The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-27
BILLY FLORENCE AS A JOKER.
Some of the Franks That He and
Sothern Delighted to Practice.
IL-ou, fha Mar Uo.I. C,,.,

Some of the Franks That He and
Sothern Delighted to Practice.
From the NeW York Sun.
Actors have been severely criticised for
| persistence in shop talk and carrying of
| the mannerisms and Alterations of the stage
into everyday life. Indeed this seems to be
characteristic of most actors beyond the
people Of any other profession or trade. 1t
| was a lack of this characteristic that was
always remarked first by those who met Mr..
Florence. He never INDUCED in shop talk
His manners were free from any suggestion
Of the stage, even of his own particular
parts, which in themselves had less staginess
| than is often seen.
Mr.. Florence impressed those who met
him socially as a man whose remarkable
natural ability had been developed by OBJ
servation and experience rather than by
study. His address was simple, cordial
and brusquely courteous.
He was best known off the stage as prac-
tical Joker. Not that he bore about any of
those mechanical contrivances with which
a certain low order of being regales itself
| He relied for his success upon his cleverness
| entirely. And it is not recorded that he
ever made an enemy by a practical joke
This love of practical joking made him and
Dundreary Sothern friends until the end of
| Sothern's life. They were continually play
ing jokes each upon the other, and which
ever way the joke went it was appreciated.
Larry Jerome, Sothern, and Florence were
a famous trio of jokers in New York ten
years ago.
Florence had great habit of promising a
| man a fish or some game when he was about
| starting on a hunting or q fishing trip.
| Day after day would pass and the game
would not be Forthcoming. But almost
every day letter or telegram would come
| saying that Florence had not forgotten, that
Florence was Just about sending the game,
| that there was no cause for worry, as a fine
fish or deer was on its way to the express
office. At first this solicitousness would
cause courteous letters and Telegram ms in re-
turn; as the delay got longer the victim
would get impatient. and would finally be
| literally haunted by huge fishes or deer,
with the compliments Of W. j. Florence"
| Then some fine day, when it was least ex-
pected, the fish or deer would come.
Through Sotbern Florence came to know
the Duks Of Beaufort, and they were excel
{ lent friends. Beaufort came to this coun-
| try and was at the Gilsey house a long
while. Florence enlivened his stay by sew
eral Jokes, which were the talk of the town
at the time. He told the duke that he was
not looking well, 'You need violent exer-
/ cise.n said he. NOW, | was troubled as
you are. used to strip to my underoloth-
| ing and, taking a heavy chair In my hands,
would run about my rooms, raising and
| lowering the chair 100 times without stop
ping. It had a grand effect"
! Florence insisted upon this Tor several
DAYS and got the duke into mind for try
ing it. One afternoon, when several erRi-
nent persons were going to call on the duke,
| Florence persuaded him to try the great
remedy. The duke Jdndressed, and, selling
| a great chair, he elevated IL above his head
and began racing around the room. de was
soon in a fine sweat, with his eyes bullying,
his fec red and his veins standing out.
! Florence went 20 the office, and when the
eminent and dignified persons arrived he
said to one Of them be knew.
"Going up to see his.grace|
"Yes," said the man.
"Weil.n said Florence, i've been up to
see him and I'm afraid he's touched Ia his
head. He isleaping about his room, making
strange noises and breaking the furniture.
Come up and see. think be ought to be
| restrained His family ought to be told"
The eminent and dignified personages ac-
comparied Florence, and peeping through
crack in the door, saw an apparent maniac
dashing round and round, with staring eyes
| and flushed face Then Florence shut the
| door and took them away to tell what they
had seen, beginning: "It's very sad about
| his grace until an impr esslon was genera
that the Duke of Beaufort had gone mao.
A few days later Florence hid tne oukes
clothing. and poked his head in at the door
and sad: Hurry out, the hotel is atrel'
The duke presently appeared in the hotel
office ia nightgown, slippers and tai
hat. thus confirming the untavoraole I'M
preston of his intellectuals.
Sothern and Florence took the greatest
liberties With each other. Each was con-