The sun., 1892-01-31
FLORENCES EARLY DAYS.
1HE BEGTNNTNG OF SUCCESSFUL
CAREER ON THE STAGE
E.terta,ning hts Fellow Workers In . Tyre
Feundry-His Ambitioa 10 Appear In =
broadway Theatre-'rhs Result OF Bnr.
ney Wtiiiams's Display OF Je eaiousy,


ney Wtiiians's Display OF Jealousy.
The FIRST time that saw W. J. Florence wa,
IN the fall OF ls48. He was the envy OF nearly
all Of the east side boys that crowded the side.
walks OF Grand street as the Clinton Guards
kept step to the music OF Lothian's band
whose nfer was Dan Emmett. the immortal.
lied author Of Dixie's Land" Florence and
another lad carried at the very front OF the
battalion the night sig nails OF Clinton Fire En-.
gine Company No. a. popular volunteer fire
company. whose house was nt the corner OF
Delaney and Attorney streets. The target
company was composed OF the regular mem.
bers Of the engine company and the run
ners. The uniform Of tho Guards
was peculiar The trousers were OF
black. with envelopes Of black. glazed
muslin. reaching from the knees downward.
and making a scrapinG sound while the men
were marching. A black patent leather belt.
with the Inscription. "Clinton Guards. a n in
white, girded tho waist. and u red flannel shirt,
black silk necStie. and glazed cap COM
pletsd the makeup. Still. it was picturesque
when large body Of men turned out. and it's
novelty SO impressed Garibaldi that he adopt
ed parts of It for his followers in Italy. It had
been in favor with the fire laddies throughout
the city for somo time Maybe Dan. Neil. and
Jerry Bryant carried muskets behind the two
signals. and shouldn't be surprised to be
told that Judge DAILY and his brother Angus
tin. CO.. Tom DGnlap. and President Arnold OF
tho Bonrd Of Aldermen. were spectators. for
all lived In the old Thirteenth ward.
Florence was graduated from Public School
No. .. In Henry street. near Pike. He had
gained q rudimentary education. the foun-
dation OF later extensive learning. including
the French. German. and Italian languages.
which he acquired by travel and contact. He
had n prodiCioua m amOrv Ho told fhnfh In
was paid boys fortune. say $50. when hc
Was little kid. for writing tho once popular
one-uct piece from the French. called THE
Ftrst Night: or. the Debutantc." for the late
Frank Chnnfrau. who utilized 1t for the
introduction OF his capital limitations of promi-
nent actors. Billy had seon the piece some.
where and mcmorized 1t. No copy of tho sketch
was known to be In print. and Chanfrau
announced openly that he would willingly pay
n big price for ono IL It could be produced
Florence heard Of the ofrer-he was call boy
at the Old Eowery-and Immediately set to
work to write the piece. In two days he had it
ready and subdivided into parts. Chanfrau
could hardly believe the story. but. being
satisfied with the copy. paid the boy the
coveted prize. Iheard Chanfrau and Florence
talking in Philadelphia about the remarkable
feat nearly forty years afterward.
Even at an early age Billy was promising
actor He had been to Richmond. where no
gave satisfaction as ar all-around member Of
the regular stock company Of the Richmond
Theatre. and had supported the elder Booth.
playing Richmond to his Richard He was
very good looking. and. being aware Of it. he
took particular pains in dressing. That habit
he kept up to the time OF his death. He was a
good son. md in all his wanderings never
forgot his mother. who became IA widow in
1885, with eight young children to care
for Those who were large enough to
work contributed to tho support OF tho
family. Billy Mt FIRST working in Bruces
tyne foundry. Beekman and William streets,
where he developed his stage ability. At the
noon hour he entertained his fellow appren-
ttces with song. dance. imitation. and recta-
stfon. and to gain their soul-stirrng paudits
he rehearsed at home to tho infinite astonish-
ment OF his old mother. Before that he had
gwen Indications of his tendency. to the dis
gust OF his father. who had discovered matt
nees In the cellar attended by the barefooted
elite Of the neighborhood.
In those days the actor hardly had the so.
ctal consideration that he enjoys now. and
Billy suffered under the general ostracism,
which his father emphasized with CATO
nine tails in the wood shed in the back yard in
Attorney street. One bitter cold winter night
there was Il big benefit performance in the old
tho temptation to enjoy it. notwithstanding the
imperative charge Of his father to remain in
the house and the prospect of severe chastise-
meat in the event Of fdisobedience. Something
Ike five full pieces were announced. to say
nothing about interludcs OF singing and
dancing. At about o'clock the irate father
missed the boy. and believed he had, after all,
gone TO tho show. He resolved not only
to. sit up for. him. but to arm him
hSlt with n St1ngare0. and stand
n the street about the time he ianciel that
ish soldier before he emiGrat ed from Ireland
he hsp Paesd ur and down tie sidewalk At about
went to az carret Where Bill slept. S listenea si
to the door. demanded to know Who was there.
voice II didn't think it was morning g yet. el iii
Est up. sir The father was astonished.
scaled fence. entered the house by III the ,ae bact
smrfa r tG eeS with tha hs bGotf
capital players, llo was its, secretary and
stsgs manager scr by IN IN old Ilayblll now in
srans Hee Bowery Mhers Tom Hyss
the champion Of America. held receptions at
feat q Yankee Sullivan Tom had to G stand and be- be-
hind n1 ths 6ar and help to dispense drinks to
than three weeks. Tom. remember, had n
black eye. and the hair OF his head. which was
disproportionally small. was cropped very
cH9Ations more. opposite than those OF Hyer
and tlorence--ths latter with his long, wnvy.
nut-brown hair. fair skin. and blue. expressive
eyes. modest tlemeanor and sympathetic ma
ture. with INTEL ectual aspirations. and the
former revalling in muscular advantages and
achievements.
;, was Mr.. Florence's first agent-let us call
II business mapaGer-when he resolved TO be-
come ~ star; We were fast friends rs far back
e. IsS: before his marriage to tho dnshing
ago! They were married bv u Methodist min
lister on New Years Day. 1873 She was the
daughter OF Henry Pray. master carpenter Of
tHe Broadway Theatre. corner Of Anthony. now
worth street. who was killed By the fall Of the
InMh SIHa,hih roiier. florcnce was II member uf the
DrouShams l.yceum company and Miss
sahaivlna was tho danseuse ut the time of
the,r engagement to marry. Florence had
benefit and Malvina made her debut
ea an actress on that eventtul occasion. He
appeared as I'm N'ibOies. an Irishman and She
a. gdn In the farce OF The Good for Nothing"
he had coached her for u long while. but she
Ms an apt pupil and she madu u decided hit.
$neir success was ominouS to Mr.. and Mrs
Barney Williams. who were OF the great stars
81 81 tme day, and e3i4inG money very last. Mrs
Williams and Maivhl We're sisters, and pre-.
aHMably. the RELATIONSHIP p suggested to Mr.
I!orence that another pair In the same line
lroU ,