Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-08
QUAKER-BRED COMEDIANS
Some New Stories Brought From Abroad
by the Baby Member

rI1HIS old town has long been famous as
i shall Nc say"-a breeding place" for
romodian7 We have had much talk Of !.
W Kelly. tho Kernel brothers, Walter Kelly.
Hughoy pouCherty--and there are others
Franca Wilson was born here and first
klTlsed his prentice legs upon some obscure
local stage. with what success there iS no one
nov 10 eay His autobiography IL silent upon
tho -ubiect, announcing briefly that he made
his first professional appearance IN min
strel rolnrauy.' lie broke into legitimate
comedy at tho Chestnut Street Theatre in
1877 and took the part Of cool In London
Assurance in IS and 40. His great hit
the creation of the role of CadeauX In "Er-
MIME came ten years later.
For many years after Wilson became Ia
nous his worthy old mother maintained her
little home In this city, and We recall having
frequently seen the comedian carrying
baskets of fresh eggs and butter to her when
his work brought him back to town.
Wilson retired from the stage some time
ago, the Kernel bows and j. w Kelly are
dead, Hughcy pougherty still fingers Oh the
verge of The grave, but Walter Kelly
flourishea and so does Jack Norworth
Norworth is the baby member of this group
of merry Quallera. He's downtowner and
his sleek locks doubles conceal many
scar received in stone fights along the
Schuylkill River front He vas tough guy
and ran with tough crow d. but he's q cos.
! mopolite now and rubbing against the world
has given him q polish lie came back TO
town tins week and gathering party Of
friends around q table, spilled for their
benefit some new stories brought from the
other side,
The first Zeppelin I ever saw" said he,
brought my gang raining back to me nm
consciously, because I was standing in the
middle of vast crowd looking up at the
sky At the Zeppelin and without thinking I
took my watch out of my breast pocket and
| put It I'm my trousers pocket, Just as If I eN-
| nectcd some of the rival gang to grab It from
| me, TO get better View of It, my wife and
| | got up on the top of bus and rode alonr
| watching It. It was rather a chilly nieht
| and had 10 oyercoat on NV wife said
| Here, wrap this piece of fur across your
| chest or you'll catch cold / told her that
with death hoVerlng over us in this manner
didn't think little thing like cold would
| bother me. She said. Well the ZeppeIiu
| may miss you, but the cold won't
| There were three American Coons near
us and they were discussing the question as
to where was the safest place to be during a
| Zepp raid. One was for the undereround
tube and another for the pavement cInes
against building, since the bombs etriLing
| in the street always spread upward The
third had been thinking hard but saving
| nothing Finally he said De Csfegt nr,re
| TO be in Zepp raid am up In de Zepp
In one of the training CAMPS there ,r,-
| young a very young, officer, who van,
looked as If he should still be wearing knee.
trousers, and his company resented hi,
youthfulnes9' One day when they were
called up for inspection. just before helms
dismissed one of the soldiers said in a sar,
castle tone of voice. And a little child ehsu
lead them The officer said, The man whr
said that step forward and the entire com.
pany stepped forward, and they ali rsnastna
And a little child shall lead Them Tbe of
Ger simply said, Dismiss That esma nish,
when the orders for the following dav ,yer.
issued they read There will be a thirty
five mile route march tomorrow. with f,,,
equipment, and little child shan ,as,
them-and on damned good horse, too
-'- T. 4. D.