davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1903-12-13

too close"
That sounded very much like one OF his
stage jokes
"Do you know continued the elder man
there Is only one year 3 difference-~that
We never have Jokes about politics or re-
ugion2 Not even during election time.
1t is simply matter Of tact. Our audi
ences are 30 mixed that 1t would not do to
run the risk OF offending them. and 80 we
simply cut that out There are plenty OF
other subjects to joke about.
"We have here what Is called the ex-
change joke. II We try joke and 1t does
not raise a laugh We don't drop that joke
out Of the cast. No. indeed. We simply
put 1t in another place.
Now, II / say something funny and
apparently nobody but myself thinks 1t
Is funny. why perhaps the next time Pete
Daley will say 1t or MIR. Weber here. We
trot the line all about the place unit 1t
finally lands where it will raise smile
Ihad a linein one of the pieces last year.
said Mr.. Weber. 1T was Of only three words.
oh. Joy, joy 1t didn't create any joy
20 far as could see, and we boarded 1t
around until one night the dead silence
with which 1t had been greeted before was
understudied by shrek of applause.
AThere 1t stayed. 1t was the hardest
joke to place have ever met You don't
know what sensation of relief had when
that poor jokelet got It's reward.
Speaking Of jokes, l don't think We
have In our burlesques what you can really
call jokes. We make a distinction. We
never speak Of them as jokes. but as bright
lines.
'You see the dinerencei A Joke is inde-
pendent Of the context and can be repeated
by itself and is funny alone. But the words
with us that really make hit depend 80
much on the situations and the actions,
on what has gone before, that you couldn't
take the meaning Of 1t all away with you.
We prefer that sort Of laugh raiser, II for
no other reason than on account Of the
theatrical pirates"
what are theyf'
Trouble raisers for us. We have to be
on the lookout for them. particularly first
The sun., 1903-12-13

Meyer, just as we've been doing all our
lives together. What's in a name any
wayf
DO we manufacture all our own funny
lines? Yes. most Of them. Occasionally
we get letter from poet Offering some
soulful stanzas. I've got one here. All
he wants in return ia two orchestra seats.
The poem Is twenty-five years old at least.
@I'm just writing him to say that it isn't
quite old enough to suit; if he'll wait twenty
five years more. I'll see what can do for
him."
1T puts your nerves on the outside OF
your clothes listening to that request for
two orchestra seats said Mr.. Weber as
he vigorously applied his autograph to Il
photograph designed for feminine ad-
mirer. you see never seem to be able
to get stars photographs and make a
stunning collection, all framed in the front
hall. But did brace up once this winter
and asked man knew in one of the
English companies here.
aHe said: I haven't got any When
are you going to have some taken?' said.
Right away said he, and dived right into
a photo shop.
"A few days later got letter saying
I could have the whole bunch, as no one
had ever asked him for ono before, and
he didn't know Of any one who wanted one
but mo. He said could send him two
orchestra seats when sent for the pictures
I didn't get the pictures and he didn't get
the seats"
1T isn't only the chin piece and the pad
and the German make-up that We have
retained" broke in Mr.. Fields. We've
got other queer notions that we have
The sun., 1903-12-13

all the land which now comprises the States
of South Carolina. Georgia. Alabama, Mis-
sissippi Texas, Arkansas. New Mexico and
Louisiana.
Col. Coke was born on Nov. IL, 1899, in
Rutherford n c., and there he grew to
manhood. He was accustomed to athletic
sports of all kinds and attained some fame
az a local Sampson. He was the biggest
of a family of big men, and when only IL
years old stood feet inches in his bare
fest and weighed $50 pounds. The ordi-
nary feats Of strong men were play to
him, and he was often called upon by his
friends to show his proficiency in twisting
horseshoes out of shape, bending half
dollars and performing other feats OF skill
and strength
When the civil war broke out, Coke got
a commission as Colonel in the Confederate
Army. 1t being generally supposed by his
friends and aoouaintanoes that he could
lick a whole army Of Yanks alone and un-
aided He was wealthy man, and after
the war had been in progress for some time
he received information that certain large
property interests that he had in Pennsyl-
vania were in danger Of confscation by the
Federal authorities. Col, Coke told his
troubles to President Jefferson Davis. who
relieved him from duty and gave him per-
mission to 60 North on tndsdnits leave
The sun., 1903-12-13

