The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-22

De ulSreSdfQeQ. lie is the Ideal IOnuOn
young gentleman, with an ease of man.
ner that stops but little short of in
science and broad English accent
that is saved narrowly from cockney
by his respect for aitches. / guess
beg pardon, I mean that l fancy-the
tale is true that he was an actor of
beaus on the London stage before he
discovered and cultivated a talent in
ventriloquisn.
American ventriloquists have made
no advance since the time of Wyman
the Wizard: they still seat a negro on
one knee, an Irishnan on the other,
and after making them quarrel awhile,
thrust them into a closet to Wrangie
some more. Then rustic man and
woman are worked for wornout wit
and humor, and all of it is crude with
bad grammar and worse manners. But
Prince is far too exquisite for anything
like that He wears with unconscious
grace the white fatigue uniform of
naval lieutenant, and looks, ON, so pref
ty that the girls gaze at him with
hungry eyes, as though he were all
caromel. He is their sudden, summer
stage darling.
As.to Princes skill, or gift, of speak
slightest quiver of his throat, while
he lazily smokes a cigar and drinks a
glass of ale, it is wonderful. He has
a long dialogue with Jackie about the
duties of a sailor, and it's fun is almost
American Even those letters which
call for action of the lips, and which
ordinary Ventriloquists avoid as much
as possible by using few words in
which they are sounded, he pronounces
plainly without q perceptible stir.
Am l writing what you already know
when | contradict the common belief
that Ventriloquists can throw" their
voices? Press agents tell of these vO-
cal tricksters in the midst of crowds,
throwing" words here and there, away
from themselves in any direction they
choose, and thereby confusing and per-
picking their hear FRS. No such thing
is possible. The ventriloquist must be
removed from his audience. When he
desires to create an illusion of distance
he simply muffles his tones, and by
gestures indicates that direction. His
man going TO the roof is precisely like
mis- man going to the cellar. except
that he looks and points upward for
the one and downward for the other.
The mystery of Dronza, "the talking
head" can be solved without a head
ache; yet most folks like to regard
such puzzles as inexplicable. A waXen
bust of Shakespeare is set on a box
that is about four feet high by two
through, and the front is opened to
show an interior filled with wheels,
springs. levers and pipes. Then it is
shut and questions are invited from
the audience. Replies come from the
head in a sing-song voice. devoid of
accent and infection. Is there pho
nograph inside? The replies are i'm
promptu. Does a speaking tube con-
meet with some one behind the scene?
The box is on rollers, giving a clear
view underneath, and it is moved to
different parts of the stage. Is the
exhibitor a ventrilOquist? He stuffs a
handkerchief in his mouth and the head
talks just the same. Is it worked by
wireless telegraphy connecting with
some marvellous mechanism lin the
box? That is the impression sought
TO be made, for a second man operates
q keyboard a a distance.
"Of course, there can't be a live man.
or even a. dwarf, concealed i'm the box
for didn't we 500 IL was choke full Of