The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-03
MIR. GEORGE WILSON

| Minstrelsy, for such Mir Wilson is, be- | ing the best present day exponent of the i good old fashioned Minstrel man. You l see, nowadays there is no clog dancing and no soft shoe dancing, as we used to 1 have Way back wonder, the Minstrel
 show was attended by very few of the 1 falr. sex. can remember when I'd look
 over the audience and sec just sprinklinS
 of ladies among a sea of masculine audi
 tors. 1 fatter myself that l was the
 first to bring the Minstrel Show up to q
 refined performance where ladies, as well
 as gentlemen, could go and enjoy the jokes and the singing and dancing, and 1 from that it has evolved itself into show
 which is now as popular as any other l feature n theatricals, which Is great
 gain ever the old days.
 'Who in your opinion is the best Min strel man you eyer saw?" l asked. q believe the man who could hold an audience more successfully than anybody ever saw was Miit c. Barlow" said MT Wilson. He used to be with me years ago, and made his reputation by his sketch, old Black Joe He wasn't funny
 as you'd expect Minstrel man to be- He was very serious but there was a mag
 netism and pathos in his work, charm that was at once elusive and distinctive,
 that brought forth from the critics the encomium of praise, that likened him to Joseph Jefferson in his masterpiece, Rip Van Winkle."
 "And the best dancer?' I queried. Another of my old time friends, said | MT. Wilson, reminiscently, was Barney Fagin. He was the best clog dancer that | I've ever seen anywhere"
 And what about your dancing and singing?'' I suggested.
 q don't dance any these days, was the reply, ''but I am still playing the game at singing Of course. in Vaudeville the | act that I do is arranged to suit that sort l of entertainment, and my Monologue deals with the most important question of the day, namely, Woman Suffrage. | And how do you stand on that sub 1 feet ?' l asked.
 "Why I'm what you might call Male | Suffragette." MT. Wilson replied. with a merry twinkle in his eye. 'I believe the I women ought to have the vote and vote as often as they want to, and I believe l if they ever get into authority, they will discharge their duties as well, If not bet ter. than the men. I'm for suffrage now I and always
 l There was just one more question. that 1 I wanted to ask Mir Wilson before left | and so 1 proceeded:
 "How did you ever get that pseudonyln | of Waltz Me Again Wilson?'' , l The Veteran Minstrel Man replied, his l fine face aglow with laughter. his bright eyes twinkling with delight:
 "That happened long. long ago. and very I curiously. too, since don't know how
 to waltz at all. I had stunt I did, in
 which came waltzing Cor trying to) on i the stage and when reached the center, l always stopped and said to the leader of | the orchestra:
 | Waltz Me Again.
 l The sight of my trying to waltz was l evidently so ludicrous to my audience l that the people roared with laughter, and
 caught the idea that they liked the ex- pression. so after every snatch of my
 monologue. I'd stop and say to the leader: | Waltz Me Again.'
 i! And before realized it. I was known
 as Waltz Me Again Wilson"-that's ali."