of absence. The Colonel was a red hot
rebel, 30 rather than weaken the Confeder-
ate Army by the loss Of man he hired Il
substitute to serve for him while lie was
absent
He had only been in Pennsylvania a short
time-playing the part of a Union sym
pathizer--when he was drafted for the
Union Army. Then he hired another SUBJ
stitute, Union man this time. Soon after
ward, owing to troubles with the Con-
federate Government, he left the United
States and went TO Paris, where he lived for
many years
The soldiers who served as substitutes
for Col Coke in the Union and Confederate
armies were both killed In the same battle
--one of the last Of the great conflict-and
Mr.. Coke ever afterward considered him.
self in a way personally responsible for
their deaths
In his later years he even grew fanciful
enough to imagine chat as the two sub
stitutes we're killed in the same battle,
they might have shot one another or
one might have killed the other in some
way. His morbid belief on this point was
strengthened when years afterward he
looked up the details of the battle and found
that during the conflict the regiment in
which the Northern substitute was enrolled
had been opposed through 3 long hard.
The sun., 1903-12-13

land We began when we were little shaw
ers 1s years old, twenty-five years ago
singing and dancing behind the bales and
bundles on a wharf
"One day we took our courage in our
hands and asked the manager Of the Globe
Museum on the Bowery, a kind Of beer hall
and concert garden, for a position he
was looking around for novelties and en-
gagged US for $l.5o apiece a week TO sing
and dance We came on thirty times day
No, there was no Gerry society, thank you.
"From there we went to the London
Theatre. but we got 81 apiece there for tho
same kind of work. From there we drifted
to tho Coney Island concert halls.
"You got to Coney in those days in boats.
Yes, you do now, If you're lucky. Ana
we used to wear wooden shoes; 1t was
easier to walk along the sand. and 1t was
drier when you got your feet wet.
when we reached the island the manager
used to rush US into the hall and make ue
dance. so that the noise OF our shoes would
call the people in hope we won't have
to try it with our new play here on Broad
way.
1T was that same nanager-an enter
prisng fellow who discovered that, after
our turn at his hall. we were accustomed
to slip out and do another at another place
further down. He came after us one night
and gave us horsewhipping. Those
were strenuous days.
I'VE played with a circus along about that
time, or a lit lie later, and it was then that
the Rogers Brothers helped feed the ele-
plants SO that they could get into see u
do our turn.
sour first big money was made In Albany:
A mana ger who saw us in New York wanted
us to come there. We asked the man who
was then paying us IS apiece. what We
The sun., 1903-12-13

At every recess the young women Jollied
the iurots ana they were soon on the best
of terni,, with the Twelve men who were to
decide the case. They even cultivated to
some extent the States attorney who was
conducting the prosecution Then, one
after ;,nothcr, they iied to the witness stand
and testified to the good character of the
deteni mt.
Before they got through Prof Bowers
was almost willing to admit that it was an
honor 70 carry "A bullet in his leg when it
perfect Young man. The jury looked
at it in much the Same way. They ac-
quilted Netl on the first ballot, and the
triumph OF the five and twenty young
women was complete
The sun., 1903-12-13

gathered in.
For instance, we are never called by
the boy as most of the players are. We
have an alarm clock that notifies us OF the
time to 60 on; and we have one popularity
in our dressing room, window that looks
directly on the stage, 80 that we can tell
exactly how things are going
An ecstatic look took possession of Mr..
Weber's face as the telephone bell rang,
and he excused himself to receive message.
i can't help it, he admitted. Il love
10 talk through telephone. Once or
twice week come down here with list of
names, and call the people all up on the
phone, just to say good morning or ask
them how they are
Through the open door came strains of
the chorus downstairs singing Miss Russell's
new song, Flowers of Dreamland'
NO. indeed and the airy persifage
was replaced by the habtual seriousness.
1T has not been all Flowers in Dream
The sun., 1903-12-13

