The New York herald., 1873-07-20


ainment was to be hello heavy thunder storm
4 the afternoon had cooled the atmosphere, and
right little stars twlpkled In coudless sky. The
Ifrlcans could not have had q loveler night Tor
heir theatricals, nor could the little apartment
ave been more crowded and uncomfortable than
was when we entered.
vas really afraid those great big eyes would pene,
rate the thin layer ef cork and detect my original
dentided with those glsnces, steady and critical
though they were, and all the uueasiness attend
ant upon my entrance was very soon dls.
by any nOral adornment and dimly lighted by
swinging lamp. The auditors were not your
Alaska street blacks, with ragged clothes, nag.
gard faces and curbstone lips; they were none OF
y0ur dIsorderly and besotted SORT with proclivi-
ties TO thieving and gougng out each othefs eyes,
they were
NONE OF YOUR MISERABLE, coNrEMPTIBLE, vAGA-
BOND WIFE BEATERs.
who won't work when they can steal, ana whose
only visible sustenance Is derived from gin. on.
no; none such AZ these, but the elegant and the
beautiful negroes, cued from the nignest Gil c,rcies
OF African arst0cracy, grouped together In all the
graces and rehnemenrs or wealth, ana whose
conversation csmprenended all the interest
@ ,nst they e,'' were coacnmen n. and Waiting maids
who, by their association with the high-toned
liar IDEAS concerning ali in poorer circumstances
than themselves and hence are inclined TO treat
with contempt and disdain those others OF their
race whom chance has thrown In little lower
characteristic Of PhiIadeIphia negroes in respect
displayed elsewhere. 1t is In this city that the
feeling Of pride and the reverence for family ds'
tinction which deepen and too often crop out n IN
first begin to show themselves; but the
SOCIAL LINES DRAWN BY THE WHITE NAN
are not One-haf so hard nor One-ha1 80 cruel as
those which are drawn by the black. A poor negro
in Philadelphia, who has no connection with one OF
the aristocratc lamilies or who is not an employe
in one Of the first class hotels, ID almost sure to be
dne OF the most depl0rable and wrctched
beings na m aos %as you ns
regarded as a vagrant and a thief. It was not
this latter class that behed, but the class which
seen so many wel-dressed negroes In my life Atri-
can taste develops into all sorts OF eccentrcities,
sides were neat and clean, and we feel sale in say
ing that finer assortment OF blacks had never
been made in the entire history Of their race.
THE STAGE
was just such one as ! have often assisted in
building when boy and just such one AZ almost
every reader can easily call to mind The floor
was level, and every negro ranch within range
Of TWO miles had been cmpted to supply
the chairs. ] nave We, been ,,o wondering ever ever
the most remarkable, the collection of darkics
or the collection OF chairs The orchestra consisted
ward and forward and two was all that could pos
sibly makes indeed, one OF these was so small that
fair count, A long table ran in front OF them,
upon which rested flutes, horns. ffes, hddles
and drums. 1t was only when these two men
were fairly at work that you could see what an
immense number they constituted Their talent
was exceedingly versatile and their proficiency
markabe in the extreme. When they played
the clatter which followed the interchange OF in
struments was almost as loud as the music ITSELF
FIRST, one would dLoP q nute and catch up
come drum, while in the more vehement and
rapid passages their change was kept up with such
speed that the atmosphere Immediately about
their heads seemed made up Of
FLUTES AND WHISTLES AND FIDDLE STRINGS.
as 1t were, and the norns as If suspended by some
air nFiSs se pnnns xnes 'q ShS "a aae
my doubts about its being y selection at
ali. regard it, rather, as the product OF enthusi-
urged @ on ata breakneck speed By the Of the
The audience, however, regarded it In
made the noise They did not do so after the man
ner In which we have learned to applaud the some.
what mechanica Mr. Booth but IN 2 way way which which
overture as grand and glorious orchestral attain
ment.
AT THE CONCLUDING BLAST,
which was by all odds the most 'Dlastedn one
ever heard, turned about for my companion and
found him gone. He was nowhere to be seen. In
the course OF about ten minutes, however, the
great sheet when constituted the curtain was
pulled aside, and just behind row Of candles,
which ran along the stage recognized my own
little cOpper-c colored-the restless, uneasy, but
cute little rascal who had brought me there.
How in the world can describe his costume
Gather together nom under the mighty looms or
all nations the fabrics OF every chime. Get them Of
all cOlors, mix them tear them cut them into hash
tnen run Jne1l Jnrugn the looms again until III
one piece OF cloth you have the elements Of
all vestments, upon whose surface every known
color and tint viii answer, Here" then, perhaps,
you will gain some idea Of the coat which this
young officer wore. What would Jacobs coat have
amounted to alongside Of thisf Nothing, and it's
a shame to mention the two in the same con-
nection. My friend produced that coat with the
aid OF brush, a paint brush. He did
not tell me so, but feel sure OF it. He had q pair
OF ''lcgglns" on which were dngy and stiT as
though they had been made from a sectOn OF stove
pipe, and his hat was the most sublime head piece
his opening speech. II should the typo who
would be obliged to set it up would quit
ever. eve such mass of "D uninteiabe sy words, such @
reckless prOfusion OF gesticuaton, such frantic
hemence In his Jumps and strides, served only to
and lung. BY and by he became tangled
and he came eA' to fulI pause. '"' He
attempted to go ON, but nothing worked except
his arms. 1t was fearful moment for the darky-
because q welcome speech should always proceed
smoothly. by and by his mouth was seen to move
as though he was muttering to himself and soon
these movements became 30 rapid that 1t seemed
THE GYMNAsrc rRorENsIrIEs OF HIS LEGS
and arms had completely deserted them and set
tied in his lips, which actually described all those
geometrical figures known only to the ancient
Egyptians and to a few modern engineers.
ing terrible. Suddenly he came forward step or
two, and In tone OF voice which comprshended
Oar nebber tale of deeper woe
Dan dat oh Rome ct an Julio.
Away he went and up shot the curtain. Ont
from one side OF the stage came huge negro, who
said,
II am de Romeo"
And out from the otner side OF the stage came q
little woman, who said,
90 Am de Juliet"
While imme ediately after out rushed half dozen
others, who said that they were ever so many
other persons. You see this was q shrewd dodge
upon their part to avoid the expense of priu ting
programmes. The costumes OF all were OF the
same order as the one mentioned above.
Where in the world the actors found the text in
which they indulged cannot imagine. Some OF IL
was shakespeare, but great deal more OF 1t was
their own. The play was cut about as much
Is poor Romeo would have been could juliet
nave fulfilled her wish and had him made
into stars, that all the world might fall In love
with night Take into consideration the fact that
they played but single scene, and that this
was butchered in manner which rendered 1t per-
lectly frIghtiu, and YOU will gain idea OF the
impression which this representation made upon
me-
T'ba acona thav uiaved wae no ono opc NJ