The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-04-11

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Morris, row Mrs f. c. Harriott.-
Editor.)
Copyright, 1905. by the Newspaper
Enterprise Association.
In reading recently paragraph
anent the present welfare of our
much loved Joseph Jefferson, this
freakish thought came to me:
Suppose, for reasons, We were COM
PEELED to select some public-some
very popular man-and sentence him
to pass the rest of his life within
glass houses. How swiftly, how
unanimously we would turn smiling
faces and pointing fingers toward this
same Joseph Jefferson, knowing we'll
that in his sunny, kindly nature-one
desiring to throw stones at no living
creature-our own perfect safety lay,
while the simple, sincere, God-fearing
life of the man himself would keep
him safe behind the most transparent
walls from even the faintest criti-
cism.
Truly a freakish thought, and yet
has he not lived the greater part of
his long life under the sharpest es-
pionage in the world that of love?
This gentle patriarch whose offspring
can not leave him-only a foreign
husband was strong enough to drag
one child from his arms-for over 40
years he has had to pick his way
cautiously among the fine dogs and
finer babies. tumhling happily about
his feet First this stumbling crowd
was his own, then. oh, wonderful
the toddliEg crowd were his children
children. and now-if Report be an
honest jade--there are certain small
mites underfoot with their dogs, who
are the babies of his children's c.f-
dren.
Gentle patriarch, beloved of his
own s well as Of the world, where is
his like today?
In the retirement of Joseph Jeffer-
son the American stage was robbed
of its chief adornment and the drama
of one of its potent opponents. Each
individual of his great audience feels
Vas a personal loss to think that that
strong clear light of rare intelligence,
of fine originality, that has lent such
brilliancy to his chosen profession
is withdrawn. and we left without
hope of its return.
in dwelling on the gentle, kindly
nature of this true artist l would
have no one receive the impression
that courtly manners and unfailing
consideration for the welfare of
others implies weakness. That would
be a gross mistake, for when occasion
demands no man more quickly proves
the courage of his convictions. That
well curved jaw and forward thrust
ing chin are in his character as plain
" as in his face; the jaw that seems
to be an inheritance and as truly a
Jeffersonian feature as any Bourbon
nose or Hapsburg lip, and that makes
so fine a balance for the sensitive
mouth and beauty seeking eyes
When, with real courage, Mr.. JEFF
ferson was preparing for that icy
plunge, a first appearance before a
British public there was met be-
meath his deceptive gentleness of
voice and manner determination inn
mobile, immovable as one of their
own Trafalgar lions.
You see, he had studied the story
of Rip Van Wrinkle for years he
had analyzed the character, had view
ed it from every possible point, and
had at last in his minds eye the man
he wished to introduce to the world
the vagabond beloved of dog and
child; the lazy, goodfor-naught, with
every good wrapped about with rags
of vice and selfshness.
And yet those very tatters now
and then revealed a cleaning virtue
a tenderness, a regret, a good inten-
ton; and above all voice and virtue
bound together by simplicity at one
moment childish to folly, at another
wise to profundity. And this charac-
ter, Mr.. Jefferson's artistic insight
told him, could not be played on the
old, hard ruled lines. Poor old Rip
couldn't keep to a straight line at any
point of the game. So. much latitude
was required for him and taken by
Mr. Jefferson, and he became finally
incandescent Of the character; not a
superficial reflection. but the living
ideal.
These conclusions were reached
gradually but surely, step by step. as
we ascend mountain. A searching
examination of Irving's Rip Van
Wrinkle or the later play by Bouci-
cault gives no suggestion of the
beautiful soul that has walked among
us for years clad in human dust. No
one ever yet found Joseph Jefferson
between the lids of the book or among
the pages Of manuscript. The play
wright merely offered a suggestion
and then furnished conditions and
circumsta noes for the character to
exist; and If we go back to Mr.. Irv-
ing's book ard read we will find moth
Ing beyond a few scattering foot
prints which are the only evidence
left by great mind who once trav-
oled along the same highway of
thought
lfcre lis one incident of many that
made those London rehearsals inter
esttng. Two-tiiirds of the world since
then have raved over TINT wonder
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