The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-05-24

lutin now 10 Ultcu uOf1e6IocH, ana tnit
game made a great hit for about ter
days. Then Tommy turned to Amer
ica for a new diversion. / was up In
the air until happy thought came tc
me. Why not write a sketch and breah
Tommy in as an actor?
One evening after flights out" when
you are not supposed to talk, impart.
ed my scheme in whispers TO the sec.
ton. They eagerly accepted the idea
OF forming a stock company and
could hardly wait until the morning
for further details.
After parade, the next afternoon l
was almost mobbed. Everyone in the
section wanted part in the proposed
sketch. When ! informed them that It
would take at least ten days of hard
work 70 write the plot. they were bit
terly disappointed. Immediately got
busy. made desk out of biscuit tins
in the corner of the billet, and put up
sign "Empey & Wallaee Theatrical
Co." About twenty of the section,
upon reading this sign, Immediately
applied for the position OF office boy.
l accepted the twenty applicants, and
sent them on scouting parties through.
out the deserted French village. These
parties were 10 search all the attics for
discarded civilian clothes, and any
thing that we could use In the props
of our proposed company.
Ahoak f1x-ta fhat ,afrht sT.o...
covered with CRIME and dust. but load
ed down with a miscellaneous assort-
ment Of everything under the sun.
They must have thought that i was
going to start department stoxe.
judging from the different things they
brought back from their pIllage.
After eight days constant writing l
completed a two-act farce comedy
which i called THE Diamond Palace
Saloon" Upon the suggestion of one
Of the boys In the section sent proof
Of the program to a printing house In
London. Then assigned the different
parts and started rehearsing. David
Belasco would have thrown up his
hands in despair at the material which
had to use. Just imagine trying to
teach a Tommy, with q strong cockney
accent. to impersonate Bowery tough
or Southern negro.
Adjacent to our billet was an open
field. We got busy at one end Of II and
constructed a stage. We secured the
lumber for the stage by demolIshing
an old wooden shack in the rear Of
our billet.
The first scene was supposed to rep
resent street on the Bowery In New
York. while the scene Of the second
act was the interior Of the Diamond
Palace saloon. also on the Bowery.
In the play I took the part of Abe
Switch. farmer, who had come from
Center. Tenn, to make
his first visit to New York.
In the FIRST scene Abe Switch meets
the proprietor of the Diamond Palace
ramshackle affair which to !
the owner was a financial loss.
The proprietors name was Tom
TwIstem, his bartender being named |
Fillem Up.
After meeting Abe, Tom and Fillem
Up persuaded him to buy the place.
praising 1t to the skies and telling
Hondrous tales Of the money taken
over the bar.
While they are talking, an old Jew
famed key Cohenstein comes along.
ind Abe. engages him for cashier. After
Engaging key they meet an old
Southern negro called Sambo, and
lpon the suggestion Of key he is en-
aged as porter. Then the three Of
hem. arm In arm, leave to take pos
ession OF this wonderful palace which
he has just paid $4,000 for. (Cur-
ain.)
In the second act the curtain rises
n the interior of the Diamond Palace
aloQn, and the audience gets its first
hook. The saloon looks like d pig
en-. two tramps lying drunk on the
DOR, and the bartender In O dirty /
1irt with his sleeves rolled up, asleep
18th his head on the bar.
Enter Abe. Sambo and key, and the
in commences.
One Of the characters In the second
t was named Broadway Kate. and ! I
I'd an awful job to break In one Of
lie Tommies TO act and talk like a X
oman. Ii
Another character was Alkali Ike. an I
rizona cowboy. who just before the {
ose Of the play comes into the saloon '
ID wrecks 1t with his revolver.
We had eleven three-hour rehearsals .
fore thought 1t advisable to pre- b
Mt the sketch to the public. 8
The whole brigade was crazy to
tness the first performance. This :
was scheduled for Friday d
o.