davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30

artist and start in on their artistic career
by mixing paints. washing brushes and
stirring the pals of coors that the paint
ers are using. After year or two. If they
have been intelligent and agile servants,
they are put to marking out with rulers
some of the simpler parts of the designs.
Their next promotion Is TO the use of color
for blocking in railugs and the like;
straight work 1t is called. From this point
on their advance is slow or rapid accord
ing to their personal ability. Here the
youth OF talent starts on his ''meteoric''
career and the conscientious worker begins
his long, monotonous years of toll
Arthur Voegtlin. at the Hippodrome, one
of the best known scenic artists of the day
started in as brush boy and color mixer in
his fathers studio at a salary of IS week.
When he was eighteen some one made
him a proposition to go down to- South
America TO study up some features of the
scenery there and to initiate them on can
for a certain production when he re-
turned. He accepted the commission and
sailed at once, leaving his father in a
state OF horror at the responsibility the un-
learned and inexperienced boy had should
cred. When young Voegtlin arrived in the
South he was received as a representative
of his New York managers. was at once
invited to a dinner and informed that a
speech would be expected from him. He
came through the whole thing successfully,
and returned to New York after six months
travelling in South America When he fin
ished the work based on what he had
learned during his trip he was engaged
permanently at a salary of $50 a week
on the strength of it.
Professions In which one may Jump from
IS to $50 week in one stroke are. un-
fortunately. rare. But rarer still are the
scenic men who even with the opportunity,
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30
TOLD HIM OF THEIR SON.

While in New York, in one of his many
attempts TO obtain a place behind the foot
lights, young Wyndham had made the ac-
quaintance of an elderly couple who be-
came dear friends of his When they heard
he was going South to join the army they
showed him a picture of their boy. who
had gone to the war, and asked the young
surgeon 10 try TO meet him.
Just before. starting for Washington
Surgeon wyndham went to the hospital to
say goodby to a frie .id. AS he was passing
through a ward that had only one man in
it he saw at once from the portrait that the
wounded man was the son of his friends.
He had been shot in the leg. The young
surgeon ran back TO headquarters, told
the chief that the man was badly
wounded il would be three or four months
before he would be fit for service, and
asked permission to take him TO New York,
which was refused. Finally, his eloquent
pleading won the day, and he was per-
mitted to take the young soldier with him.
On the voyage Wyndham carried the
wounded man daily upon deck and back
TO the cabin which they shared Arrived
in New York, he took his charge in a
carriage to the home of his friends and
told them he had brought them a present
from the South which was in the carriage.
The mother guessed at once what that
present was, and rushed out to clasp her
boy in her arms. 1t was to this dear friend
and comrade, Captain Eugene F. Eunson
and two other lifelong friends Stephen
Ffske and Il. Standing, that Sir Charles
gave a veterans dinner when he was
here last year.
The popular comedian closed his rem
iniscences Of the war with, to him. at least
one Of the most tragic incidents Of his
whole army career.
General Banks, in whose army he was
first assigned to duty was one of his first
friends in America.
He was a most charming, as well as a
brave old man." said Sir Charles. He
probably did the best he could in his own
way. l was at headquarters one day when
General Banks had to pass on horseback.
He was accompanied by a large staff of
New England men. There was most ter
rife cheering as he pass:5 the lines of
soldiers. He sat proudly in his saddle as
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30

can do II. Strangely enough, the greatest
of them are not commercial minded men.
No money could pay us for the way we
work" said one OF them recently. I'VE do
it because we like it. Not that we like
these hurry jobs"-he referred to his work
on the automobile show at the Garden
but once we get our ideas in shape and
start carrying them out forget cur
selves forget everything, until it is done"
Scenery has come To represent more in
these days than woodland paths or drawing
room effects Wherever the mind of the
playwright roams the scenic artist must
follow and must have knowledge of de-
tails i'll all subjects from architecture 10
botany deep enough to bring satisfaction
TO the eye of the specialist in every liLe.
one OF whom is always sure to be sitting
on the dark side OF the footlights.
The appeal that is now being made. not
TO the average person in the audience, but
TO the best educated, the most widely
travelled, the pOssessor of the highest ar
tistic standards, is what has caused the
sudden raising of the theatre in America
from show to one of the highest arts
AT The New Theatre probably more at
tention IS paid to correctness of detail than
In any other institution OF the kind. In
The School for Scandal IL is interest
ing to note the different periods represent
ed by the furniture and decorations of the
various scenes
In the hallway of Sir Peters house the
broken arches over the doorways, In the
Baroque style. and the black and white
stone Moor that goes with 1t. were slightly
out OF date at the time in which the play
Is cast, thus suggesting Sir Peters station.
his life In his old family mansion and hta
Indifference TO fashion. Lady sneerwell's
drawing room. on the contrary, is furnished
and fitted In the last minute OF the decora-
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30
THEORY A TEMPTING ONE.

