Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1895-11-01
BOB AND ALF.
The Taylor Brothers at the Tabernacle
Last Night.

The Taylor Brothers at the Tabernacle
Last Night.
"Bob" Taylor and his brother "Alf"
appeared together at the Tabernacle
last night and were greeted by very
large audience. The brothers are
meeting at present on the same plat
form for the first time since they
made their memorable race for the
governorship of Tennessee, but this
time the "war of the roses" is peace
full war, from which one brother gets
as much glory and as much profit as
the other. Their dual production is
entitled "Yankee Doodle and Dixie"
ALI takes the Yankee and Bob the
Dixie part of the performance.
Every one, of course, remembers
the race of the Taylor brothers against
each other for the gubernatorial chair.
1t was in 1886 that the Tennessee
| Republicans nominated Alf Taylor
as their candidate for governor and
the Democrats saw them and went
them one better. as it proved, with
Alf's brother Bob.
"The entertainment given by the
Taylors is unique and as enjoyable as
it is odd. 1t isn't lecture, it isn't a
series of character sketches, it isn't a
rendition of folk lore stories and songs
in Southern dialect, it isn't a mere
plav of oratory and eloquence; yet it
combines all these charmingly. There
is music, mirth, pathos, poetry, folk
lore and fun blended into well.
rounded whole that interests while it
elevates.
| "Alf Taylor assumes the first part
of the program. His theme is "Yan-
kee Doodle" and from it he evolves a
noble drama of liberty. He rapidly
sketches the history of the American
republic. The subjugation of the
wilderness, the struggle with the
throSs of the evolution of government
are Treated with liberal and graceful
touch. Washington is the hero of the
patriotic and largely allegorical play,
He is enthroned as the archangel of
liberty. The speaker tells with rare
skill of the greatness of this nation.
yankee Doodle" from being a
young national giant Just awakened
to realization Of his power, becomes
the typical unit Of strength-the YAM
kee as we see and know him. With
this change comes leap from the
sublime to the ridiculous, and the
audience is convulsed at the conceit
of bloomer army returning victo
rious from the wars to lift for mo-
ment the mind of the going man
1 above pots and pans and the baby
Alf Taylor is finished orator and
his eloquent tributes to the great men
tof the republic who have risen from
the ranks of labor to the most com
manding eminence win warm ap-
plause. The liberty of speech,
| thought and labor, he maintains, were
the spirit of yankee Doodle" and
that spirit has created the grandest
structure on earth in the government
under which we live.
"Ex-Gov. Bob Taylor is the defen-
der and eulogist of Dixie. He says
Mason and Dixon's line may not exist
in law, but it does in fact and in sem
timent, and ever will. 1T is the divid-
ing line between colo bread and hot
biscuit 1t is there in sentiment, and
will remain as long as Yankee Doodle
says you hadn't ought to do it, and
Dixie responds Il done done it, The
war accentuated this line by placing
Yankee Doodle on the pension roll
and Dixie on crutches. He would de-
spise the Northern man who would
not think his rocky hills the best the
sun ever shone upon; he would have
no respect for the Westerner who did
not think his plains the prettiest and
his mines the richest of the world !;
but he would always love Dixie the
best because it was his home, and be-
cause God made it the best. The
crown of his talk is his picture of
Southern life. At one point the
speaker sketches the last of his fam
ily's slaves, an old negro man who
had outlived his master and grown to
love his masters children as his own.
In last interview he told his young
master that the fiery chariot aud its
accompanying band of angels had
twice been to his bedside and, as he
longed to be with his friends of the
good old days it would not be many
days before it would come and take
him. The young man saw the faith
full darkey next in death, and es he
said it he broke into that incompara-
BILE melody, "Swing Low, Sweet
Chariot" The entertainment is full
of south touches"