Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-06-09

beast of ones self are provided without
stint. You can become inaudlin and sing
the performers ballad all your own way.
And the whole audience, by underwriting,
is roaring along with the orchestra at the
cltch-lines, chorliscs and refrains.
But between these music hall folk and
the London actors of the dramatic stage
there is endless emulation mingled with
tantalizing attempts at "freedery" and
airiness on the one side, and fadeless
dread and contempt on the other. The
music hall actor, "pros" or 'prosser" as
he is known in London, is in nearly every
instance product of the lowest London
life As u rule he is costermonger,
waterside character, stable-boy, boots"
starycing from the travelling booth shows
Billingsgate crate-carrier or from some
where out the East End slums.
If he be of Us good quality as from the
humblest laborng classes he still, as well
as all other music hall performers, grad
yates into his profession through one I'M
varying school of low and often vile train
ing-from the penny gaff," the worst of
all London shows, or from the smoking
concert den where he has as ''volunteer,"
sang, danced, contorted or slugged for The
free entertainment of the beery and foul
gutter hosts of london. Many of these
favorites command salaries OF from flU0
reach their aiiluence, and often respecta-
bility, out Of the same original depths and
along the same vicissitolis road.
The only time when dramatic actor and
"pros" ever meet is ut the annual Christ
mas plays and pantomimes. Then the
''pros" is in demand at the theatres to do
specialtics. The lofty scorn and the airy
defiance between actor and pros is then
something wonderful to behold.
whats that?" is the contemptuous
query of one actor to another, as 'pros"
is espied in the stage wings at Christmas
time, waiting to do his turn as his act or
speciality is called.
"Oh, its only thing from the 'alls (the
music-hallsl" his companion will as
witheringly answer.
"Gor bli me retorts the pros with
| an airy snort, hit cawnt be hits on the
| sta-ige;" referring to his prosecutor, They
wouldn't ave sech bloomin' hobjecs in
'alls "
To describe the haunts of the ''prossers''
would require a description Of the entire
| lowly of London But every day many
of these curious folks may be seen, and
between IL and O'Clock every Mon
day from 500 to 1000 can be found, ii
| the day he pleasant, at the intersection of
| York and Waterloo roads, just beyond the
south approach to Waterloo bridge, on
the Surrey side.
In language, speech, manner, dress,
| peculiartics and characteristics ii is one OF
| the rarcst asscniblages one can find in all
| London. They resort here to "bookn en-
gagements with dramatic agents who
occupy all accessible ground apartment.
| for nearly square on either angle of eac
of the four corners; to pay TO their agent.
the regularly required 10 per cent com
mission on their weekly salaries; to eX
change greetings, coster oaths and choic,
Billingsgate; aud 10 keep posted as to til,
movements OF rivals and city, provincial
| and American managers.
| After these managers have ARRANGED
their business affairs with the agents, botl
adjourn 10 the parlors of the York Hote
for wine and lunch. This ancient hostelrI
is the real headquarters of the entir
throng. On Mondays policemen are sta
| toned at its front to clear the sidewalk
for passers. Star favorites drive up to
in dog-carts or broughams; managers an
agents always come in their own carriage
with liyeried footmen; and while til
''prossers' who have come on foot ar
always on the surface respectful enoug
to these sliperiurs, their undertune of con
ment, epithet and grotesque disparagemer
is the richest and most graceless that eve
fell from the tongues of men and womer
The latter are here in equal number
with the men. Both drink on equal term
at the Yorks first, second and third cias
bar compartments. All seem to feel bett,
for their lurid denunciations of star
managers and agents. And all who hay
money generously share il with those {
their craft who have fallen by the waysid
and blear-eyed, crippled and htlsk,
voiced, each Monday drag themselves
this picturesque corner to humbly IVA
for captains which, in the vernacular,
, tarrying for drink and aims.
| Eut 40 l. ArrNtak,