Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-08-03
A WOMAN WITH A WILL.
The Way JeHsic BARTLETT Davis Once
Collected Her Salary.

Jessie Bartlett Davis was q woman
Of indomitablc Will and with stock
OF self confidence born of a 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
bronchos. herded cattle and sheep and
attended to her chickens with equal
facility. This combined to make her
good business woman and with tho
muscular activity to back 1t.
Mrs. Davis was once engaged to sling
IN vaudeville company In New York
city. The manager Of the theater was
famous for his ncgligcnccAdn meeting
demands Of performers whom he Ind
engaged, and, In fnct. there were ugly
rumors about checks bearing his sig,
nature being returned from the bank
with the ominous words mo funds"
written across their faces
at the conclusion Of her weeks en-.
gagcment Mrs. Davis received q check
for her salary. That was Saturday
night, and 1t was mn open secret to ev-
erybody that she had engaged passage
on steamship leaving tho following
Wednesday for Europe. where she had
planned to take long rest The pro-
prletor Of the Broadway hotel where
she was stopping obligingly cashcd the
check. 1t was returned to him Tues
day afternoon as worthless.
Mrs. Davis took back the repudiated
paper and smiled grimly. ~ will make
II all right this evening" she said.
Armed with n stout cane she went to
the managers office that evening, the
stick serving as excuse for limp due
to ''slight sprnln," she announced
The manager received her with evident
embarrassment and listened to the
story Of the check told quietly md in
moderate language.
ut was mistake on the part of his
bookkecpcr," he explained. The stupid
fellow should have known that the
managers account in that particular
bank Ind been closed out long ago.
But II Mrs. Davis would wait few
minutes lie would give her check GU
another bank which would be honored
without fail
But Mrs. Davis was not accepting
checks. She wnS.to leave for LondoE
the next morning md nothing but the
bard, cold cash would satisfy her. The
manager was obduratc and Mrs. Davis
politely insistent Then 1t developed
into wordy war. and Mrs. Davis
arose with the cane In hand. Handling
1t like foil, she passed the ferrule
lightly through the glass door Of the
mn, a. rnrf,, sa1n
the fcrrulc broke one OF the window
panes. The clatter of glass brought a
hnlf dozen employees to the spot. The
manager danced around rs f on hot
stove and begged her to desist The
scandal, he said. would ruin him. BY
way Of reply Mrs. Davis punctured an.
other window
One of the employees, who was q
relative or the manager, rushed FOR.
ward to disnrm her. The cane circlcd
In the dir. and the man retreated nurs.
Ing a big welt across the back Of his
head.
The audience was just entering the
theater and the crashing Of glass
caused many to stop and conjecture the
cause. Mrs. Davis, smiling with the
utmost good nature, moved to the other
side Of the office and gazed critically at
the glnss of large plcturc-the mana,
gers fnvorite possession.
Stop" he almost shouted. you
shall have your money" a messenger
was dispatched to the box office with
IN order. He returned in few min
utes with n huge roll Of bills, which
Mrs. Davis carefully counted and stow
cd away. Then. bidding the manager
smiling good night. SHE swept ont Of
the office and to her hotel, where the
bad check was redeemed and added toI
her collection of souvenirs Of her ex.
periences on the stage. = New York
Press.