Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-05-30
END OF H~ONKAT0NK.
Decadence of 0klahoma's Favorite
Entertainment
What 1t Was when the Audience
Used to Rise Up and Join in
the Fusillade at
the Climax.

The honkatonk is n of the few in
stitutions of Oklahoma which remain
TO satisfy the tenderfoot visitor in
search of the wild west scenes he has
read about. And it isn't so very live
~. In the times that were the COW
puncher was expected 10 ~perforate the
gaudy curtain when the performance
Jagged. or shoot a glimpse of daylight
through the star performers SOM
brero il his Interpretation of his part
lacked animation. At the climax,
when the wild-eyed heroine, in boots
and spurs, rushed madly upon the
stage, and fired the shot which put
her lovers pursuer's out of the way
and saved him from an awful death,
the audience was not alone permitted,
but expected, TO rise as a man and
accompany the fatal shot with n volley
that Jared the rafters. There is not
eve this byplay to stir the e~asterner's
nerves nowadays.
Ordinarily, the bonkatonk opens
about nine o'clock, and continues in
full blast until one, or thereabouts,
as long as its patrons will p~atronize
the bar. There are no reserved seats
and the visitor may have his choice of
foors The higher he goes the more
II will cost him. Fifteen cents is the
regular parquet price. 1t will cost
him q dime extra il he prefers n bal
cony or n box seat where he may coE-
verse with the actresses after they
have done their turn. Down on the
first floor you can get drinks "at bar
prices, gents" rs the hustler from the
saloon announces at frequent
intervals. Wherever the visitor sits, il
is unnecessary at any time TO abandon
his cigar, and whatever the part Of
the house, he is expected to be lib
eral in his expenditure for liquid re-
freshments. Along about II o'clock
the stage manager advances to the
front and an intermission
of ten minutes ito give you all time,
ample and sufficient, for TO refresh
yourselves" and then you pay fer
more drinks.
The programme is made up largely
OF spccialties. Whatever the feeling
of n long-suffering public, the honka-
tonk yocalists never will permit
Sweet Rosie O'Grady" and Just One
Girl' to perish from the earth, and
coon songs are sung as May Irwin
never did and never will sing them.
Always at least one drama Is pre-
sented, the entire company, vocalists,
dancers and all, participating. Among
the most popular plays are "The Dali
ton Eoys" and mildred, the She
Devil OF the Palms." for the old ira.
ditiOns still are respected to a certain
extent, though the participation OF
the audience is no longer solicited.
The performers do not travel by
companies. Every star hustlea for
himself regardless of all the others,
and remains in a community as long
as the management will pay him his
price, or, IL in case of an actress, as
long as she is a ucces at winning
checks by inducing her admirers &c
buy beer. At what age the performer
usually enters his career is question.
able, but the Gerry society would
hardly find the honkatonk stage n sue
c~essful field for operation, even wher
Little Eva or Jack the Boy Scou'
makes her or his appearance.
The stage manager is an interesting
individual. II he is the valuable maj
the proprietor expects him 10 be, h,
can beat the drum in the street band
sell tickets when the doors ar,
opened; "leg" for the bartender dur
ing intermission, play the heavy vii
lain in the tragedy act, and do n turf
as clog dancer all in one evening
Long hair and q soiled frock coat ar,
the marks which distinguish him from
|. his fellows on the stage. Every after
/, noon he gathers the people OF the cas-
at the thenter and puts them through
a rehearsal of the piece to be put o.
that evening.
There Is no defined circuit Of honk
atoDks, but the performers swim
around n circle OF n half dozen thea
tiers which dot Texas and the two ter