El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-19
Married Lies Troubles
Warren Derides the Fake ANA
teurs In the Amateur Night
Cabaret.
BY Mabel Herbert Urner -

INV HATS all this2' asked War
restaurant, which was pla-
carded with big. blac&-lettered signs,
Don't forget Thursday - amateur
Night"
why. this is Thursday exclaimed
Helen. But do they have amateur
nights at cabaretsI'
''Seem to have EN- here. ana we We
struck the night" Then turning 70 the
head waiter, who was standing PACK
Of their table, Low about THIS anna
teur business2 ANY gOOdE
yes. sir. you could hardly get ia
bic here Thursday nights during the
winter. But it's getting late now
erybcdy's going to the beaches. and ne
hurried off TO seat a party OF -FOUR LnaL
had just entered.
Ladies and gentlemen" suddenly an
nOunced a brisk young man. VINO na9
mounted the raised platform In 'front.' OF
the orchestra. the first number OF our
amateur performance this evening IS
Miss Rose Martin She is a.
singer Dancer- called OUT seYera4
Of the diners.
She is some songstress," ended the
announcer with a grin, as young
woman. in a rusty black skirt and cheap
white shirtwaist, mounted the platform
beside him.
In a high nasal voice she began TO
shrill popular song With the SECOND
verse every body was laughing or WHIST
ling derisively and shutting their Feet
oh. why doesn't she Stop muir
INJURED Helen can't you see they re
That's what she's here for. You
don't think she's real amateur DO
yOu2" shifted Warren. shes some
cheap yaudevillian trying TO sing
through her nOse-faking the amateur
game"
The man who did the announcing
stood back Of the girl, with a broad
grin and his hands over his ears.
Every now and then he would stoop
to pick up and put in a plate the
small coins the diners threw on the
red Carpered platform When the gil
had ended her song. amid loud whis-
ties and shouts, he gave her the money
and bowed her OFF mOckingly-
But surely she gets paid asked
Helen she wouldn't make such a
I spectacle of herself for the few dimes
on that plate
Warren shrugged his shoulders. You
can't tell. These poor devils out Of a
job may be glad TO sing for their sup
Cur next number" announced the
u11GA from the platform. will be Miss
Enma Kelly. She is a." pausing in
the same way for the response he evil
IDENTIFY expected from the diners
Singer. Dancer again shouted
the men at various tables
She is "a lady" ne finished with
the same hooking grin
nounce them like that" murmured
Helen.
Miss Emma Kelly was a very IN
attractive looking lady with her old
black satin gown, rusty shoes and un-
tidy hair. and her voice, while not as
nasal. was equally as bad as the flrsL
She received the same share or hoots
and jeers and the same sprinkle OF
nickels and dimes
-'Oh. this is all faxed up muttered
Warren in disgust There. won't be
q real amateur here tonight
why nOt2 Why don't they have
them2" insisted Helen. They'd be
much more interesting
Cut and Dried.
Guess they can't get eHl-or Gan {
get enough TO depend on. This thing
is all cut and dried"
Then came a girl who played on a
harmOniCa. and who, like the singers.
plainly faxed the amateur" After
this the manager announced a recess
Of 10 minutes The bored looking mu-
sicians left their instruments and re-
tired TO a table back of the platform,
where one Of the walters brought them
some beer.
The intermissiOn over, the musicians
left their empty beer glasses and came
hack to their instruments. Again the
manager mounted the stage
He announced a Miss Iessie VIII
Hams' as some song bird
The diners were now in q more gen
erOus mood. for as Miss Tessie' sang.
her black skirt was pelted with small
coins. suddenly dollar Dill 1eu at
her feet and she sang more Justify
than ever she was younger than any
of the others, and would have been
pretty had IL not been for the hideous
black dress, which evidently all am
Not Shy.
But there was no shyness nor Umld-
ity in her manner TO suggest that this
was her first appearance. for when the
second dollar bill fell before ner she left
the platform and came down singing
amons the tables, staring boldly at the
men and shrflfiU@ loudly.
shell want 10 come here again next
week. all right" laughed the manager
dollar bills and the many small coins
into her hands. The girl took it greed
lily and ran off.
Then a board was placed over the
red carpeted platform, and "Mr. VIII
liam Murphy" a clog dancer" was
announced.
"Oh. that poor old mar" exclaimed
Helen. "Suriey he's not going TO
danccI"
For the man who now came up to
shuttle about on the board was white
haired and sba bly,, and his clog dancing
was most pathetic The diners were IN
no mood for so aged an entertainer. and
Helen saw only three dimes fall on the
platform
COR. dear! Do throw him something.
Pm sure he doesn't belong to the others
It's too pathetic. Throw him q quarter
Warren felt in his pocket Here's
the quarter-do your own throwing
Pm not SOing to encourage such i'm
becility"
Helen trnew the coin with such bad
aim that IL fell on the piano. and at
first no one seemed to notice it. Her
heart sank. He would not get 1t after
all But a waiter pointed il out 90 The
pianist and 10 was finally lodged in the
plate at the old mans feet
The party of eight who were drink
ing freely of champagne and who had
been tossing coins at all the other
singers, had not thrown this poor old
man cent
The Old T'iker.1
why should they2 They came here
to be entertained" declared Warren.
mot TO have their feelings narrowed.
This is no place for that old piker-
And Pm not so sure that he's not a
fake with the rest of them"
His dance finished, the old man now
took the few coins and shuffled off the
platform in a sort Of shamefaced way
that made Helen feel that at least his
act was genuine.
The next number was a pert, upDlsh.