The colored American., 1902-06-28
THERE'S a ehiel among ye takin' notes."

and one wants 10 1eel MS DIOOu
Going to Chase's Theater is like hunting
large game in his native jungle-that is,
if you are colored Ny last turn" with
this fellow Chase was about three years
ago. when the agony of the Williams and
Walker engagement added many strands
OF gray to the shock of hair on his mar
row head. / ventured in there the other
night to see an oDeratiC performance, to
see if things were as bad as they used to
be. Being allowed to purchase nothing
but an upper gallery seat. | asked for
the best the guy in the bOx-office had.
He gave me "I'-and said he had moth
inc nearer front Ignoring the cold stare
that the white folks cast in nv direction
/ climbed I'D several flights until the roof
was reached. An usher sat me in the
extreme rear row in the extreme north
west corner OF the extreme back section.
I was Just inside the plaCe-and that was
all. \ vast eNpanSe of chairs confronted
me, with fringe of white people near
the gallery rail AS the overture struck
ND. I politely INQUIRED of the usher why
the holders of all those seats. (none of
which I would be allowed TO buy) were
so late in arriving. I feared they would
miss some of the show. He didn't know
| suggested. pleasantly. that after the
middle of the first act I would move
down into one of the seats that might re-
remain unOccupied. In a frightened
tone he exclaimed that thew were all re-
SeT7ed and the owner was liable TO come
at any moment. told him didn't mind
how many times I might be called upon
to move-that my disposition was of
the restless kind anyway Feeling that
trouble was brewing. as I told him to
drop his stupid subterfupeS and tell the
truth, he confded the whole secret-that
only the back r07v Of the gallery could
be used by colored people. and if he per
mitted me 10 get into more desirable
seat or even admitted that color was the
reason for refusal he would be fired"
by the management. as a confession
might be the basis of a suit az law With
the exception of colored gentleman.
fwho succeeded in passing for white.
and got a chair in the very first tier) I
was the only Negro in that vast temple
of Thespia. I certainly did look lone
some in that far-away corner by my
self. Fully 4 half a square from the
stage my eyes were allowed the proud
privilege of feasting upon the P-omised
Land of Caucasian art. This is the W
the Negro Is treated in 4 leading Was
ington theater. It IS we'll that the intel i
ligent and self-respecting Negroes are |
boycotting Chase's. and it NAV not be Z |
sad day when the insults OF this class of |
whites dyize the colored people into pro
viding suitable places OF amusement for |
themselves. That the Negro Is not want |
ed at Chase's or scarcely any where else |
in Washington, was very clearly demon |
strated by sundrv experiments made by |
the Man-on-the-Corner.
Ministers can do wrong. the same as
other people. and when they commit a |
breach Of pulpit ethics or violate the |
moral code those who know the facts |
should not hide behind inunendo and |
whispered insinuatiOns. Just as an honest |
preacher refuses TO skulk behind a CO. |
.terie OF his friends or a church when |
under fire. so the people who have griev- |
ances should be brave enough to file sDe-
Cific charges against an offender and give |
the Bishop of the diocese something |
tangible to work upon.
The passing Of the coon song is at |
hand. It has demoralized the taste for |
true music for the past FIVE years and |
welcome its going. Do not understand |
me as disoountenancing the typical Ne |
gro melodv-which.D DR.. Dvorak truthful |
lv saws Is the only real contribution |
America has made 10 the realm Of music |
The song that to-dav's civilization de- |
mands Is 4 new order Of treatment of
Negro themes. While retaining the |
characteristic flavor Of the race, an ar
tistic blending Of the classics and the !