Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-06-25
IY PRESS, NEWPORT NEWS, VA SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 1905
s.-fst5S. --.-,.r.r
A. WOMAN WITH A WILL.
The Way Jessie bartlett Davis Once
Collected Her SnInry.


Collected Her SnInry.
Jessie Bartlett Davis wGs a woman
Of indomitnblc will AMI with n stock
Of self confidence born OF healthy
outdoor life. When not engaged In
theatrical life her entire time was de-
voted to outdoor pursuits. On her
ranch In California she tanned and rode
Droncho3, hcrded cattle AMI sheep and
attended to her chickens with equal
facility. This combined to mike her
Il good business woman and With the
muscular activity 10 back it.
Mrs. Davis was once engaged to sing
In vaudeville company III New York
city. The manager of the thcater was
famous Cor his ncEligcncca'in meeting
demands Of performers whom he Ind
engaged. and, in fact, there were ugly
rumors about checks bearing Ills; sig
nature being returned from the bnnll
with the Omln0us words mo funds
written across their faces.
AT the conclusion of her weeks en-
gagemcnt Mrs. Davis received n check
for her SALARY. That was Saturday
night, and 1t WAS an open secret to ev-
crybody that she had engaged passage
on II steamship leaving the following
Wednesday for Europe, where she had
planned to take long rest. Tile pro-
prlctor of the broadway hotel where
she was stopping obiiglng!y cashcl the
check. 1t was returned to him Tues
dry afternoon as worthless.
Mrs. Davis took back the rcputllnted
paper AMI smiled grimly. IL will make
Ii all right this evening" she said.
Armed with stout cane she went to
the managers Office that evening the
stick serving rs excuse for II limp due
10 Il "slight sprain." she announced.
The manager received her with evident
embarrassment and listened to the
story of the check told quietly and in
moderate language.
at was 81 mistake OH the part of His
boolikccpcr," he explained. The stupid
follow should have known that The
managers account i'll that particular
bank had been closed out long ago.
But If Mrs. Davis would wait few
minutes lie would give her check on
another bank which would he honorel
without fail.
But Mrs. Davis was not accepting
checks. She was to leave for London
the next morning and nothing but the
hard, cold cash would satisfy her. Tho
manager was obduratc and Mrs Davi:;
politely insistcnt. Then II developed
into wordy war. and Mrs. Davis
arose with the cane in hand. Handling,
1t like Il foil. she passed the ferrulc
lightly through the glass door Of the
managers office. Another pass and
the fcrrulc broke one of the window
pancs The c!atter Of glass brought Il
half dozen employees to the spot. The
manager danced around as If OH n hot
stove and begged her to dcsIst The
scandal, he said, would ruin him. by
way Of reply Mrs. Davis puncturcd an
other window.
One of the employees. who was n
relative OF the manager, rushed for
ward to disarm her. The cane circlcI
in the air. and the man rctrcntcd nurs-
ing big welt across the buck of his
head
The audience was just entering the
thcatcr md the crashing of glass
S''''NN' 'ii'sis " StOp Gnu SotiJC(lui0 luc
cause. Mrs. Davis. smiling with the
utmost good nature, moved to the other
side of the office and gazed critically Mt
the glass of n large picture-thc mana
gers favoritc possession.
Stop" he almost shouted. You
shall have your money" ~ messenger
was dispatched to the box office with
an order. lie returned In few min
utcs with Il huge roll OF bills. which
Mrs. Davis carefully counted and stow
cd away. Then. bidding the manager
smiling good night, she swept out Of
the office md TO her hotel, where the
bad check was redeemed and added to
her collection of souvenirs Of her ex-
pcriences OH the stage. = New York
Press.