The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-06
When Abraham Lincoln and
Joseph Jefferson Met.
It Was Years Before Either Be
came Famous.
VAN WINKLEN LONDON
The Policeman Thought a Crazy
Man Was Raving.
Some Of the "reminiscences of the
Actor.

Joseph Jenerson'S fayorite bit Of
Renaissance. and Of late years often
related to his Chicago audiences when
they demanded a speech, concerned the
first visit of his father to Springfield
when Jefferson was a boy. There the
elder Jefferson and his partner, Mr.
Kinzie, had built a theater and were
about to open it when q religious re-
vival was launched against the actors.
This moved the city council to place a
heavy, almost prohibitive, license. and
the enterprise seemed doomed to failure,
when a young lawyer called on the
managers and offered, if they would
place the matter in his hands, to have
the license taken off, declaring that he
only desired to see fair play and he
would accept no fee, whether he failed
or succeeded. The case was brought up
before the council. The young LAWYER
began his harangue. He handled the
subject with tact, skill, and huunor
tracing the history of the drama from
the time when Thespis acted in a cart
to the stage of today He illustrated
his speech with a, number of anecdotes.
ana kept the council in a roar of laugh
ter; his good humor prevailed, and the
exorbitant tax was taken off.
And this young man." Mr.. Jefferson
was wont to say, ''afterward occupied
position of some Importance in the Uni
ter States government. He rests today
uAlQGA d DlOLuEQGuE 0Dr1QEneiO. and
his name was Abraham Lincoln
The effect of the name was always
electrical upon the audiences, and Mr.
Jefferson seemed to take a patriotic
delight in telling the story and in arous-
ing enthusiasm. 1T is my best story"
he told a friend on his last visit to Chi
cago, land the best of it is that it is
true"
rip in London
Mr. Jefferson's first real hit in rip
Van Winlle'' was not made on any
stage. It was made in his lodgings in
London, just previous to the production
of the piece in London, after Dion
Boucicault, had done some work on it.
This was in September, 1865. Mr.. JEFF
ferson had essayed Rip five years be-
fore at Carusi's hall, in Washington, D.
c., under the management of John T.
RAYMOND, but with disappointing
though not discoUraging results. In
London he arranged with Benjamin
Webster to produce the play at the
Adelphi, which he did with such sue
cess that it ran for ITO nights. The real
hit though, was made before Rip
saw the footlights of the Adelphi. Here
is the story as Mr.. Jefferson told it
himself:
MY approaching appearance was the
important dramatic event of my life.
I had been five years from America,
and was on my way home. and I felt
satisfied that if this new version of
/ Rip Van Wrinkle succeeded in London
my way was quite clear when I re-
turned to the United States.
On Sunday evening, being alone in
my lodgings, got out for my own ad-
miration my new wig and beard-the
pride Of my heart-Which was to use in
the last act. I could not resist trying
them on for the twentieth time, think,
so 1 got in front of the glass and adj
justed them to my perfect satisfaction.
soon became enthused, and began act
+ ing and posing in front of the mirror.
In about twenty minutes there came a
knock at the door,
i" Who's there?' said L
" It's me. if you please said the gen
tie but agitated voice of the chamber
maid. May I come in?
" Certainly not I replied, for I had
no desire to be seen in my present make
up.
e Is there anything wrong in the
room, sir2' said she.
d" Nothing at all. Go away replied.
" Well sir she continued, there's
policeman at the door, and he says as
low there's a crazy old man in your
room, a-f1ingin' of his 'ands and a-goin'
on lawful, and there's a crowd of peo-
pie across the street a-loolin' up the
way
to my horror, found that had for
gotten to pull down the curtain, and,
as it seemed to me, the entire popula-
ton of London was taking in my first
night"
Made Unreal Appear Real.
Jefferson always chung to the feeling
that the uncanny spirit at the bottom
of the RIP Van Winkle' story was its
real potent power upon the audience.
He wanted the unreal to appear real.
AS an instance of this he told a story
! that happened up in Catsl1ill. He was
eating at the table when he heard a
! colored waiter giving a detailed ac-
count of the legend of RIP Van
Wrinkle"
yes, sah,'' he continued, Grip went
up into de mountains. slep' for twenty
years, and when he came back hyar
in dis berry town his own folks didn't
know him.
why" said the listener, "you don't
| believe the story's true ?"
True? OBJ course it is''-and
pointing over to Jefferson. he tragfcal-