The Democratic advocate., 1895-01-19
THE SOUTHLAND.
Some Interesting Notes by a West
minister Actor During a Tour
Through the South

MESSRS. EDIToRS OF THE ADVOCATE =
perhaps you might wish to learn how
| am getting along, and something of my
travels, / write to you. have now been away
from Westminster for nearly five months and
feel like an old professional. have learn
ed great many things concerning the Stage,
which one can only find out by practical eN-
| am not egotistical in the least
when saw | have improved over 100 per
cent. And there is still tvast room for inn
have only begun my tounda-
ion. When left home, | was under the i'm
preston that | did know something. but now
find how little | really did know concerning
the profession have adopted. My great fault
9t first was awkwardness. | am now easier
in nv positions. This has been acquired
through careful training by our Stage Manager,
an old stock actor.
Being in repertoire company, ! have as
sumed many diverse characters. In 'Othei-
lo' | have played every male character, eN-
cept Othello, Iago and Casio; and in Cricket
on the Hearth | was compelled to play on
short notice ''1illy Slowboy" an d"Mrs. Field
ing, characters | never dreamed was cap
able of filing. To my own surprise, how
ever. made quite hit in Atlanta personal
ing Mrs. Fielding.
Now concerning the places visited have
New Jersey. West Virginia. Virginia. North
and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and
Alabama.
While in Lexington. Va. | visited the Nir-
ginia Military Institute and the grave Of Gen
eral ''Stonewall' jackson. At Charlottesville.
Va. our whole party drove TO the home of
Thomas jefferson. Ii is in the mountains,
about three miles from the town, and is
beautiful place The house is of the colonial
stvle. with wide porches. 1t has an observa-
tory from which one can look down on the
valley for thirty miles. Here, also. is his
grave. over which is handsome monument.
| believe, however, that the most delightful
place have visited Is Williamsburg. Va, the
first capital of the State. The place seems
dead: no business is carried on, and every one
seems TO live at his ease Every house in the
town is very old aud ! believe only one dwell
ing has been erected in ten years. One otthe
inhabitants told me that when the building was
started. il was sneh a surprise to the com
munitv that a Land Company was incorpo-
a,ed to boom Williamsburg. But no more
horses were built. In every sense of the
word. it reminded me Of an old colonial town
as described in oBr histories. There are
many things to H;-Ii.e il sach. for still stand
ing Is the old Co,:tt House in which Patrick
Henry made one of his celebrated speeches.
But the greatest interest 10 tourists is the
Chapel. In this Chapel PocahuniaS was
baptised. ! learned that It is now as i was
originally. except that II has been repaired on
several occasions. In the church yard the
graves are all sealed up. and each one has as
n top a large fiat stone. not marble. On tins
stone, in every instance, the Coat of Arms Of
the family of the deceased Is cut, and beau
tifil poem. describing the person and hrs
many virtues. Many of the letters are very
indistrict. One name | noticed was Robert
Raemere. born 1912 died 1895.
We also PLAYED at the Soldiers Home, Old
Point Comfort, Va. was entertained very
nicely by one Of the Captains, who showed noe
everything ~ interest. The soldiers have
everything 20 be desired and t Is q city IN IT,
self 0ne dining room seats over 1000 men.
They have q very fine theatre with seating
capacity OF about 100. II is owned BY the
Government and no enc but the soldiers and
their families enjoy it. privileges. Eyery
company PLAYING there l. given a certain guar.
antee hv the Commander OF the Home. or
Governor. as be IS called, and only comedies
are allowed 80 De played. twas an inspiring
scene 10 me. Every seat ia the theatre was
filed. the entire audience being old and gray
haired men. The Governor has a private box
Tor himself and family. and the performance
never commences until be arrives. When be-
enters his box. IL Ls signal for the entire
audiencce to rise. and then America s.
plaved bv thc hand and Sung hy the soldiers,
When we first heard it. Il Sss very affecting
and brought tear to our eyes.
Ia Richmond We played a, the old Rich.
mond theatre At Ashesihe y g., Ne visit,
ed the celebrated kenilworth Ina and Van
derhiit' palace, These were wei worth see
ing. both standing prominently on = peak oi
the mountains 200 feet above sea level u
was very cold here.
My stay in Atlanta was a great treat I
called on Miss Molhe Hoppe. who saw oar
performance. and She sends her regards % al
Of her cid friends IN Westminster. Atlanta is
the greatest city IN the South with the possible
exception ef New Orleans n push and
energy il is.for ahead Of Baltimore. Every
body Ia the South comes here aud al Geor.
sians are proud Of their eity They are nos
making extensive preparations tor their EN.
position next Fall and are very enthusiastic
over L. They have seat representatives 20
nearly every foreign country aud already q
few countries have promised exhibits. i MAS
nv good fortune 70 meet young man living
IN ATLANTA. Mr. Ed. Heard, belonging 20
one of Georgia ! first lamilies. tie took me
10 every place Of interest. Through him !
met the newly elected Governor. Mr.. Atkiu.
son. and also, the great aHthor. Joel Chandler
Harris. Georgia by far, Is the State Of the
South.
In South Carolina, where the 1Yllman l.iq.
nor law Is ia vogue. ! first saw apd VAS IN
one or the much talked Of Blind Tigers.
Each town has ''DispeuSary, where AL
liquors are sold BY subscription. Nearly
every town has one or alore Blind Tigers.
These are places where liquor Is sold by the
glass The individual who runs i rents a So.
elusive room and keeps his liquors IN large
demijohns. He has no bar. just table and .
few chairs. This IS necessary, as he IS com.
PEELED % change his quarters very often. A
great deal Of bloollshed Is caused hy toe spie.
Of Tillman discovering these places, Ia th,
towns everyone Is against Tillmaa. hui Ia tae
rural districts he Is their idol. And as the
country people arr in the majority. Iiilman
has lili sway.
With one exception II has been VERY warm
down here. and an oyercoat Is generally an
necessary.
Business with as has been rather poor. In
fact every company playing IN the South thu,
wear. with only a very few exceptions. rep0ri
exceedingly poor business
There are several things | noticed pariieu.
larly in the South One Is that every toxin ai
one thousand inhahiiauts and over has electric
lights and a nice theatre. ard most of them
have electric car lines. Another Is that negroes
are made 10 know their place. Every railroad
has a special car for them and they are allowed
10 ride in no other.
AS 10 politics, the Popalists are gaining
strength every day ia the South. ! have
learned the reason there has always been q
'.Sold South. Il Is simply because II is
whites versus blacks, The negroes mostly
are Republicans aud very ignorant. II the
Republicans should get in power they would
without a doubt put many negroes IN the de
sirable offices and put great power IN theIi
hands There is no telling, then, what they
would DO. There are many Republicans herr
and many Democrats that have the same yiew'
on the tariff aud other national issues as th,
Republicans, but they all invariably vote III,
straight Democratic ticket on account Of the
negroes From what ! have observed ans
learned. ] honestly believe that the Repub
hcans are considerably in the majority ia al
the states ] have been, with the exception
possibly of Virginia. However, they vot,
the Democratic ticket for above reasons. II
conversation with one Of the officers Of the
Superior Court of Georgia, Democrat O
course. he coineided with my views.
Here ia Atlanta and elsewhere they are verl
sore on Cleveland and he is the recipient o
many vile epithets He Is thoroughly disliked
The above Is written in "A non partisan view
Our company will close about April.
have made arrangements with some Of th'
members to give a performance about th'
middle of April in Westminster. We vii