The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1870-11-19
TWO SONG AND DANCE MEN.

BY FREDEHlCk LOhiNt.
We were in the cars between White
River Junction and Concord. In the seat
beside me was o fat man of garrulous ten
denotes, who had made several attempts at
conversation with me, all of which had
sternly repressed, being engaged at the
time in looking over some old newspapers
containing my celebrated series Of articles
on the agricultural resources of our
try, as applied to the question Of a pro-
tective tariff. As | laid the last paper
down in my lap, the voice of my fat com
panion was again heard.
II am the man that can tell all about
those men, sir--I made them what they
are; = and a large hand pointed to the col
umn of deaths, which | read
"At White River Junction, January 10,
1861, Thomas Knight, aged 30 years and A
months"
Who Thomas Knight was, | did not
know, o did | understand how, by any
possibilities Of English grammar, he could
be alluded to as those men," Accord
ingly l looked ~interrogatively at my CON-
panion.
"You know who Tommy Knight was,
don't your he asked.
"Let me see" said l; "was he one of
the Knights off,
"No," said the fat man, i%nterrupting me
with a degree Of asperity that was entirely
uncalled for, and an indifference to gram
NAUTICAL rules that was simply shocking, "he
want one of the Knights of nowhere, He
was Knight of Knight & Cottle, he. was.
You must have known about them
my dear sir" | replied, ITO say that |
did not know about them, would be to say
that | had travelled through the country
with nv eyes shut. Why, I've seen their
names on every board fence from Portland
to Peoria.
We'll, SIR said the fat man again, Il
made them boys what they was and, until
they give up a performing, was the one
10 whom they naturally turned for sym
pathy. They was the best song and dance
men in the country; and It was to me they
owed their success. Them words was
Knights and likewise Cottle's also"
What made them stop p~erformingS" /
asked.
1.-THE old story, sir" said the fat man,
solemnlv.
ooh, l sect Y said /. Drink"
mo, sir, you do not see" responded the
fat man, warmly. "Nor was it drink. A
steadier chap than Knight never stepped,
unless it was Cottle; and both Of 'em may
be regarded as parag0ns. Paragons IS
what [ should call 'em, sir, If allowed my
choice of language
1Out with your story" said I; "for ! see
there is one, and that you are dying TO tell
IL"
aWell, it amt much 81 q story, sir" said
the fat man and. moreover, when tells
. thing | always tells it rambling; but II
you'd like to hear about 'em, sir, why, I'm
ready to accommodate"
Its q good many years ago, sir, since
run a. show along the Mississippi River.
We didn't locate in no one spot, sir, for no
one spot would pay very long; and we
couldn't STAY more'n d month in a place
without getting all chawed up in fights,
We did the reg lar minstrel business, with
our headquarters, for the most part, in
New Orleans. Well, one day, we was al
Natchez. Natchez is a pretty rough place
sir, about as bad as any place on the river
and one day there, | found 2 HUG
shaver, about two feet high, hanging
around the stage-door. what 40 yol
want here r. says |.
Il want to join your show says ne.
sVhat do you suppose your father ane
mother will says' says 1.
II amt got no father nor mother TO say
nothing, 2 be answered back again, as sharl
Is you please.
noEo MIN A