1t is a beautiful theory and tempting
one to champion II IL is not accepted, IS
there any solution? II the ignorant negro
Is the only race that has succeeded IN
looking the white man In the eye for
long period OF years and living and multi
plying. what will be his ability when edu-
Gated? Will the white man still be able
honestly to return the look. or will he
lower his eyes and shamefully breed
hybrid posterity? Can one conceive OF an
educated negro race, ambitious. SUCCESS
full and possessed with the pride OF the
Japanese leap to civilization, and at the
same time humble and sufficiently content
to remain socially unequal? Until one can
1t would seem timely TO get busy with the
questions solution. and none appears bet
ter than colonization. History awaits a
great statesman's coming 70 put such
theory into practice and Alright such a
dsjointed time
Perhaps it is a far cry 10 such time
1t was only recently that an oldtine.
'befo'-de-wah" darky was taken North by
a Pennsylvania. and all the fine clothes
he could wear, and all the good food he
desired. with nothing 70 do. were given
him. His going out and coming in were
by the front not the back door. But at
the end of two weeks imagine the self
appointed benefactor's stupefaction when
the old negro approached him with: Boss.
/ wants ter go home"
Go homer he exclaimed why. what
do you want to go home for? Haven't you
everything you want here? Clothes. food
home. leisure?''
Yes. sab. boss. knows all dat. but I
wants ter go home
Insistent in his plea and not to be paci-
fed ticket was given him and he started
Southwark Reaching one OF the Southern
state lines. he was found by the conductor
in q car for white people Look here
exclaimed that official. you black. greasy
son of Ham. what are you doing IN that
seat? Dent you know you don't belong
here? Get back TO the Jim Crow car. and
get back quick, before kick you of this
train"
In relating the incident later to a white
man the old fellow commented: When
he talk dat-a-way-bless de Lawd. boss.
1 knowed Use got back home,"
And thus il remains: Is the negro willing
to leave the South. and II unwilling in ig-
norance will he be less so when educated?
And II in time, because of the negros
unwillingness or lack of initiative. there is
no resort 10 colonization. what will result?
IL has been asserted that no two peoples
having the same religion and speaking the
same tongue. living together. have ever
been kept apart. But may we not be-
come a peculiar people-like the Jews?
Isn't that posstble?'' asks DR.. Washington
Now, what so long kept the Jews pecul-
lar people was the constancy with which
Jewish women declined to intermingle with
the Gentiles around them" But the pride
of most negro mothers in their white
children is too we'll known to credit them
with any such spirit of racial chastity
While the great statesman is awaited
the negro continues to make swings
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30