"When we recovered. we talked IL over
and struck him for $lo0 We got $50.
and our heads have never been the same
size since.
well, we had our ups and downs, mostly
ups, for we had had a severe training in the
early days and we earned everything we
got.
"In 1880 the Weber Il Fields Vaudeville
Company was regularly organized, and
We became our own managers. We have
exploited good many stars and. inciden-
tally, ourselves, too.
Mr. Weber is quicker of speech than
MIR. Fields but the latter usually puts in
the finishing word.
Mr., Weber declaimed against the idea that
his work had been interrupted for an inter-
view.
"No, indeed. You've helped me. was
just about to sign away some money when
you came in, I've been able to keep 1t all
this time"
"Webers always giving away money
on the stage explained Mr.. Fields.
courtroom and took seats conspicuously
near the defendant. They lost no oppor-
tunity to show their sympathy for him.
The sun., 1903-12-13
HARD CIDER In THE MINCE PIE
AND 1T MADE TROUBLE FOR THE
PIE LOVING Young MAN.
lie Pulled u Pistol on the schoolrnaster
AT an Indiana Pie Social and Had to
Go TO Trial for an Attempt TO kili
but Match Factory Girls Saved Him.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Dec. i2.-Probably
no other criminal case in the United States
ever called out such a manifestation OF
loyalty on the part Of young women as
that displayed at the trial Of Grover Ceve-
land Neal, just concluded in Montgomery
county Neal is young man OF good
appetite 1t was his propensity for in
dulging this, 80 his friends say, that brought
him before tho court and gave the oppor-
tunity for five and twenty young women
to show the interest they felt in him,
There was pie social at the district school
house, presided over by Prof, Pearl Bowers.
and young Neal was present, He was
doing double duty. in sense, for he had
young woman on each arm Naturally, all
the housewives in the township, which il
famed in Indiana as a pie eating centre,
had invoked their art TO mako the social
The sun., 1903-12-13

pany is used to that and know just where
they arc at. They expect something weird
all tho time and as soon as we get back 10
the lines it is all right
DO we think that buresque Of play
helps it? In most instances there is no
doubt that it does That is proved by the
fact that often when a new play is put on
we are asked to burlesque 1t as help in
advertising.
-Once III a while, however, a manager
takes his play very seriously and he don't
care to have 1t made fun Of Last winter
there was a play on that we wanted to
burlesque and the management knew it,
"Of course, the only opportunity we have
to see play is at the Wednesday matinee
as the rest of the week we are busy our
selves. When a new play is staged we
send our author, Mr. Smith, to see 1t, and
if he thinks it worth while from the comedy
point Of view then MIR. Fields and myself
attend some matinee. We don't need to go
but once.
This particular company did not give
Wednesday matin6es simply to prevent
our seeing the play We were up tree
for while, for it was absolutely necessary
that we find out what was doin
AS good luck would have it, the star
was particular friend of ours, and one
day without the knowledge of the manage
ment, the whole company came down here
secretly We locked the doors and they
went through the entire performance for
US while we sat in box and took notes.
"To this day | doubt if the management
know how we got what we wanted. 1t was
a sure enough star chamber session.
A play may be successful from the
theatregoing standard but it will be use-
The sun., 1903-12-13
THE RIVAL SOPRANOS.
One Singing In Opera-1he Other waiting
for Her to Break Down.

