The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-28
Old HOMESTEAD
IS MONEY MAKER
Great American Drama Has
Made g, 00O, 900 in the
Past 70 Years.
IT'S HISTORY IS GIVEN
,AuTHoR.AcToR, THE AGED DEN
MAN THOMPSON, TELLS OF
THIS WONDERFUL, HoMELY
AMERICAN DRAMA.

AMERICAN DRAMA.
Since THE Old Homestead" was first
produced in the Old Boston theater in
April OF 1886, it has earned more than
$1,000 600; this Is the statement Of
Denman Thompson. himself who has
written in the forthcoming April issue
az the "Woman's World" of Chicago
the story Of this remarkable drama,
which won for the homely and whole
some play the record of greatest sue
cess of any ever produced in the Unit
81 States, except Uncle Toms Cabin. .
1T has been performed SO many
thousand times and enjoyed by SC
many millions of folks, that l have
antirely lost track of the number" says
Thompson, in his retrospective mono
logue. Perhaps the figures might at
ford me some satisfaction il l had
them--but not a tenth of the pleasure
and comfort l get from reflecting that
~ A0u0u O~AA6P"AAAus WSA~~A~sA -
child-has ever gone away from per-
fOrmance of THE Old Homestead the
worse for having witnessed it. On
the other hand, literally thousands
have told me, and other hundreds have
written me, that they have been moved
by 1t to a new sense of moral obliga,
tions-a sense which actually moved
them to do something to mend the mis-
takes OF their past and to keep the
present clean and courageous.
Over Seventy Years Old.
II like to think about this and I'm
not ashamed to admit 1t. Perhaps 1t
would not seem so imortant and SO
pleasant to me If were young man
today, with all the future bright and
glowing before me, my heels full OF
ginger, my head full of plans and my
heart fairly bursting with life and
hope. But a little change has come
over this particular Joshua Whit
comb" since the "Old Homestead" was
first staged. am now 76 years old
and SO look at things little more So
berly than once did. II l had to
look back upon a play not clean and
wholesome and sweetening, but which
mad been produced as many times, seen
by as many millions Of people as "The
Old Homestead" then know my head
would rest less peacefully on the pill
low.
But my satisfaction goes beyond
this negative point, for thousands OF
assurances have come to me that The
Old Homestead has changed misguid-
ed and unfortunate lives and restored
careless and discouraged men to a
right sense of their human relation
INDEPENDENTLY their relationships
to their fathers
story Of Maine Lad.
For illustration Thompson told OF a
young fellow, Maine born, who came to
see him at hotel in the northwest,
overcome with remorse for leaving par
ents who needed him, he having seen
the sorrow of Uncle Josh-the role
Thompson takes--for his Reuben.
when I saw how the absence and in
difference of the son wrenched the
heart Of Joshua Whitcomb.' this young
fellow told me, I saw myself in the
place Of Reuben, the son, and my faith
er in the place Of Uncle Josh. And
when it came to the dream In the play
I was SO mellowed that cried like a
child. And just thought that some
how 1t would be comfort to talk 1t
over with you--perhaps a satisfaction
to YOU to know that you had accom-
plished more for one lonesome and
anxious father and in certain old
homestead down in Maine than any
preacher has been able to do-for I'm
going to get in close touch with that
home and keep SO near to the old folks
after this that they'll know right
where to find me. at any rate he
did as he said he would. and the father
and mother were about as happy about
II. guess. as Joshua Whitcomb. at the
return OF Reuben from his wanderings
In New York."
LEFT Home Early.
Thompson relates how back in 1850
he left home and his parents himself.
though he was only II. 1T has come
10 me SINCE tudt youth ioshSA SiN~-
In its selfishness,' he says: though as
/ walked down the road with my carpet
sack in hand the tears and anguish of
NV father and mother were soon Tor
gotten when / went past the store and
blacksmithshop" In Boston he join
ed circus and became performer
Later he slid back to the common
Mace OF ribbon clerk in dry goods
store. Then he was given a part IN
THE French Spy" and later played
Uncle Tom in Uncle Toms Cabin. :
Hut rheumatism seized him and COM
pelled him to think out play in which
he could depend upon something De-
aides the nimbleness OF his legs. he
knew the Yankee character and built
UNION ii. using as a composite to build
npon q droll character in Swanzey, MS
old home. Captain Otis Whiteomb. to-
rether with the sweet temper, great
heart and unworldly wisdom OF one,
Joshua Holhrook Tried first as
short vaudeville sketch. and later as
three act drama. this play joshua
Whitcomb'' VS. a success. Denman
THOMPSON aud ]. NJ. Hill. . Chicago
merchant. divided 100000 profit from
q between the summer of 1870 and