that 1t was my boat that was moving II
the little circumstance at once gave me my
idea. and have worked it out faithfully
as the slowly moving scene appeared 70 NE
then.
Another conception came to me on
train when / was going South I was
lying in my bunk in the early morning
The train slowed UP and stopped for a
moment in a stretch of woods In the re-
markable and sudden stiffness I heard
birds twittering in the branches above
All at once a possibility crossed my mind
and l shouted aloud; I have it, The
whole Birds Ballet that was presented last
year came TO me in a rush He paused
and then murmured in apparent abstrac-
tion. ''AH from the babbling of those fool
ish BIRDS
Another striking instance Of the great
Importance of scenery nowadays is the
fact that in one of the most succesStul
shows that Broadway had last summer
and fall the scenery was conceived. de-
signed and erected first and then the play
was written to nit it,
But the unfortunate thing about the
scenic art is this-that whereas the de-
mand is everywhere increasing. the sup
ply of master scene painters is diminish
ing. Among the masters OF to-day the
opinion Is held that there is not one man
of promise among the youngsters VINO are
at present working with the hope OF
future career.
The reason for this is hardly clear fVS-
sibly the greater the public demand ios
novelty the fewer the men who can Keep
up with it, Perhaps the work Is TOO hdiu'
Men who are already in the business Ger
tainly do not encourage others 10 enter
IL. One of them laughinSly said 10
Tribune representative last night;
If | had male child that shower '"o
slightest proclivities toward this business
i should DRAG him out 10 the footlsntS anu
kill hiac'
But how about yOuF was the eoin
ment. ..You seem to survive IT,
".Dtd YOU ever hear the story or the IN
tie girl" he replied who was looAihs
a man that had been hanged for steai'ns
Amer watching him in fascinated horror
for a while. she suddenly eluteheo ne
mother's hand and cried. Look LooN.
mother! lie has stopped kicSing'
replied her mother lacOnically. l guess
used to IL now. IND
THAT Is the only reason We can -, -
working for two days and hail "i@AS
looking around-we get used 70 II
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30
FOR COLONIZATION
UPHELD as SOLVING
NEGRO PROBLEM.
Putting of Theory Into Prac-
tice Azvaited-ConcentratiOn
IN This Country FaUored.
BY Thornwen HayneA

"a monochrome civilization. on the face
Of It, Is preferable to such Diebald civ
ilization as at present exists In the South
ern States" is an argument advanced by
an advocate for the colonization IN the
United States Of the negro race
Certainly not in Africa! Half num-
dred ships with thousand negroes ana
two voyages annually would not take
them away from America as fast as tney
are born here But a negro state-a III
tie Africa within America Bishop Hay
good. In "Our Brother In Black" says free
negroes, at least, have many rights that
white men are bound to respect. and one
of these Is the right to live where IT pleases
them as long as they obey the laws.
But Is the negro willing to be colonized?
II he were as diplomatic as Christopher
Columbus George Washington Smith. when
he asked Mr.. Jackson the price "er dem
watermillions" he could go at the white
mans command and go not disadvantage
ously Mr. Jackson replied that his melons
were worth 40 cents erpiece IL PICKS
'em out an 20 cents erpiece II you PICKS
'em out" to which Christopher Columbus
George Washington Smith replied: All
right Mr.. Jackson, I prognosticate as III
take 'em all an you picks en- were ne
generally as ingenious dS liiiS OcoASA -
worthy names there would be nothing 10
fear Of the sharpers. manipulators ana
sh arks that would inevitably attempt 10
prey on a negro state-nothing to fear OF
starvation, feuds and a lowering Of the
moral code. But unhappily. he Is not so
ingenous-he is usually as undiplomatlc
as 'Rastus, who. when asked IL the people
across the road from him kept chickens,
answered Yes. sab. boss; dey keeps some
of EN-"
Suppose the negro keeps up his advance
ment Whether justly or unjustly, he has,
educationally, had a hard row to hoe,
and in some respects. perhaps. he has hoed
1, so badly as to merit no sympathy, but
we must grant his progress The author of
"Katrine" in her story relates the incident
of little girl and boy who were punished
for some Slight wrongdoing. The girl
brooded over it all day. but the boy made
a swing and was soon again happy. II the
negro has not made swings intell1Sently
he has in his carefree. happy -go-lucky way
done so ignorantly. and revels in the re-
ward just the same.
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30
Not so Much for the Pay
as for Ambition and for
the Love of the Art.

