Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-01


between the LIST Of August and the last of Sep
TENDER. Everybody in tho show business
realizes that no more than half Of them, If
more than third, can escape failure and
therefore fright possesses the managers and
actors concerned. The majority of the low
comedians Of America will be chock full of seri-
business, under their jolly exteriors, when they
next face audiences, and the competition for
PUBLIC laughter will positively be desperate
The dlsbanded companies are bound to be so
are scared. Perhaps the confessed variety
shows will reclaim some Of their deserters and
so gain by the failures on ''the Legitimate"
stage.
Al present variety talent is at a low ebb. and
with apologies to the profession in generall
the following episode is taken literally out Of
the Coney Island lower level Of ''der bis"
BowERY LIGHTS.
Feminine nature in the Bowery IL not so very
unlike that on hurry Hill, though it may not
always make itself conspicuous in quite such
elegant fashion. 1t was 10 o'clock on Saturday
night when strange scene was enacted on the
first floor back of a rickety building standing
on the great downtown boulevard of the poor
near Canal street. A woman and o man were
hard at work sewing on what was apparently
very CANDY dress. They did not speak, but
piled their needles with intense assiduity, as
though the task in hand was one Of very I'M
usual Importance. At layt the man stopped
for is moment and said: Mary, We can't finish
We've got to, JIM" replied the woman
You know what that tough said he'd do If We
didn't get his girrs dress done, and he'll carry
out his word, too. Go ahead now and don't
talk"
The man bent to his work again, and tho mo-
ments passed in silence. Then there was a
noise on the stairs, followed by the appearance
in the room of a short, thick-set young man
with dazzling red hair and vulgar and hand
some girl in sailor hat and faded jersey.
Say, is me COILS costume done vet.
Flaherty?" asked the red-baired young man in
loud, coarse tones.
The man addressed looked up at his wife, and
the latter said: mot yet
well. why not" shouted the young man.
Say, you SO took that dress ter finish off ter
night an yer've got ter do it. Me goil is goin'
ter Conveys Island wild me termorrer, and she 5
got ter have the costume to make her daboo in ;
see? Now, I'm a man Of few words. an I told
yer when was here before l wud lick Flaherty
at IL clock il the dress amt flushed. Why
don yer have some one in ter help yer? What
kind OF dressmaker are yer, anyway. keepin'
no COILS? Flaherty yer got two hours an then
1 come back. Eff the dress amt done you'll
get your Cruel"
Il believe if you whip my husband" said the
sewing woman, Il can have You arrested. You
haven't got cause to whip him.
Il ANTI Git out. Didn't he take this dress
anu say ne nave II done saturday night!
Well, that settles it. If he don't keep his word
l can lick him. Have me arrested! Your
way off, you are. III be back at ~: see? Have
the dress done then, or Flaherty gets his
Cruel"
WHY FLAHERTY WAS NOT WHIPPED.
The red-haired youth and the girl then left.
At II they returned. The dress was not fn-
ished and Flaherty would certainly have been
ili-used had not his pale, miserable little wife
sprang at the red-haired youth armed with a
pair of shears. and threatened to kill him il
he dared to touch her husband. The wretched
Bowery dressmaker was fury at that moment
and she might have kept her word had the
ggOung r0"dy persisted in .a shas'i1s her
shears in the hands OF the deter
mined woman was too much for vulgar
brutality to withstand. and the young man fell
back, saying he was intending to extend the
time another hour. At o'clock the dress was
finished and the rowdy paid the dressmaker
the sum of 81. That represented two
days work. As the fellow handed her the
money he observed that it represented great
deal Of beer. Then he said to the girl
Come on, Kitty. We wants ter get some
sleep or we won't feel like doln our turn in
der show termorrer."
Kitty followed her escort. turning as she left
the room to say with great atfectation Of
dignity
IF der costume amt right, Mrs. Flaherty,
you will have ter fix it on Monday. amt let
tin Mike spend 50 for nothin see.''
The charming pair went away and the dress
maker proceeded to get a mattress out of a
closet and make bed for herself and husband
in one corner of the room. Who knows that
the Coney Island debut of Bowery Kitty as side
partner of Mike in jig at Sunday tent va
riety show may not lead to their employment
in some farce-comedy of the future? Some of
our footlight diamonds were very rough before
they were polished.