHATTER

Ada Rehan returned Saturday. De-. tober 2S from five months trip abroad aboard the American liner New York looking somewhat pale. She recently recovered from an operation for appendicitis and said she was not en st"or:, as she would like to be. She has spent the larger part of her time oh u-S other side i'll her bungalow in Scotland. She is billed to produce Bernard Shaw's play. Captain Brass bounds Confession, but she said that she could not tell when she would be able to do so until she had consulted her physician. It is said that Charles Richards will be her leading man.
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 The oldest playhouse in America is the Walnut street theater in Philadel- phia, built in 1898. It has just been remodeled and an historical note in booklet just published discloses some interesting items. When the great Ed nlund Kean played there in 1920 his record night was 1897. Master Ed mund Forrest who preceded him. drew only $319. In 1892 Joseph Jefferson made new record of s2, 1s6 for Rip Van Winkle This held until 1901, when Richard Mansfield's receipts were $2.700.50 for one performance of Dr Jekyll and Mir Hyde. the record of the house for its career of nearly a century. A remarkable circumstance is the fact that the Walnut has never missed a season. Its exterior archi- | lecture is quaintly colonial, but its stage and audience chamber are in all 1 respects abreast of the times.
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 The late Joseph Jefferson. noticing timid little girl, who played minor part at a less than minor paltry salary l in his company, said: How did you happen to choose your name"
 T didn't choose it. said the young ster. who was from the west. it was l bestowed on me when I was thirty l six hours old"
 An odd coincidence" unused Rip 1 Van Wrinkle.
 Not especially" said the youngster. l
 "Why?"
 Hadn't they the right to name me 1 after my aunt?"
 You don't mean that the lovely | Julia Dean was your aunt?"
 Yes. and can prove it."
 Joseph Jefferson walked away re- | fecting upon the mendacity and piracy | with which the honored names of the | profession are appropriated. He had | heard of q Joseph Jefferson who did 1 a tumbling turn in cellar in San | Francisco and clown with tremb- | ling voice. who proclaimed that he | was his first cousin and had prior ! right to the name because he had been 1 born few minutes earlier in the same 1 house; indeed, that Joseph Jefferson of the legitimate had been named af | ter Joseph Jefferson the clown.
 That evening there was q determln- | cd rap at his dressing room door. Tue girl from the west peered at him with big confident eyes over an armful of family Bibles. certified birth records, newspaper clippings, autographed pho tograplls and letters beyond dispute that reached to her chin. Mir Jeffer- son examined them all gravely. Then he bowed to the child and led her out to the stage where the company were assembling for the first act.
 Ladies and gentlemen" he said, with the manner of courier. T have | the honor to present to you Julia Dean II. niece of the greatest of Julias. and , one of the most enchanting Juliets."
 And all of the company walked up | and saluted. and little Julia Dean, | having proved her right to the famous l name. blushed and went back to make | up.
 Joseph Jefferson often spoke to her of her aunt and when it developed that reverses had overtaken the family at the time of her death and the grave of the great actress at Laurel Grove, Port Jervls. \. Y.. remained unmark- ed. Mir Jefferson said: "I will get up n benefit and let the profession erect a tombstone
 The girl from the west flushed. "Thank you. dear Mir Jefferson, but please don't. I intend to erect mon ument for her"
 Your. my dear? Why. you rnn hardly live on your salary
 "I know it. But this Is only my first season. shall get better engage nents and better salaries and every rear I shall save something for the 
 MT Jefferson smiled induigentlv. aAnd when. do you think. you will do thisE- sI don't known. Tn ten years If I nm fortunate. In twenty years. even if I am not very lucky. But some time I will. You shall see. Joseph Jefferson never saw the promised sight. but if kindly vision. .Iearer than selfish. can pierce the nists that shroud the other life he .,, d. -..-s T,,ffa Tauu IT EnF . ,