Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-27
The Manicure
Lady
By WILLIAM r. KIRK.

NTHEY'vE been getting after
the plays lately, haven't
they?" said the Head Barber,
throwing aside the morning paper.
Il should say they have" said the
Manicure Lady, and as the old gent
was saying up home last night, it is
about time that something should be
did. l amt been to see none of the
daring ones, but from what l hear
some Of them is pretty risky. l
wouldn't go to no show like that any
how, and besides, the spectators has
all the seats"
The producers say they are giving
the people what they want" observed
the Head Barber.
They are giving the people what
the people are being taught to want
by them producers" declared the
Manicure Lady. Gee, l don't know
what this town Is coming to. People
are saying that it is getting wicked,
but it amt that If it was only a
little wicked with some brains thrown
in, it wouldn't be so bad. The town
amt getting wicked, George-it's
getting simple minded. The town is
wiggling and swapping its fingers
like a cabaret dancer. The town is
off it's trolley and off the rails be-
sides.
The only plays that | ever liked,
George. or at least the plays / liked
the best of all, was the pretty old
rural dramas. i know the wise fish
nowadays wouldn't turn out to see a
play like Shore Acres, and If good
old Denman Thompson was in his
prime now he would starve. 1 can
see them old plays now, when j shut
oil a 70
same in a way, but they was all fine.
There was always the old homestead,
which at least one Of the family
didn't want sold. 1t had been the
home of their dads and granddads,
but some of the younger members of
the family had moved to the city and
got proud, and now the old home
stead had to be sold.
One little daughter stuck by the
old home with her dad and mother.
And in all of the plays she had a
beau with an honest heart and warts
on his thumbs. His father would own
the next farm, Of course, and it had
always been the dream of the old
folks that the two would marry and
then the two farms would become
one. Then along would come some
young city fellow, usually a surveyor.
He would be the villain, and l don't
know why they always picked out
that profession for a villain. There
Is a lot of surveyors that is perfect
gents. Anyhow, he would come there
with. his city ways and his oily tongue,
and he would steal that little gal
away from her fair minded jasper
beau. She would find out before 1t
was too late that he was a villain,
and while she was fsnding that out
her jasper beau would be finding out
that there was oil on the old home
stead and that the villain knew it
all the time. The end of it would be
that the surveyor would have to go
back to his compass and the gal would
marry her Abner, and the old home
stead would be saved"
They always had a swell male
quartet of rubes in them shows,
too said the Head Barber. 81 used
to like. to hear them singing My Old
Kentucky Home and WAY Down
Upon the Suwanee River I guess
you are right when you say we are
getting foolish in the head And |
suppose there won't be no more of
them good old plays. It's too bad.
too. Me and the Missus would go
oftener if we could see something like
that, but | amt going to dig up four
bones to so and see a problem play
that deals with the same problem
Adam and Eve knew about And |
wouldn't go across the street to see
musical comedy no more, so when
we don't go to vaudeville or the
movies we have some friends up to
the nat or go calling on them. That
way we won't get poisoned none"
You're right, George" said the
Manicure Lady. You have the right
anecdote."