F1fty-seven hours standing before i'm
mense canvases, swinging long brushes
heavy with paint and without time to sit
down except TO eat an occa sional sand
wich is the recent record of Arthur Voegt-
lin, scenic painter; and when any one
struck by such figures attempts to look
behind them, he comes upon a story as
strikingly dramatic almost anything
that is put before on the stage. 1t is
the life of the scenic artist in America.
For among all the professions or lines of
endeavor. commercial, financial or artistic,
in these days of nerves and hurry, there
is no one more overworked than the man
who designs and paints the scenery that
serves as a background for our evenings
entertainment.
Perhaps the fact that in the whole United
States there are only about twenty master
scenic artists who can take charge of a
production may account in part for the
rush of those few. But the main cause
is the speed which is often demanded by
the management in mounting a play.
Particularly is this true in the case Of
the big shows, such as take place at Madi-
son Square Garden. For the recent auto
mobile show there the scenic artists Mr.
UNFIT and Mr.. Wickes, went in Satur-
day morning at o'clock and did not leave
the building either for sleep or food till
Sunday night at IL. But theatre man
ayers often require even greater feats of
sustained effort. whole production has
been mounted in the almost incredible
time of forty-eight hours IT is a sight
that makes one think of the building of
the Pyramids to go into a scenic painters
studio and see the great canvases stretched
on frames from fifteen or twenty TO sew
enty feet high, with movable platforms
swung before them and the men painting
on il ir groups, with their long brushes
and pals of paint
When particularly large piece of
work, like the painting of the 200-foot
square cyclorama for the New Theatre, is
contemplated, usually an armory is en-
gagged so that the canvas may be laid on
the drill floor. Then a dozen or two men
with pals of paint and brooms instead of
brushes start TO work at one end and move
backward till they reach the opposite
edge. Boys precede them, sweeping the
canvas clean, and the directors sit by the
side lines, so TO speak. giving orders. Once
the men start on a canvas like this there
must be pause in the work for any
cause whatever until ii is completed, be-
cause the paint dries Immediately and a
bad streak would be the result of stop
ping and then beginning later
Although scenic artists say that theirs is
the highest branch OF commercial art of the
day, there is no school In which they may
learn it, A few lessons in drawing would
help them along considerably. but not many
can spare time to take instruction. They
learn by actual contact with the work.
At fifteen or sixteen years of age they ap-
pentice themselves to SONIA master scenic
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30
WYNDHAM In ARMY
HIS EXPERIENCES as
FEDERAL SURGEON.
Actor Tells of the Lights and
Shadoscs of Life at the
Front.

Sir Charles wyndhana. knight. a favorite
IN fashionable society as well on the
stage faultlessly attired, sat in his apart
rnent at the St Regis Hotel and described
with the enthusiasm OF boy his dishevelled
appearance when he entered New Orleans
as surgeon in the federal army after ac-
tive service, in 1862.
u wore a private's jacket. an infantry
mans trousers. my own boots, with my toes
sticking out OF them: no collar, and my
shirt was in rags. / did not go 10 bed for
three months, and once did not have my
clothes off for four weeks. Just now and
then I managed TO get a cold plunge in
some river. but only a jump in for a mo-
raent and a jump out again. as alligators
were always unpleasantly close, basking in
the sun.
We camped on the fields and did not pay
much attention TO sanitation or hygienic
living They were not then considered
matters OF great importance We used
drinking water from the river we bathed in.
Tired. dusty our throats dry and parched
from q long march We did not stop 10 ask
81 the water were boiled or had been ex-
amined by board Of health
However" he oontiaaa.i, more soberly,
this unsanitary state of affairs caused
typhoid fever and diarrhea, two terrible
things in the army, responsible for more
deaths than bullets There was rheuma-
tisIn. too, due 10 exposure Appendicitis
had not yet come into fashion It was
known then as inflammation of the bowels.
With his keen, clear, gray eyes fixed
upon you, and a kindly smile on his strong,
rugged face, YOU are prone TO wonder
whether Sir Charles had he elected TO stay
tn the profession. might not have been as
distinguished d. surgeon as he is now an
actor He was as bold and as daring as
s surgeon as later in his attempts 10 get
on the stage.
I'VE young doctors" said he, attempted
many daring operations that have since
been abandoned by older and wiser men.
One in particular which had TO perform
sn q hospital, 1 recall, known as the figure
s operation. Il consisted in taking out the
elbow joint. most hazardous proceeding. of
much interest TO my fellow colleagues. An
operation then was submitted to as the
one chance for life. No soldier ever object
ed TO il have seen men endure the most
agonizing pain under the knife. They
would swear with one breath, Oh my God,
this is awful :" and laugh as they said the
words, and joke with the doctors in the next
breath.
We had none of the modern anasthetics
10 ease pain or to allow the patient to watch
the surgeons. Chloroform was the only
thing available, and many a man died from
the effects of an operation
shadow passed over his face as Sir
Charles recalled some of the narrowing in
cidents Of the war, but he does not believe
in dwelling in the shadows of the past or
present and soon his face lighted up again
with boYish smile
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30

