The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-11-08

~ Each of thenl-the one who
was speaking and the one, not
i counting myself. who was
listening-was desperately in
earnest. They were discussing and
living over again the days in 1870
when variety players took as much
as SIS a week from the boss and
submitted to his association three
times q day at meals. George Prim-
rose was one and John Morrisey was
the other. They were talking in the
formers dressing room at the Orpheum
and they let me sit on trunk while
they chatted and forgot me.
or all the faculties which man pos
sesses the greatest is that Of forget
fulness. The ability TO remember is
accounted fine. but it IS. after all, a
torment when you remember your
tailor. The capacity to forget is better.
Forgetfulness is the ivy on the tree
trunk. hiding imperfections and ugli-
ness; it is the uchen on the boughs
covering age with grace. ii is the moss
upon the rocks making green and
slightly the hard and sharp contours
\ Briefly, forgetfulness is an art So
Mr. John Morrisey. house manager of
the Orpheum and Mr.. George Primrose.
minstrel. forgot the trials and unhappi-
ness OF the days gone by. and. like
mountain climbers surveying the road
and the vista beneath. saw only the
sunlit spots and the beauty Of the land
they had traversed. The cruel stones
were forgotten, so were the weary
paths and the tangle' OF underbrush:
only the pleasant hours were remem-.
bered. and these partners of early va
riety playhouse life agreed that those
were the happy days"
This is the way 1t all happened.
had asked for an interview with
George Primrose. not so much on
your account, sweet dreamer, as
my own. Primrose, though the
name bellies it. is a veteran, and
his experiences as minstrel and player
would I'll big book. His beginnings
before the footlights take hold on times
that was before most of US, according
10 life insurance actuaries, were born.
He had q story, told myself. and so
the appointment was made. Mr. Nor
risey said that he would introduce US.
He did, at the conclusion of the after
noon performance, in Primrose's dress
ing room, when the minstrel man was
turning black into white, and rubbing
his face into the scanned and smiling
semblance Of himself
Directly the little apartment where
Primrose dresses for his act was
wreathed and glowing with memories
n many an ancient player. Nforrisey
used to be a song and dance artist
though he resolutely declines to name
the day-and the twain are old friends
with a common memory OF the origin
of vaudeville and the -halcyon days of
minstrelsy.
such names, There was Billy"
Emmett. whose other name was
Fritz" for instance.
He used to play the snare drum"
said Primrose. outside the free and
easy in ST Louis where ! worked"
IN bet that was so years ago"
said Morrisey, vindictively.
II it was. you were there" said
Primrose.
4 don't remember anything back Of
1850" replied the orpheum man, de-
cisively.
Maybe said George. you've for
Ezten Birch Wambold. Bernard and
pack1s. the original San Francisco
minstrel boys who started from this
town and waded successfully through
the east. and Buckley's serenaders and
Skin and Gaylord. Perhaps you refuse
20 remember the old banjo men like
Lou Brimmer. E. n Hall-there was
great man-Ed French, John Carl"
lie used TO sing The Lively Flea"
broke in Morrisey. forgetting his ell
auette and continuing with the list
i Bob Lindley. the bible man who was
Neal religious and sanctimonious; Billy
Carter. who is still living, though he is
IN New York"
Funny" broke in Primrose. that
Dan Emmett, who wrote Dixie, was
such faulty fiddler"