Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-14
SADLRR 40 GREEN.
v hat the Average SEszlI Boy Of M
Vile Thinks Of Them.

" hat the Average GEaall Boy Of Nash.
Vile Thinks Of Them.
II there is one thing the Nashville small
boy IS particularly and passiOnately fond
OF, that one thing is theafricals, which fact
IS demonstrated by the enthusiastic greet
ING and hearty welcome he extends every
dramatic company visiting the city and the
proinptitude with which he applies for adj
misS!Ol to the theatre when The entertain
MELT begins, his r4pturous applause at III
teryaE, mere or less regular, during the
Performance and the persisteney exhibited
by him in remaining until the close 1t is
not for him that the request: aVisitOTs viii
please remain seated until the close Of the
las ac, in order TO not disturb the more
intel ectual portion Of the audience" is ap-
pended in foot note to the bills Of the
play, for bless you, the small boy
would gladly remain a week at a sitting
If the entertainment could by any possible
ty be kept going for that length Of time
utterly Obliyious to the charms Of shop
scotch" mumblely-peg,' purgatOry, ("
keeps" '.jaekstOnes," s'hOokey," and sim
liar games, in all Of Which-and especially
the latter-he is an adept, even the intense
enjoyment be has ere now, derived from
the skiliful adjustment to a dogs tail of an
oyster can partially filed with pebbles
waning in its attractiveness before this
more intellectual entertainment. From
the day be followed the agile aud be-daubed
billposter about the streets, and finally
succeeded in spelling out the main features
OF The forthcoming entertainment, he has
been looking forward to the night Of the
performance with anxious anticipation.
When the eYentiul night arrives, he is
always on hand, and, If times are flush
with him, he planlZs out his quarter, re
ceives his bit Of cOlOrad pastebOard, and is
one Of the Grst to pass within the green
baize doors. But sometimes, and, to tell
the truth land, really, there's no use in "
| ing about a little thing like that, this is
| generally the case, his finances are at a low
ebb-Owing 10 various causes which it is
not necessary here TO recite-and he could
not compass the purchase of a ticket If
tickets were selling at a cent a bushel. To
some persons this condition Of affairs would
/ be distressing indeed, but the Nashville
small boy is not cast down thereby, 20 any
discernable extent. To be sure, il neces-
states his losing the opening act, but be
| comforts himself with the reflection that
the first act "dOn't amount 10 nOthin' no
way" as he takes position at the entrance,
preparatory to bOning the first man who
makes his egTess when the curtain falls
with the request "Gemme yer check, mis-
| ter" in tone Ofsuch earnest eHtreaty that
it is complied with by tho time it has been
addressed to half adoZen persons, by some
kind hearted chap who has, stored away in
| some corner Of his memory, fresh and
healthy recollectiOns of his own bOyhOod.
/ Once inside, the small boy IS all right, or
TO use bis own more expressive phrase, he's
"hunkey d0ry," finds bis way TO one Of the
most desirable positions in. the house, and
with his ready wit, fully grasps the situa-
i tiCn before the second act IS half through,
and enjoys the remainder Of the play as
| thoroughly as though he had seen all Of it.
| When the hero INDUCES in such flights Of
sentim q. as SHE that layeth his hand On
woman. save in the way Of kindness" etc,
be INDUCES in the mot raptuT0us applause,
and when he play ends, with virtue tTi-
umphant and the scOWlins, black-whis-
kered william brought TO the dust, he Is
thrown into perfect pa-OXysm of delight.
| Although he heartily enjoys all sorts Of
theatrical entertainments, be has q special
weakness for those in which there is much
swapping Of pistols, q wild cleaning Of
knives and pFOdigal display of cOlOred
/ lights. Next in attractiYenesS be rates
minstrel shows, and when an entertain
ment Of this class is on the boards, he i'm
| proves the opportunity to store away in his
memory odds and ends of cOnundrums and
| scraps Of jokes, though he il never able to
utilize the same to any extent, owing 70
The facs that his manner OF prOpOunding
the former efeCtually precludes the posi-
billy Of an answer, and in his relating Of
the latter no one would suspect it being a
joke. The musical part Of the perform
snce, however, he seiZes upon, and weeks,
and even months, thereafter may be heard
whistling portions Of the meludies which
had effected lOdgmeHt in his impossible
mind.
"OIt West the small boy Of that section
has no higher ambition than to be "A scout
or a stage driyer-and he is not fully set
tied in bis own mind as to which OF these
vOca ions he would really prefer, though,
| perhaps, the former has the precedence OF
late in consequence or his familiarity with
/ Buffalo Bills achieyements-but the Nash
/ vile small bOyis tiXedinhis determination to
become an actor. Hence he seizes upon every
| opportunity to acquaint himself with the
/ duties of his chosen profession, and looks
upon those who have achieved distinction
in that line with feelings OF admiration,
blended with awe. A few years since two
young men OF this city-Jim Green and
Tom Saddler-then in their teens, believing
they possessed some talent in the esOng
and dance line, though they had had
| but VERY little eXEe-isEca, decided Ia try
their fortunes in the Hgide, wide world"
The f rmer had belonged % an amateur
dramatic association known as @The Owls"
/ and the latter had been connected with IN
Orga lizaliOn known as "The Rock City
| Sere ladeTs.r The two jOurneyed to Mem
| phis, secured an engagement at Blooms
| theat and remained fifteen weeks, making
a decided shit" Then they iOurnsyed to
| St. joe, Missouri, and other Western
cities, bringing up in Syracuse, y. Y, in
| the fall OF 70. Here they became con-
nected with Cal Wagner's Ministries, with
which troupe they remained during the
season, which they closed in st. Louis last
June. During the summer following
Green and Saddler played engagements in
| st. Louis, Cleveland, Buffalo, Washington,
and other cities, joining RObinsOn's Min
| strels at Evansville, Ohio, last December.
They are now with RobinsOn's company,
and appeared al the Opera House, in this
City, last ul1lk 4l4lk kLlp lli ab llcCclllt-g 10
the immense delight Of the Nashville small
boy and his boon companions, in whose
eyes they appear as superior beings, worthy
Of the most exalted homage. Their APP
pearance in their song and dance,
Friday night, was a perfect ovation, caus-
ing a furOre Of excitement among
the Juvenile portion Of tie audience, who
insisted upon their faEOrites' appearing
again and again until the latter were nearly
out of breath with exertiOn, in the per-
Torrance Of their exhaustive role, all Of
which was doubtless gratifying to them,
and it certainly was to the small boy and
his as sOciates.
With this brilliant success before him,
the Nashville small boy will probably be
even more confirmed in his intention of
adopting the theatrical profession for
a livelihood, ard il may be that,
some day in the dim future, his |
own achievements in that direction will |
be recorded in the newspapers Of his native |
city. And then again, such an occurrence |
may never take place, for as lie reaches the |
years Of maturity his ideas with regard to /
a career may undergo a decided transfer |
nation, and it is possible that he will figure |
in society as an insurance agent, or the pro- |
prietOI Of peanut stand.
SOULE COLLEGE.