When asked If the soldiers often played
off sick to escape action Sir Charles re-
piled:
Very seldom. ! rememper, though, a
young lieutenant, who seemed to be shirk-
ing his duties. who finally came to me.
complained of indigestion and asked for a
paper OF Ill health that would call for
resignation. i noticed him eating hot
cakes and saw that his appetite had not
failed him, so / refused TO give him the
paper. He went to the first surgeon OF
the army and obtained paper. his re-
tirernent for the benefit of the service
He did not seem to mind this. but kept
boasting to US, I'm going home, boys, I'm
going home. There was a boat waiting
close to us, which he boarded. waved his
hand to US and shouted a gay goodby,
I'll write you, boys
He was shot on the deck, when the
boat passed down the river where sharp
shooters lay in wait for approaching ves-
sells"
Sir Charles, in describing these scenes
OF long ago, makes them live again before
ones eyes as he does his famous char
acters on the stage. AS one listens to the
dramatic descriptions one is glad, as is the
theatregoing public. that Sir Charles re-
fused to be a physician. even though he
might have been a most eminent one.
There is no posing off stage by this man.
His manner is most unassumine and he re-
tains the heart of boy in spite of his
years. 1t is simply that in private CONVEX
sation his Unborn dramatic instinct seizes
at once upon the heart and soul of an oc-
currence and he makes you see it, and feel
st. too. Here. as upon the stage, he hur-
ries you from tears to laughter
II recall another officer he related
''who, when he me approaching.
jumped around on one foot while he held
the other in his hands and groaned Oh
doc, oh, doc, look at my foot; I can't go
on. can ~ 1 looked at the foot he was
nursing and saw that the joint was dark
red. I ordered him to remain behind as
we marched Soon afterward l met
some brother officers who laughed at me
and said: He's been playing that foot off
on you, too, has he?'
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30

Sir Hesketh Bell the. Governor Of
Uganda, recently wrote an interesting
report of his tour through the eastern
districts of that part of Africa. He gave
an amusing account of the careful pre-
cautions taken by the elders of the
Bakedi in dealing with the youths and
bachelors of the tribe: "AIthough the
majority of the Baked go about in a
state of absolute nudity, a desire for
clothing is steadily growing among
them," he says. unfortunately, more
clothes means less morals The Baganda,
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30
ABILITY WENT UNREWARDED.

The Sanitary Commission in reporting
the terrible conditions found by its MEM
bers in the early stages OF the war said:
Government contracts for supplies were
let TO the lowest bidder. Delicacies sent
10 the sick soldiers by the people were
often confscated by the enemy or the
stewards or officers Of the army There
was no bureau of medical inspection es-
tablished by law. nor any legal require
menfs for its maintenance. Young, mex
perienced and incompetent surgeons were
appointed II the army. Promotion came
thyeEeS sssSority of service and not as a
reward OF merit. II could not be retarded
through incompetency or sloth.
A surgeon who wanted TO do his duty
<ould enforce no regulations OF health: he
could only advise, He could not compel the
digging of ditch, sirk. the draining Of
cesspool, the proper ventilation of quar-
ters, cleanliness in camp, clothing or per-
son. He could exercise no authority over
the cooking, or the habits OF the men
Orders in all Of these things had TO come
from military headquarters. Conflicting au-
thority was responsible for much OF the
existing misery We found.
In spite of all these distracting conditions
many of the surgeons in the army were
devoted 10 their work, and did most nobly
with what little they had 10 work with.
New-York tribune., 1910-01-30

the old darky to whom I quoted IL threw
considerable doubt upon its appropriate-
ness: mo, sab. boss De fingers all got
ter be de same color" Evidently, to his
mind. the grating OF black fingers on
white hands would provo impolitic and
unsuccessful, whether the operation be sur
gical or sociological.
If 1t IS to the South that the negro must
turn for his best friend. IL his welfare Ia
so closely identified with the progress Of
the white people of the South that each
race is mutually dependent upon the other.
and IL the race problem must be sofvel
in the development OF the natural relations
growing out of the association between the
whites and the blacks-if this be so, then Is
the question of social equality eliminated?
It would seem only tragically begun Be-
cause of this it is asked. What is ths
alternative?" And it is answered. Mani
festly, concentration within the United
States-the formation of a new state. which.
should be not a white mans land but
black mans land"