Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-02-17
HI aWINR ROOM,
Memphis Variety shows and Their
P~ecuiiaFitIes.

One Of the peculiar features of a
Memphis variety show is what is known
as the wine room" or reception room
OF the fair a~rtistes. When growing
weary of the attractions presented on
the stage you can, if you so desire, pur.
chase a half-dollar ticket which gives
you admission into the inner apartment
OF the temple. You enter the room and
see therein a lot Of tables and chairs.
and on the latter are seated a mum.
Der of the variety people bal.
let dancers, vocalists, specially a%rtistes,
song and dance maidens, clog dancing
girls, ETC., engaged in lively converse.
ton with their friends and admirers.
You can see nearly all classes Of men
in the wine room"-married and single,
youth and old age, reputable and dis.
reputable, the gentleman and the rough.
and all seem to be enjoying the tete.a.
tete around the tableu. In a few min.
utes some fair variety performer ex.
presses a desire for som ething to drink,
and OF course some man responds with
the necessary amount Of money at the
rate OF twenty-five cents a drink for ordi.
nary liquors or five dollars a bottle for
champagne. This is followed by other
-
drinks and cigars. When it is apparent
that those who are treating are growing
weary of dIsbursing funds, the fair en-
tertalHers get up aud visit other tables
where the same programme is repeated.
Many OF the girls are pretty blondes
aud brunettes, who hayea large circle of
friends among the young men, and this
makes the former most valuable &C.
QUESTIONS to the establishment in the
light of drawing custom in the wine
room Few who attend these places
refuse to respond to the appeals for
drinks made by the maidens dressed in
tights and spangles. The wine room"
is presided over by some woman who
receives all the cash, sees that orders are
taken and that all parties are supplied
with promptness. An Indifferent per.
former on the stage is very often the
most valuable employe in the house, as
her attractiveness and conversational
powers in the wine room amply make
up Tor all lack OF theatrical talent. The
show generally closes at u o'clock at
night, but the wine room" entertain.
ment continues for some hours thereafter
and often winds up with a ball given by
the proprietor, for which additional en-.
t%ertainment an additional amount Of
money is demanded. The variety girls
get from ten to twenty-five or thirty dol
lars per week as wages, the amount de-
pending upon their drawing well"
either on the stage or in the wine room"
After sitting up until two or three o 'clock
in the morning, they have to at.
tend rehearsal next day at 10 o'clock,
which lasts two hours, and then they
must appear on the stage at eight
o'clock in the evening to perform the
same work as on the night before. This
is a laborious life and leads to habits of
dissipation, but many of them resist all
that and manage to make a living hoa.
estly and respectfully, notwithstanding
the numerous temptations which sur
round their pathway. A glance into the
wine room at midnight would often
create establishment in the minds of
those who know nothing of such places,
and who know not what class of Memphi-
ans are in the habit of attending. To
these we say, There are more things in
heaven and earth, Horatio, than are
dreamt of in your philosophy"