Wichita eagle., 1889-09-18
OLD TINE MINSTRELSY.
THE MIDDLE MANS" STORY OF
HIS BURNT CORK CAREER.
With the Christies Thirty Years Ago-The
Days of Small Salaries-A Disastrous
Tour to Cuba-Livine Several Days on
Five CrackerS-Beatins q Ride.

Five CrackerS-Beating q Ride.
/ a genuine old timer in the minstrel busi-
ness is Joseph NJ Norcross, the jovial inter
locutor of the Haverly Cleveland minstrels.
Mr.. Norcross is not very old In years, only
about Is, but there are few whose term OK
service in the ranks of minstrelsy approaches
his. 1t was just about thirty-two years ago
that he blacked himself up and earned his
first dollar as maker Of laughs. It took
good many laughs to make dollar in thoss
days, and backing up was not then thesinpls
operation it is today
Now, carefully prepared burnt cork can be
purchased ready for use by the barrel, but
| the dark faced artists Of third of a century
ago thought burned wood good enough for
them. Es had an excellent alto voice and
taste for instrumental music, and had nnads
something Of a reputation from perform
ances with amateurs. Assuming the name
OF joe Norrie and purchasing violonceno,
he organized minstrel company. The or
| ganization was known as Sharply and Nor
rie's ninstrels and included seven perform
ers. The instruments Of the orchestra coz
sisted of a violin, banjo, violoncello and jaw
bone.
So encouraged was Mr.. Norcross with bis
success that in 1859 he joined the company
| controlled by William and Byram Christie,
sons of the original Christie.
THAT TRIP TO CUBA AND BACK
| He next Joined the lEolian minstrels and
| made a tour to Cuba and Mexico The per-
| formanceS were given under canvas, and the
| company, meeting with financial reverses,
reduced expenses by discharging all the can
vas men and making the stage stars perform
| their duties. HiSconract called for a salary
OF $50 week, something really enormous for
those days. He was with the company six
| months, during which time he received ex-
actly two weeAs' salary, paid In numerous
| installments
They had many adventures during their
Mexican tour. 1t was at the time of the re-
belhon, and while playing at Bagdad and
Matarncras pass was obtained from the
Confederacy allowing them to cross the river
and show in Brownsville Mr. Norcross has
that pass in his possession today. When the
company desired TO return to the United
States vessel was chartered to take them to
New Orleans. 1t was expected that the voy-
age would be accomplished in less than FIVE
days, SO only provisions enough for that
length of time were taken. Contrary winds
and dead Gains heightened the voyage to
nearly two weeks, ard they would certainly
have starved had they not fallen in with
small schooner, from which barrel of crack
ers was obtained The Graz ,ers were of
Mexican make, half foot square, nearly as
thick through and hard as a brick. They
were equally divided among all on board,
each receiving five
When Mr.. Norcross and his company
reached New Orleans they were dead broke
Without a dollar between them, four ex-
members Of the bankrupt minstrel company
set out from New Orleans FOR home. It was
remar liable journey, and can best be told in
the words of LII. Norcross. Said he:
I'VE went aboard the steamer Ruth, which
was bound up the Mississippi to Cairo, where
we hoped to find another boat which would
carry us to Cincinnati from where we could
| take the cars to Philadelphia. l explained to
the captain our state of finances, and he agreed
to give US our passage If we would help put
the cargo on board. Having served as can
vasnen, we did not mind hard work, and
hustled the bales of cotton about with such
good viii that the captain soon called us upon
deck and said we had done enough. We gave
concert that night and pleased the captain
! SO much that we were given staterooms. We
continued to entertain the passengers, and
when we reached Cairo were presented with
purse of $50.
''llearned from the steward that thesteamer
Darling, which was then about to leave for
Cincinnati, was run by splendid sort of peo-
pie SO determined to try and get passage
without paying for 1t. l went to the captain
with the recommendation Of thesteward, and
asked him if he would not give US our pas
sage in exchange for musical entertainments
1t turned out that the steward was thorough
ly hated by our captain, who, in great rage,
refused my request.
He said that the steward tried to pass off
on him all the dead beats he could rake no
One of my companions was a clever piano
player, and just before the boat was to start
lie began a performance upon the steam cal
hope, an instrument with which all Missis-
sippi river boats were then provided. So
merrily did he play that the captains heart
was softened and he informed US that we
need not go ashore
THE DAZFD LANDLORD
SAT Cincinnati / separated from my three
friends had about $50 in my pocket, but
l determined to save it to buy a suit OF
clothes with, when reached Philadelphia l
knew could not get an engagement unless
dressed decently. CHANGING to notice gen
tle1nan, who had no baggage, purchase q
he agreed to cieck my two trunks through to
Philadelphia. / got aboard the train and
when the conductor came around told him
Of the bad fix was in, but could not induce
him to pass nle. AS he insisted upon 1t got
of at the next station intending to board the
next train. But when the cars started my
heart failed me and got on again. The con-
ductor was rather wrathy when he found me
still aboard his train, but finally won hisgood
VIII and note to the next conductor, which
helped mo through TO my journeys end
Il had nothing 10 eat from the time / left
Cincinnati until landed in Philadelphia, eI-
cept one meal, and that was big one. The
train stopped at restaurant and / went in
and ate all ] could. When finished called
for the landlord ane said: Ny dear sir, /
have had 8 splendid dinner here; l have
eaten al can and have not cent TO pay for |
it If had asked your permission you would |
have refused me. now that the dinner Is |
gone, what are you going TO do about itF |
expected that he would kick me ont, and |
rather hoped he might Instead helooked
daxed for a moment and then said, Have q
cigarF"
Soon after arriving in Philadelphia Nj |
Norcross scared al engagement with Gotten
and Murphy Joe Murphy aad dis fortunes
melded rapidly. OF course he has expe-
rienced the ups and dowts peculiar to his |
profession, but his career has been UNUSUALLY |
successful Els voice, which IN youth was
alto, changed 10 Q rich, oesp bass and has |
gained for him al enviSbie reputation as q |
vocalist He hes been with NEST of the ia |