The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-09
DE MOTT STREET KID.
He Tells How His Dramatic As
ISOLATION was Wrecked.
Ode Livin' Pirut of de Dead Sea" was a
Great Go Until Three of Them
Got on a Rampage.

yeri' exclaimed the Mott street kid
as climbed into his bootblack chair for
a shine
''Well. what is it?'' I asked.
Did you s hear bout how de Shakes
peerean Dramatic asaociashun Of de east
side had all gone to smash?"
ono, hadn't heard. -
'WeIl, it's a cold fact, Gully, and IL
makes me heart ache to think Of it.
invented dat associashun mesef and was
de high monkeymunk Of de same.
WAS it an association Of amateur ac-
tors?''
''Dat's right. ole man, all amachures
but de undersigned. De pape's doan
speak of me as an actor, but I've bin
dere jest de same. Mebbe ye didn't
know dat I've supported Richard Mans
field, John Drew, Francis Wilson and
a heap more of de high ups? Yes, sir
supported EN- and hit de public dead
center in doin it. OATS me, cully-born
for de purfesh, but blackin shoes cause
dere's more money into it. III show We
some press notices some day on me Ham
let -
''But what about the dramatic asso-
ciations' I asked.
81 was comm to dat. You's see, de
countess-dat's my gal, you know
wanted to be an actress and star in me
great five act play called De Livin
Pirut Of de Dead Sea-. Dere's a play
fur ye, Gully Yer hair would begin to
curl almost before de curtain went up,
and ye'd faint dead away wild de close
of de first act. De cast takes in 2 char
acters and 25O supes, and de u of Us
formed de Shakespeerian Dramatic as
sociashun. Besides me dere was ScOtty
Jack, Busted Joe, Cockeyed Sam, Chirpy
Charlie and Fatty Hope. Besides the
countess dere was Sassy Jane, Big Sue,
Nippin Nell, BOwery Mary and Taffy
MOlL Dat made 2 Of US, and I'm telIin
ye, Gully, dat it took in all the east side
dramatic talent to de last eyebrow. We
got to gether, as I've been sayin, and
rented hall and got to work -
You were the hero Of the play Of
course?' I queried as he paused to sigh
and draw a long breath.
fOf course, Gully. was de grand
star arOun which all other stars had to
twinkle I was de hero and the countess
was de heroine. Sayl You orter seen US
when we had our toys Onl De wardrobe
alone in dat play calls fur a check of
$40, 000 and de ships and cannon and
swords and armOr fur de supes cost as
much more. When I walked across de
stage, wild me cooked hat on me ear, me
sword in me hand and me red velvet
cloak train behind, it jest trowed Booth
and Barrett right over de fence. I felt
de situashun right yere, Cully-right
yere in me soul Fur de time bein was
de bloodiest pirut dat ever chawed beef,
and if dere had been a hundread peelers
around Id hev given EN- all back talk
And de countess-jee whiz She Jest
showed born royalty down to her heels,
and she looked so sweet dat de pirut
hero-which was me-licked MS chops
and couldn't think o. nuthin but
peaches and cream. Alum ~
''Weu, you rehearsed the play?''
eve did, Gully. De fust two rehear-
sails went off as slick as fallin down on
Broadway. Den Fatty Hope begun to
play de mewL Yo1's see, in de second
act me and me pirut band board a vessel
and lick de crew outer DER butes and
captur ten boxes of gold. Fatty was my
support and captain of de other craft.
He didn t want to be licked, he know,
and SO he made trubble. When we went
to captur' him, he licked de hull gang
and upset de programme.
WudL s Q0 row SEE L.
6 Z won't be licked by no blamed
pirutr SEE he.
SO But it s in de play.
&C Can help dat. Ne friends viii be
at de play and roast me if I give in.
CT argued with him, but he wouldn't
give in. Den Sassy Jane got in de sulks.
When de piruts captur' de ship. I take
de countess on my left arm, kill two
men wild me sword and jump 20 feet on
to me own craft. Sassy Jane wanted to
be de gal to repose on me arm, and when
she couldn't hev her way she went in
to bust de grand Shakespeerian aggre-
gashun.
f'They all wanted leading parts, eh?''
''Dat was de trubbIe. ole man, and
you see it can It be did in play. Dere' IS
got to be de leadin man and de leadin
woman. All de rest has got to stand
back and gin EN- a show. In de third
act de countess falls overheard and
swims to an island and climbs tree
It's one of de great incidents of de play
and bound to made de enthusiastic
audience riz up on their feet and howl
Francis Wilson offered me $50, 600 fur
dat one scene alone, and he shed tears
when I WOuldn't take it Well, de cOun-
tess hadn It done de trick but twice when
Tafy Moll got up on her ear about it.
She wanted to do de fallin and de climb
in act herself Why, Gully. dat gal
weighs 200 pounds. and ye cOuldn' It git
huff water on de stage fur her to splarsh
in, and as fur chmbin a palm tree, she
kin hardly git up stairs When I tried
60 argue wild her, however, she got mad
and kicked de bowsprit of my pirut
craft and slapped de countess on de
jaw.
And so that was the end?'' I asked.
ssNot cutie, Gully. I told ye bout de
birthday PARTY and de dukes bein sent
over to de island for a sixty? Well, some