The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14

squirt that surprised the singer well as
the audience. came out strong with the dec
laration that
when Kate and was comm through the rye.
The shone down upon US from on high
And there his voice broke. He seemed to
have suddenly suffered a complete loss OF
memory. The pianist went on playing the
accompaniment while Jake looked helpless
ly out into the great sea of faces before him.
And then the storm, long threatening, came
upon him in all its fury.
Cheese it, cheese it, Back to de junk
shop!'
Shame on yer. Jake! You'se weak
minded"
Down an out, Jake-down an out!'
ITO the odder woild wild yer, Jake! You'se
too good to live on de Bowery."
These were some of the choice bits Of ad-
vice and admonitions hurled at the un-
lucky ballad singer. Poor Jake, sick at
heart and forever cured of theatrical ambi-
tons, literally staggered into the friendly
exit, bewildered. dazed and undone
But If Mr.. Brodski was easily vanquished,
Willie Fields was an enemy of the Napo-
leonic school. fully able to wage bitter
war against terrific odds and not be dis
graced in. his defeat Willie was announced
as a singer of coon songs. He bounded out
on the stage as if he meant business, and
beginning a comical little dance step in time
to the music, sang, with all the power of his
young lungs and straight out through his
sharp little nose the lovely words
Pretty little Dinah. femme hor yer hand.
Look into me eyes and say you understand
A JEALOUS FOE.
All xrould hava pona we'll with Willie had
it not been for jealous foe in the gallery
who hit him on the head with bag of pea
nuts, thrown with unerring aim. In an in
slant the house was in an uproar. Half OF
the audience yelled that willie was doin'
all right an should be given show" The
other half was in favor of having Willie re-
moved once and for all. AS for Willie him
self, he shook his fist on high and with
eyes ablaze, offered to not only lick de
Teller wot throwed de peanuts" but every
body else present "who was tryin' to do him
dirt" He became so violent in his language
and swore so heartily that the announcer
finally felt called upon to drag him away
from the footlights and later on to put him
out of the theater, leaving him out on the
sidewalk under the starlit skies to invoke
the curses of all the gods upon the play
house and everybody in it.
And so the performance continued until
after IL o'clock most of the ''amachoors"
faring pretty badly, while occasionally an
act received with some show of favor.
All Of the competitors who had met with
any success at all were lined up in a long
row at the conclusion of the entertainment.
The announcer placed his hand on each
performers shoulder in turn and the audi
ence cheered or Kissed to show its approval
or disapproval of the aspirant in question.
AS was to be expected, the two burnt cork
boys received more cheers than did any of
their contemporaries, although the wire
walker ran them a close second, and so the
song and dance team got the gold-headed
cane. Which one of them is to carry 1t is
matter to be arranged between themselves
They'll probably settle the argument with
their fists. LOUIS w. JONES.