One of the most amusing incidents in
operatic politics that has happened in
late years was the result OF the decision
of the new manager of the Metropolitan
Opera House 10 engage only the persons
that he needs in his company.
Last season he announced his determina-
tion to engage one or two Wagnerian So
pranos. He did SO.
The other soprano came here to sing
in concert and al the end OF her tour sett led
down in New York to await the results OF
the engaged singers efforts. So far the
latter has not sung with her former bril-
lancy and power. Her friends say her
indispositon is only temporary and that
she will be herself within short time.
So the rival singer waits. When the
musical season is at its height she is idle.
No other prima donna of her importance
is wasting these months of the season.
But she is SO hopeful that the other may
be compelled to ret ire and make way for
her that she is waiting here in New York
with no other plans than to get the job If
the OF her finds her health too poor TO carry
her through whole season of Wagner
heroines.
The sun., 1903-12-13

nights.
"When a man is seen sitting writing on
his cuff or a slip of paper for any length
Of time he is generally requested to get
his money back at the box Office and
to leave his seat vacant. He is usually
the agent OF vaudeville show out of town ,
and as soon as he has seen a new situation
or heard lot Of jokes he telegraphs them
to his company.
"The next night those same hits may be
made in Denver or Galveston, and we have
absolutely no redress. We can't keep
detectives visiting every vaudeville show
In the United States.
For instance, we had n red, green and
white electric light scene in one of the bur-
lesques, and we used to bet on the color
When turned away it would change back
to the other color and the same with
MIR. Fields.
FINALLY we both turned around together
and it had changed to a third color. 1t
sounds silly to describe, but it took with
every audience.
Three nights afer we tried it. it was
used in a vaudeville theatre in San Fran
cisco That Is one Of our troubles, and
quite a serious one, as we find when we go
on the road and constantly run up against
the criticism that we are using jokes that
that particular town has heard for weeks
In it's vaudevilles.
st is quite usual. too, for us to pick up
a paper and see Brown said something to
Jones and Jones answered, and there will
be one of our jokes, 1t keeps us busy
thinking of new things to say.
Iyas we interpolate our so-called bright
sayings all the time. That is one of our
The sun., 1903-12-13
TRIPLE LIFE OF COL.COXE,C.S.A
HE SERVED IN TWO ARMIES AT
ONCE AND TWICE WAS KILLED.
Fought Against Himself and Died Long
Afterward, Believing That lie Had
Killed Himself Sure-4ucer story
OF Substitution In the civil war.

AsHEvILLE. n c.. Dec. 10.-The story
told by old letters, diaries and other docu-
ments discovered in settling the estate
Of the late Col Frank Coke, c. s. A., who
died here recently. has given the citizens
Of Asheville additional proof Of the truth
Of the old saying that truth Is stranger
than fiction" From the records 1t appears
that Col Coke served in the Union and
Confederate armies at the same time. fought
Against himself in many battles. ran away
from himself on more than one occasion.
was twice shot to death, and lived to ripe
old age. haunted always by the fear that he
had killed himself,
Col Coxe's case is probably unique in
the history OF the civil war. Additional
interest also attaches to the personality
the man from the fact that his great
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. owned
The sun., 1903-12-13

Fields. "Sometimes as soon a. the curtain
goes up. before q word is said. the people
will begin to laugh and we know then we
have what we call a laughing audience.
Sometimes it is long time before We can
get them started and We work hard to do
1t, can tell you"
'Sometimes,' Mr.. Weber interpolates,
we can't even make the people in the first
row laugh
why Is that1'
Il don't know. unless it's because they're
The sun., 1903-12-13

direction.
Mr. Weber stopped talking through the
receiver of a telephone-he says 1t is Just
as good a way US any other and you don't
have to bother to change your position
and Mr. Fields uncoiled his long legs while
they talked. sometimes together and some
times separately. about their adventures
and misadventures
They are serious looking men of the stage.
ss all professional humorists seem to be,
but occasionally flash Of fun emphasizes
The sun., 1903-12-13

specialties. No one has any Idea what
some one else In the cast may say. We talk
right off the bat. and 1t LIS quite hard on
newcomer.
Il know when Bigelow came to US the
first night he had to go right of the stage.
he was so ratified. He didn't know what
to make of It, we put in such a lot Of new
stuff.
AS general thing, however our COM
The sun., 1903-12-13

Weber and Fields are recommended as
tonic for whatever ails you, Interviewed
In their private office, misunderstanding
Sinlit room above the theatre, they ad-
mitted their privilege and duty in this
The sun., 1903-12-13

remark. Making people laugh is not
according to them. any easier than making
them cry.
There Is always the struggle between
the footlights and the audience" said Mr..
The sun., 1903-12-13

fought day by the regiment in which the
Southern substitute was So wing
Col. Coke died with this conviction firm
in his mind as is shown by the letters and
papers recently discovered.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-28
INDUSTRIAL NEWS.

