Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-22

His easiest task is when home talent concert is to
be given Then he has simply to go through his list of
people who can land wilD sing dance, those who
recite tell Stories those who know some acrobatc
other Stunts make out his program, and await the time
for the But this relatively simple task
he must discretion and tact. There time
honored performers, in the City, who cannot be
lightly ignored For example, in institution with
which | was familiar, Eddie Hawkins, a well known
character, always appeared the program of every
entertainment and rendered piano solo-and always
played the identical tune, "The Froic of the Frogs
Waltz, the only concert tune he knew.
Had he been omitted from any program he would
have started open revolt among the talent that
would have cleared the STAGE for while Eddies defects
pianist easily recognized by the audiences
Eddie such favore personally with all the citi
zens and his peculiar pride in his tune and his OBJ
tuseness to the true situation regarding it, was such
that everyone would have rebeled at program that
omitted it.
Eddie's "Frolic of the Frogs" came to be like the
benediction after the nobody listened to it;
there.
At the proper point in the evenings performance the
manager would soelnnly announce, piano solo, The
Frolc of the Frogs, by Eddie Hawkins.
And then Eddie would appear from the wings, bow
seriously adjust the piano STOOL and play his solo, He
always received an encore, always returned and re-
peated the trio part of the waltz, and again SOemnly
bowed himself off the stage.
Sometimes manager would try to remedy
things by having Eddie learn solo from time to
time, since he must be the program But herein lay
the difficulty. Eddie couldn't learn new pieces
Usually the colored members of the Walled City
~ about the most satisfactory and enthusiastic
stage performers. The nordinate vanity of some OF
these and the they will devise to get them
selves before the footlights amazing One man,
named Sam Gilmore, who had once been regular per-
former, but whose single accomplishment of dancing
had at last out its attraction hearing that he
had been omitted from the program of special perform
that to be given two nights running for the
benefit of visitors in the neghborng towns came to the
manager and asked to be allowed to do act
He said old accomplishment of his and prom
sed to create sensation All he required some cot
ton CANDLE and chance to get before the audience.
AS this act decided novelty, he was put on the
When it came time for his act Sam appeared bowling
and scraping with wad of cotton big as his fist
in hand, and candle in the other Tearing Oft
piece of cotton the size of his thumb he would light it
the candle, and then while in full blaze it into
his mouth and pretend to swallow it with great rells
His performance received with proper enthusiasm
by the audience which inspired the colOred man to such
pitch of excitement that he tore off bigger and bigger
pieces thrusting them into his mouth, with the flames
curling about his lips and nose When he finally came
into the wings radiant with his cheeks were bug
ing with Charred cotton.
When time came for the performance the following
night Sam hand eager for his act But one of the
physicians happening to stop to speak to HIM IN the
wings, noticed that his speech thick, and taking
him to light found that his nose, lips, tongue, and
mouth were burned to blister He must have been IN
great pain and as was found later had been unable to
eat anything all day-and yet he eager to on and
repeat his performance!
1t appeared afterward that Sam knew nothing what
ever of the trick of re eating He had simply thought
of this of getting the program and was willing
to sacrifice everything to accomplish that end
ANOTHER colored
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