The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-08-10

SC:lssleslI Into q Dismal FiaScO.
The only time Joe Jefferson was ever
Kissed from the stage occurred in st.
louis. where in later years he was to
De, 5Tne one Of the most pronounced ia
1o.I,es Of all the actors who visited the
cts.
Ie.Terson's early life was Of the most
varied description. though never ex-
td4lding beyond the limits of the sock
and buskin save when for awhile he
eSSayed to run a cafe in Texas town,
but, despite it's kaleidoscopiGNuality, it
was never one in which the Gnbarrass-
ment of dismal artistic failure Entered
except on this occasion. The genial old
actor. the dean of the American stage
at the time of his death, dismisses it in
q kindly but brief manner in his "Au-
photography" get it. is apparent that he
was stung to the quick by the fiasco,
for he did not appear in st. Louis
again for thirty-two years and then
only when his position had scared to
assured and brilliant stellar heights.
Speaking of this temperance in 1876,
St Louis since the memorable season
when as a youth 1 had been Kissed
from the stage"
1t was in 1914 that the trouble Oc-
Cured, when Jefferson was but if
teen years old The occasion was his
first trip to the west and south. He
had joined the company, of which his
mother was a member, the season be-
fore, when it was starting for the west,
had played in Chicago, then only an
insignificant village, worked down
through Illinois to Louisiana and Mis-
sissippi, and on the return north be-
gan a summer engagement in ST.
Louis under the management Of Lud-
low & Smith, then one Of the most
prominent theatrical firms in the cOun-
try. The stars of his company, an eX
ceptiOnally good one for it's time, in
cluded players whose names are well
remembered even unto today, and
among them were such notables in
the stage world as Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Kean, Anna Cora Mowatt and
James *. Hackett.
The season spent in travel had been
uneventful. and that in st. Louis was
no departure from this even tenor ex-
cept for the unfortunate fasco which
befell young Jefferson Everything
went we'll until the night of the Fourth
Of July, and on this occasion the man
agement decided to make the perform
ance fitting to the day by introducing
at the close Of the regular bill a pa
triotic tabIeauX, in which Jefferson
was deputed to act as soloist and sing
the "Star Spangled Banner" When
the assignment was given him he was
plunged into an ecstasy of delight.
Hitherto he had been playing all man
ner Of small parts, handling properties
and doing such other things of general
sutiIity as the managers saw fit to sad
die upon him, and now for the first
time in his career he was to stand in
the center of the stage, the attention
of the audience concentrated upon his
youthful form, and render the star
number Of the bill.
The patriotic tableau had been heavi-
for the Independence day performance.
Jefferson was in frenzy Of excite
ment, and as he peeped through the
curtain at the great audience he felt
that his reputation was made. For
days he had rehearsed the national an
them, sungA it backward and for
ward" as he subsequently declared,
until he was certain of the effect he
would produce, coupled especially with
the enthusiasm that would naturally
be in the air on such an occasion. IhlS
night his fame was in the making; on
the morrow it would leap from tongue
to tongue around the town. So he felt
and proudly strutted the stage in the
ardor and assuredness of his youth,
waiting impatiently for the moment
to come when he and he alone, would
be the center Of interest, the star Of
the principal event on the bill.
At last the dramatic Offering of the
evening reached it's final curtain, and
the preparations for the patriotic num-
Der began. They were simple enough
a wood setting, the company grouped
in conventional attire on the stage.
''Those who had swallowtail coats
wore them" said Jefferson later in
life, ''and those who were not blessed
with that graceful garment did the
best they could" In the center Of the
conventional half circle stood the
Goddess of Liberty" on small dais,
one of the female members of the
troupe in ordinary evening dress, with
a pasteboard Roman helmet on her
head and her figure draped with a
United States ensign.
Jefferson stood by the side Of this
imposing woman, and as the curtain
arose a great roar of applause went
cup from the crowd of patriots assem-
bled in pit, balcony, gallery and boxes,
and at that wave Of sound the boys
heart leaned to his throat, his brain