St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-26
The Burnt Cork Profession and the Shining
Lights Who Have Been Among
Its Followers.
Modern Minstrelsy Compared With the
Good Old Days Of Cotton and Ar
lington's Time.
Sensation Created by the Advent of
Haverly's Mfnstrels in England
IAN Ovation Averted.
Happy Cal Wagner and His Money
Billy EmersOn's Ruling Passion
for the Green Cloth.

Ministries demonstrates that mlnStrelSy, Ike
the circus, is destined to exist and thrive
''as long as the world rolls round" The
tragedian, with his strong support and at
trective repertory, may come and starve,
unless he can find sufficient sustenanee in
the glory of his name displayed on three
sheet posters in conspicuous places; the
emotional actress may be star so lumin-
CHS that she expects to Tighten the world in
the science of her art, but she cannot chase
away the gloom which pervades the empty
theater she is doomed to shine in unless she
has some greater speciality than herself to
attract or her manager is ''SoOn" enough in
his advertising tricks to stir up the morbid
curiosity of a gullable public. But the
minstrel company has only TO announce it
self in the usual form and claim TO be the
greatest show on EARTH" send on parade
an alleged band, the prominent instruments
of which are three hair-splitting E-flat cor
nets, bass drum and pair of cymbals, and
THE SEATS ARE ALL SOLD
before the doors are opened and the pla-
card, standing room only" stares the
amusement-seeker in the face before the cur
tain has risen on the first part.
Then the abundant audience sits and lis
tens to the jokes of the end men and laugh
as heartily over them as they did when they
read them the year before in the funny col
umns of the daily papers. They perSpire
while the clog dancers do their ancient act
with their heels and toes, and roar with
merriment because a simpletOn dressed up
in misfit suit with high collar asks them
to keep quiet. Then comes the Niger pic
mic. more clog dancing, two or three fel-
lows come out and call each other names
and belt each other over the heads with
4 arsl-
performance winds up with grand melee
i'm which men dressed as women make indie
cent exposures and indulge in vulgar antics
while the balance of the company INDUCES
in n free fight, in which everyone is
killed but the stage manager and the man
i'm the roof who rolls down the curtain.
This is
MODERN MINsTRELSY.
Fifteen years ago, when Billy Arlington
and Ben Cotton were in their prime, and
subsequently when Billy Emerson, Billy
Rice. McAndrewS, George Thatcher and a
dozen others were fresh with their creations,
and limitations, minstrelsy was fresh. orig
mai and entertaining. Now everything is
stale and on the rehaSh order. Comedians
initiate comedians, and when you have seen
one complete minstrel organization. you
have seen and heard all which modern burnt
cork art affords.
Billy Arlington was considered at one time
the king of minstrel comedians, and he
certainly was remarkably original and
spontaneous with his wit. / have known
him 10 sit on the end and improyiSe both
words and music TO a song so bright, mel
Odious and refreshing that the audience de-
manded verse after verse, and Billy. moth
Ing dauRted, would continue 10 grind them
out until his delighted listeners were salts
fed.
Ben COttOn's stump speech on the labor
question made him famous, and he was i'm
itated by a dozen comedians within a year
after he recited it. TO my mind, there has
never been anything so funny and yet so
pithy and sarcastic. Arlington and Cotton
had falling out, and each organized
company for the road. Neither of them
succeeded. both being
ADDICTED To BAD HABITS,
and having little ifany business qualifca-
tons. Cotton was in the amateur business
a few years ago, producing Uncle Toms
Cabin and other dramas in small towns and
with local assistance. Arlington lent his
name to manager and engaged with him
on salary about four years ago. and trip
was made through Montana. Dakota. Min
neSota and Wisconsin. closing the season in
Chicago without having made cent. This
was his last expedition. His name did not
draw, and the managers have fought shy
/ of il and him ever since. He is now travel
/ ing with a sort of SuccOtash concert COM
pany, in which he plays the banjo and de-
/ iiveTs a lecture. In justice to him it should
/ he said that since his marriage, about five
/ years ago. he has become a temperate,
/ steady fellow. Arlington never saved any
money and is pennileSs to-day.
~ = h., To-.
| been singularly successful and unfortunate.
He was great end man at one time, and
! his name on the bills was considered by any
manager a guarantee Of success for the
/ organization. To-day his name would not
draw dollar, unless from some charitably
disposed person who, remembering the old
/ minstrel i'm the zenith of his fame. might
| feel a desire In see the relic of past giOries.
| Wagner has been quite frugal. however,
/ and mas quite a fortune TO fall back on in
/ his dotage. lie owns large stock farm in
/ New York, or which he keeps some very
/ fine horses. Re has a snug bank account,
and a. ne is not eXtTavagant. viii probably
be in comfortable circumstances all his life,
unless he should be imyeigled into some
minstrel enterprise.
One of the most popular and profession
ally successful minstrel of the day is Billy
] A-AASAHNA- "a NNA .NsAo AAS HOS tNNAA a
public fayOrite, and has. during that
period. amassed quite fortune. much less.
however. than it could have been were it
not for his
GAMBLING PRoCLIvITY.
Emerson has a passion for gambling in
any form and he INDUCES il too much for
his pockets good. He is now running a
4 stock company in San Francisco with great
success and so popular is he there that, l
am told. he can pack the house TO over
flowing by merely announcing his appear
ance on a certain night. He and his COM
pany are treated very much as HarTigan *
Hart are i'm New York.
Francis Wilson. the clown comedian with
the McCaull company. who was seen here a
short time ago in Prince MethnSalem, F"
was once a minstrel and very successful
one. He and fellow named Mack did a
song and dance act intersperSed with a
good many oddities. Mack was hard
drinker and has never amounted 10 much.
but Wilson, who is strictly temperate and
A PERFECT GENTLEMAN,
gave up burnt cork and very large salary
to go on the legitimate stage as comedian.
He commenced on SO per week. but BIZ
hard study and natural ability he has
gained the top as comie-Opera comedian,
and now receives an enormous salary for
his work.
George Thatcher is q clever comedian
who originated the singie-eOnversatiOn act
in front OF the drop curtain. Both the act.
the manner of talking. etc, are now imi-
tated by Wilson. Slavin and others. who,
however, do not appear TO produce the
electrical effect that Thatcher dees. His
droll humOT is inimitable, and his equal has
i not yet put in an appearance.