The following is copied from the Wall Street Journal:
 The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company is now installing adjunct Besse- mer converters at the Ensley, Ala, steel plant. which 1t operates under lease from the Alabama Steel and Shipbulding com pany. An experiment on small scale was concluded some time ago, which the management felt warranted applying the process on a large scale.
 The purpose of the adjunct converters is to increase the output of the regular open-hearth steel plant by shortening the time required to refine heat, 1t now being possible to make but ten or twelve heats per week In each open-hearth furn- ace of 90 tons capacity.
 Making ordinary steel consists in elim- mating certain impurities from pig ron. By the Bessemer process silicon and carbon are eliminated but phosphorus cannot be. so that the Bessemer process requires a pig containing a negligible amount of phosphorus, which is therefore called ''Bessemer pig iron" The ores of the south all contain considerable quan- titles of phosphorus, which the blast furnace making pig iron does not elim- mate. It Is therefore necessary in Ala bama to use the basic open-hearth pro- cess, which eliminates phophorus, sili- con and carbon.
 As the latter are eliminated but slow ly, there have often been suggestions that the Bessemer and basic open-hearth processes be combined, a Bessemer con- verter being used to eliminate most of the carbon and silicon. the molten metal then being transferred to the basic open- hearth furnace, to have phosphorus elim- mated together with the remaining sili- con and carbon. by which means the whole process would be shortened as to time, but the added first cost and oper- ating expense has hitherto stood in the way.
 The T. c. I. process is a success, and that 1t will be so in a technical sense there is practically no question, 1t will considerably increase the steel output of the plant though what the cost of pro- duction will be remains to be seen
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-28
BOBBY WALTHOUR'S
 MANAGER IS HERE
Gus Castle Trying to Arrange
 Race for Labor Day
GREAT SPORT IS PROMISED
Proposed to Enter WaIthour Against Twenty Horses-lt Is Believed the Great Bicycle Champion Would
 Draw We'll In Birmingham.

Gus Castle, erstwhile assistant sporting editor of the Atlanta Journal bicycle race promoter and at present manager of Bobby Wslthour, the worlds champion, Is in the city with a view to arranging a race between Walthour and twenty horses on Labor day.
 Castle wants to put on relay race each of the twenty horses running trot- ting or pacing a mile, as the arrange ments may be. He will see the leaders of the Labor day movement and confer with them this morning on the matter He is stopping st the Metropolitan and Is very desirous of seeing Ed K. Smith, chair man of the Labor day committee of the trades council
 With MT. Castle Is Laurie Grant, a crack amateur rider who has been inter- ested for some time in the cycle track at Atlanta. In speaking of the proposed race last night MT. Castle said:
 Bobby is the worlds champion now, having defeated everything that rides wheel. Now we are after the race horses. and we are willing to bet a thousand dol- lars that Bobby will beat the twenty hOiSeS. TIC VIII rue lne eHliT6 twenty miles and will allow the owners of the horses to relay every mile.
 Bobby and myself will build track here if the people show that they are in- terested In that kind of sport We control the track in Atlanta, and 1t would be very easy to put one in here and come over for races about once or twice a week.
 'Walthour has made twenty-five thou sand dollars in the past two years by his racing. and he will put some of 1t into a track here If he sees that the people will patronize the races
 We have not decided where to put the race on. whether at Trotwood park or at the fair grounds but will accept the best proposition made us. Bobby should be the greatest drawing card that could be had, end 1t would be worth big money for either place to get him. Macon, Ga, Is very anxious 10 have him Labor day, and have made fine proposition, but Blr- mirgham Is a much better town and a Ilace where good sport should be well patronized."