Evening star., 1902-08-04
HOTEL ENTERTAINERS
ALL KINDS COME TO AMUSE
DWELLERs AT SUMMER RESORTS.
Trained Bears, Acrobats, Glass Eaters,
Lecturers and Musicians
Are There.
From the New York Tribune.


The variety of ways in which mankind Is
amused may be we'll illustrated by the
kinds of entertainment given to people at
the summer resorts. The many diversions
on the regular hotel programs grow tame
after a few weeks. and would no longer be
diversions if something new was not. found
once in while to relieve them. One of the
forms OF entertainment is the man or wo-
man who goes about from one hotel to an
other giving exhibitions of his OF her pc
culiar talent These entertainers meet
with different terms at different establish
ments. though 1t Is usually the case that
they must not only stand their hotel ex-
penses. but also share a certain per cent of
their receipts with the management. The
receipts are usually in the form of collec-
tions. Silver collections" as they are
called, and naturally are small or large in
proportion to the generosity OF the guests.
The business is an uncertain one, and often
times disastrous If the season prove slim.
At the most there Is not much satisfaction
or profit in 1t, and 1t must needs be stout
heart that can pass a summer in going
about to the well-known resorts dependent
almost entirely on the good nature and ap-
probation of the summer vacationists
Dancing Bear.
travel around in this way. They range
from the man with the dancing bear or the
glass eater to the lecturer on subjects of
scientific or literary interest. Between
these are the impersonators, minstrels and
singers. The first named sort come with
out warning and with hungry look They
march their bears to. the front lawn and
there begin the informal performance. With
4ay1
takes off his hat, puts on his smile and
makes his first round. The few pennies and
nickels he has collected pay for the first
part of the show. Then his mate hands him
an old bugle and himself takes off his coat
One blast and a command and the bear is
up on the hind legs; another blast and the
mate ana bear have mighty wrestle. The
man, or course, Is thrown, and little tus-
sle takes place on the grass Once again
a blast from the bugle, and the combatants
separate. That's the second part of the
snow; so another collection Is taken. This
goes on Indefinitely until the decreasing
amounts of the contributions betray the
loss OF the spectators interest
The Glass Eater.
A glass eater may be termed the next
plan Of impromptu entertainment. The
man with the scintillating appetite walks
up to the hotel clerk and asks permission
L
clerk has no objection the glass eater goes
out on the piazza, unlocks his valise and
takes out his luncheon. which Is usually in
the form of a goblet. This he pounds into
hne dust with his hammer and proceeds
to the eating Of his dinner Perhaps he
makes himself imagine he Is taking one of
the new-fangled health foods" and feels
MS digestion waking up splendidly at the
thought. After the delicious repast Is An
ished the inevitable hat wends its way
among the fascinated spectators, and oft en-
no mean collection is taken up
After the glass eater though there NAV
be many stages between the two, comes
the impersonator, who with voice face and
gesture reminds one of many people one
mas never seen. Some Of these performers
are exceedingly clever and entertaining.
ana may be on the way to-or from-sain-
Ing an interstate reputation. They USUALLY
advertise themselves In advance with pho
tographic illustrations of their norual
selves and abnormal get-ups and tske-offs
They perform in the parlors and ball
rooms. are complimented with encores. and
take up silver collections
Songs and Speeches.
Singers and lecturers are much alike In
the general impression they make on the
audience-they are open to criticism, and
so stir up no little comment among hotel
guests as to their art and success AS a
usual thing, the ordinary run of vacation
! lists don't know much about bear wrestling
and glass eating. They have confined their
| energies to the far easier tasks of singing
and talking OF these arts they NAV he ex-
pected to be able to say something hoth In
| teresting and valuable. So 1t is that the
| announcement of a singer or a lecturer In
| the off1ce OF hotel sets tongues waRetng
| at once. and arouses the human passion for
| criticism in many a breast. II circnm
stances are favorable, 1t Is strange II a
| large and appreciative audience does NOT
! listen to a singer or a lecturer in the ball
| room or parlor Of the favored hotel The
might easily be, the lecturer is a man who
needs no money, but is in great want of
| audiences to hear some pet theory or mil
| versal scheme. After the concert or lecture
| the entertainer Is often entertained by the
audience OF moment before, and his or
her snort stay at the hotel made exceeding
| ly pleasant. But next day all such must
| go on their way to the next place. NOT
| otherwise than the bear dancers, juggIers
| and glass guZZlers