Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-03-15

busy, made Il desk out Of biscuit tins
in the corner Of the billet, and put w
sign "Empy & Wallace Theatrical
CO." About twenty Of the section
upon reading this sign. Immediately
applied for the position OF office boy
| accepted the twenty applicants and
sent them on scouting parties through
out the deserted French village. These
parties were to search all the atucs TOT
discarded civilian clothes, and any
thing that we could use in the props
Of our proposed company.
About five that night they returned
covered with CRIME and dust. but load
,,l down with miscellaneous aSSurt-
mrnt oI everything under the sun.
They must have thought that was
going to start Il department store.
Judging from the different things they
brought back from their pillag".
After eight days constant writing !
COMPLETED q two-act farce comedy
which called "Thc Diamond Palace
Saloon" Upon the suggestion oi on"
Ur the boys in the section sent Il proof
OF the program to Il printing house in
London. Then | assigned the different
partS and started rchcarsing. DAVID
H,lasco would have thrown up his
hands i'm DESPAIR at the material which
had to use. Just imagine trying TO
teach a Tommy. with a strong cockncy
accent. to impersonatc Il Bow"rH
tough or Il Southern negro.
Adjacent TO our billet was an open
field. We got busy at one end oil IL
and constructed Il stage. w" secured
,h, lumber for the stage 10y dcmolish-
ing an old wooden shack in the rear
of our billet.
The first scene was supposed to rep
resent Il 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 Bowcry.
In the play | took the part of ABE
Switch, a farmer, who had come from
Pumpkinvillc Center. Tenn, to MAKE
his first visit TO New York.
In the first scene Abe Switch meets
the proprietor OF the Diamond ihlac"
saloon. a ramshacklc affair which tn
the owner was Il financial loss.
The proprietors name was Tom
Twistcm, his bartender being named
Fplem Up. --..----
After meeting KSs. Tom and Ffllem
Up persuaded him to buy the place,
praising it to the skies and telling
wondrous tales of the money taken
over the bar.
While they are talking, an old jew
named key CohcnStcin comes along
and Abe engages him for cashier. After
engaging lkey they meet an OLD
southern negro called Sambo. ana
upon the suggrstion of key nc is en-
gagged rs porter. Then the three of
them, arm In arm. leave to take pos
session of this wonderful place Tor
which Abe has just paid $4,000. Wur-
tain.)
I'm the second act the curtain RISES
on the interior of the Diamond i'alacc
saloon. and the audience gets its hrs'
shock. The saloon looks like Il pig
prn, two tramps lying drunk on the
floor. and the bartender in dirty
shirt with his sleeves rolled up. asleep
with his head ON the bar.
Enter Abe, Sambo and lkcy, and the
fun commences.
One of the characters in the second
act WAS named Broadway Kate. anu !
had an awful job to break in one oi
IN. Tommics to act and talk like n
woman.
,notbcr character was Alkali Ike. an
Arizona cowboy, who just before th'
close of the play comes into the saloon
and wrecks it with his revolver.
We had eleven thrcc-hour rchrars-
ais before thought it advisable to
urrsrnt the sketch to the public.
The whole brigade was crazy TO
witness the first performance. THIS
performance was scheduled for Friday
night and everyone was full OF antici-
patton; when bang! orders came
through that the brigade would move
nj two that afternoon. Cursing anu
bIindinp was the order Of things upon
the receipt of this order. hut We
moved.
That night we reached the little VII
layc of s. and again went into rest
IN there.
weeks. Our company Immediately got
busy and secured the village for a
suitable place in which to present our
production. Then we received another
shock.
A rival company was already estah-
lishcd in the village. They called
themselves "Thc Bow Bells" and
nut on a sketch entitled. "BliEhtN-
What Hopes" They were the diri-
sional concert party.
We hoped they all would he soon
In Blighty to give us chance.
This company charged an admis-
sion Of a franc per head. and that
night our company went on masse to
see their performance. 1t really was
good.
had sinking sensation when
thought Of running my sketch in op-
position to 1t.
In one Of their scenes they had 4
soubrctte called Flossie. The soldier
that took this part was clever and
made a fine appearing and chic girl
We Immediately fell in love with hel
until two days after. while we were
on march. We passed Flossie witt
her" sleeves rolled up and the sweat
| pouring from her" face unloading
shells from n motor lorry.
| As our section passed her l yelled
out: Hello. Flossie: Blighty-Wha'
Hopeso" Her reply made our love die
out instantly:
"Ah. 60 to h-l!"
This brought quite laugh from the
marching column directed at me, ant
instantly made up my mind that ou'
sketch should Immediately run in op'