The record-union., 1893-06-17

I'm 0uNt. ylII lL6 IidlluoIy bpI-
tnets and clothing OF q Bowery boy about
tne world, would be typical American.
Ihey are simply cads; disgrace to intel
!lgent English people and an insulting
human parody upon the ignorant though
sturdy and genuine costermongerS they
sadly mimic, possessing more than all
their vices and totally lacking the least of
their humble virtues
The longer one studies these curious
loWIy iolk of London, the greater is the
wonder that they have not proven more
fruitful subject for the novelist, or at
least Tor such masters Of character paint
ing as Thackeray, Reade and Dickens.
Ihey have always been utilized as the
putt OF quips and quirks by the penny-a-
liner, the wits of Punch, the newspaper
paragraphers. and, in low sort of way.
to raise the loudest outlaws at the myriad
music halls Of London. But not until
quite recently has their character been
seriously studied by man of real genius,
or their weaknesses, virtues and traits
appealing to univeral human recognition,
been portrayed by a man of subtle per-
ception and ardent sympathies.
That man is Albert Chevalier. Of
French, Welsh and Irish extraction, he
was destined by his parents for the
priesthood. But instead he became
successful actor of the legitimate comedy
under the Bancrotts, the kendals and
later at the Court Theater under Manager
Hare. In time he found himself popu-
lar leading comedian without an engage
ment. Offers came to him for engage
ments in burlesque as second comedian.
ms was going backward; something
London actor cannot afford to do. Some
of his work in comedy had brought him
among the costermongers for character
study; and he remem bered that any song
he had sung in his various characters
bearing on these droll folk had been re-
celved with peculiar favor. He suddenly
resolved to turn music hall singer, a res
olutlon which carried out in London Or
dinarily means complete social ostracjsm,
But from the time this determination
was reached Chevalier must he consid-
cred in the light of poet, composer and
singer. lie continued his coster studies
with positive genius, a splendid educa-
ton and successful actors alert percep-
ton OF what is necessary, as with the
painter, to not only reveal by true re-
alism, but to reveal in the subtler power
OF suggestion, behind them; aud the re-
suit was that since his first singing of
The Coster's Serenade" at the London
Pavilion, in February, 1891, he has held
the extraordinary position of being the
only performer upon any stage so unique
in his line of rendition and so masterful
in his artistic skill as to prevent the
slightest attempt at rivalry.
He is but 80 years of age, vet his in
come from his nightly performances at
four leading London music halls and
from royalties on his songs is from 5000
TO 81, 200 per week-nearly equaling the
salary of the President of the United
States; and all this from merely discover
ing the costermongers of London and re-
Vealng them to the people of London. 1t
has been done in a way to reach their
hearts as well as their sense OF humor
lastingly, as is shown in the fact that his
present engagements are permanent for
period of five years. He is a quiet.
studlouS fellow, and while his incompar-
able success has opened to him the doors
of the great and noble houses in London,
where his genuine scholarship and re-
hnement would render him a social ac-
QUESTION without the glamor OF success.
he leads a modest life in his own pretty
home alongside the Thames, almost un-
der the shadow of Windsor Castle, where
his books, his punt and fishing-rod are
his chief companions.
This much regarding the mans person
al1ty. 10 convey to others who are UNI
acquainted with costermongers them
selves the peculiar conditions of London
life and society which make it possible
Tor a man to derive princely income
from creating and interpreting-to Chev-
aller Is more than mere singer upon the
stage-two or three coster songs each
year is a difficult task. Its costers. dis
tinctive i'll character, vocation, speech.
traits, habits and customs, had nrevi-
ously remained an almost unknown
people to what may be regarded as intel
lectual London. If Charles Dickens were
living and had written a great work of
fiction in which coster life and love had
been dellneated so powerfully that all
London stood amazed at its own igno-
rance Of its own Iowly, the coster man
and woman could not have been more
firmly set upon the pedestals of senti-
ment than has Chevalier placed the,n
through his strong flashlights and bold.
broad strokes of delineation in character
representation and song: He has brought
TO almost universal attention the mirIh-
full and serious sides of coster character.
He has shown that there are coster
comedy and tragedy like that possible to
your lie and mine. In one after another
OF his marvellous song representations,
like The Coster's Serenade," The Cos,
ter's Courtship,' 1.-The Future Mrs.
'Awkins," "Wot Cher" The Nasty
Way f Sez 1t" and "Our Little Nipper.;
he has brought the very heart throbbings
of this uncouth class. often through pa
thetic tenderness, so close to those of his
hearers that the great London public,
from prentice boy TO prince, have awak-
ened to the fact that costers are actually
human creatures, possessing at least
some Of the common attributes of human
kind.
Chevalier found that the eosters really
made love to each other: that there We're
rude Romeos and JulietS among them:
and such hints as these are given of the
gentle passion between pearl-buttoned
Jackeys and their domains
You amt forgotten yet that night in May.
Down at the Welsh ARP, witch is Endon
way?
You fancied wrinkles an pot o tea:
fFOur 'alf' | murmured. IS COOL epouoI,
for me;
Give me word of 'ope that may VIM
\ on prods me gently with the Wrinkle pin:
We was as Apply rs could be that day
Down at the Welsh Arp, witch is ,Endon
way.
'Wot Cher' is an inimitable delinea-
ton OF the coster in his registering, hilari-
Gus mood. The Nasty Way 4 Sez Ii.
which has been pirated and put 10 ig-
noble use In America, though told in the
uncouth coster way of d sneering, fault
finding pa" IS most wonderful satire
on that omnIpresent class of croakers VINO
descend like harpies upon all well-earned
comfort and content. His latest creation.
''Our Little Nipper,' discloses the coster
parental love for and pride in the coster
boy, who IS assiduously taught by his
radiant father
Not in books, of course, for them q can't
abide
But in artful little keys little ways
As makes the people sit up Were we STAYS.
Chevalier's influence has been healthful
and good. While, as i'll London parlance.
coster stock is looking up, there is de-
cidedly less of initiated cocknevlsm and
coster slang among the Iowly, and less
everyday butfoonery among the cockney
cads Of London. Defining and revealing
costers as a class nave brought them into
line for social and literary contemplation.
This of itself gradually tands ro o,r4;,,o