The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-14
COMBINATION SHOE BLAcKING
CONTEST AND CAKE Walk is
PLANNED
GAUNTLET is THROWN DOWN
AND RIVALRY is KEEN
Ethiopian Knights of the Brush and
Dauber VIII Meet In Unique Cham
pionship Games for Prizes, Medals
and GIory-Function Original in ST.
Paul and Large Doinss Anticipated.

If the man who is responsible for the
statement that there is nothing new
under the sun will drop into st. Pau
about Nov. 1 he will have his reputa-
ton for veracity Jared and shattered
before his very eyes.
Also, he will be treated to a sight
that will be worth the trip, though
he may have to wade the Styx to gel
here. st. Paul is going to launch ar
institution in the way of functions
which will endure until the thriving
and highly progenitive family Of one
Mr.. Ham shall have become extinct.
There is going to be a mammoth
shoe shining contest for medals and
cakes and cash and glory. It Is to be
distinctly a rag time affair, with buck
and wing, double shuttle, juggling and
ground and lofty tumbling accompan1-
ments, winding up with an extremely
large and enthusiastic cake-walk be-
tween the gentlemen of color who fail
to land prizes in the brush welding
line and their ladies.
If any city in Christendom can beat
that let it now speak or forever hold
its peace, for this original and aIgstfc
combination will ever hereafter bear
the name of the Est. Paul German"
Interest Is Great.
Already scores of shoe-polishers are
in active training for the unique event
and arrangements are being made for
the erection of pedeStals on which men
prominent in city and state politics will
sit in mighty state, while nimble Eth
opians will struggle with brush and
rag to give, them the, best shine that
ever graced the foot of mortal. 1t has
not been announced yet whether an
order for "a new pair of shoes will be
given to each subject, but it is posi-
BILE, in view of the enthusiasm and bit
ter rivalry displayed, that some good
leather will be worn clear through be-
fore some of the knights of the dauber
acknowledge defeat.
There is going to be music galore
for the encouragem of the contest
ants and the delectation of the specta-
tors. The affair will take place in sofl1
large downtown hall, and as many
rag-time features as can be crowded
into one night will be on the taps.
Much Modesty Is Displayed.
tain he will be full of medals and cake
and other things when the smoke of
battle shall have cleared away at the
brushfest is Mr.. Thomas Parks, who
presides at the studded throne In the
Chamber of Commerce barber shop.
ooh, Lordy, amt All jest glad that's
ccmin' OFF," said Thomas. ooh my, Oh
my, now Ah'I get chance at that
niggah down at the Windsah hotel. oh,
lovely! Oh, joy! That boy Andy Tay-
lor jest thinks he's about the best that
evan happened. He don't only think 1T,
eithah, he says it, too. An he says 1t
often and he says it loud. He shouts
it an he sings it and he mumbles it in
his sleep. An All can jest play all
around him on shoe. Anil show him
mob about shinin' shoes that he evan
dreamed of. Ah'll make him look like
a dirty deuce. Anil humiliate him be-
foh ell the ladies an the swells an the
politicians an everybody. Ah'll win the
cake an spend the money on cham
payne and jest invite him to drink
like All was a millionaire treatin' a
poh man. Anil play in rag time. Ah'll
shine and dance. Ah'u turn f1ip-fops
ovah the chair. A-a-Ah'n stand on
nah haid and shine. Anil juggle the
brushes in one hand and polish with
the other. Anil take the brush in NAH
teeth and shine. A-a-Ahll shine blind
folded with NAH hands behind NAH
back. Ah'n show that. niggah and
every niggah on earth Ah'm the real
thing. That's what Anil do
Blood Is All "RiIed."
When the above quoted observations
of Mr.. Parks were communicated to
Mr.. Taylor at the Windsor hotel bar
Der shop Mr.. Taylor just opened up the
IL e,fa To
keep from exploding.
shine me. Why All kin jest materially
make any shine he can do look like
hunk O. pop bottle alongside a South
African Bungaloo diamond-that'S
what All kin do an that's jest as true
as tutti-frutti. Aim the original shin
er. Ahm the original polisher. Aim
the one and only lookin' glass imitator
in the whole fifty-seven state Of the
United States. Why, Aim the stahtah
O. this whole business, All am. Alive
got $3.50 all saved up and chucked
away fob the very purpose of backing
mahself against any an all Corners.
Alive got a niggah friend that plays
the banjo an Anil have him sit along
side O. me an spiel one O. them Dago
obligatos in stacockotoo tremoloose rag
while All put the business on the
mayah's shoes an that bunch O. would
be polishas. Ah'll do all the juggling
and sand shuffles that anybody else
will and a few tWistahs besides. Ah'H
throw a whisk broom rag-time over
ture on a mans neck without tickling
his whiskahs. If they let me go first
it'll be all Ovah in ten minutes. There
won't be any more conteStin'. All them
coons IL be dead of envy an mortifica-
ton"
1t seems that just as many negro
bootblackS as there are in st. Paul.
Just so many entries will there be in
the grand contest for proficiency and
honor. William Brown, the artist now
showing at the establishment of Tom
Lyle, on Fourth street, had this to say:
Chicago Champion Is Here.
."Ahm the champeen o. Chicago an
everywhere else but New Yawk, an
I amt champeen o that because All
haven't been there in quite awhile. All
know everything an nobody can teach
me anything about shoe shinin' or
else. Jest you wait until this
here contest comes off an you'll see
some fun all right. He's got $3.50, has
he? Well, All can see mahself spend
ing that two hundred and fifty. Ah'n
put more fancy slides on a shoe in ten
seconds than he could put on in his old
black life. That's where l get off at.
Rag time! Rag time! Why, All kin jest
blink rag time.
can say. You see these pants. Well,
they cost fifteen dollahs. You see this
coat and vest-thirty dollahs. An no.
body evan accused me O. wearin' any
thing but five-dollah lid, an I have
got six o. them. Aim Chicago mig
gah, All am, an Anil sNet hook the
whole bunch O. swell togs an bet the
proceeds that can show any human
being In st. Paul how the wah broke
out when it comes to shinin shoes"
Animosity Is Manifested.
''Puss" Irwin, who holds forth In a
barber shop at Selby and st. Adams
streets, is an old-time pal" but pres
ent social opponent Of Mr.. William
Patrick Brown.