Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-06-25
WHERE Do | co FROM
HERE?
The Story Of Man Who, Even With
Great Success to His Credit,
Asks Himself That Question
and Finds No Answer.
INV Mary b. NIullett.)

wen, he went OH, you can See
how it is. l needn't go into all the dc
tails. l got back finally into vaudc-
willie; but then the war came a.ong,
and sometimes l COUNT secure any
engagement at all. | had to 1.-Two, SO l
got work as Il porter on trains that
were hauling soldiers.
1.-The papers have said / was Pun
man porter. 1t is true that l worked
on Pullman trains, but only those
used by the army. 1t wasn't SO bad.
Most of the soldiers were fine, demo
cratic young fellows. But when we
were hauling them from Northern
camp to Southern one, it was rath
er curious how thc:- c..''"de toward
me changed when we go below Mas
on and DiXon's line.
"Still, l got along fairly we'll. But
/ don't think l ever could take a rcgu
lar Pu.lman's porteris job-golng
around and gathering up the boots
and blackcning them, putting my hand
out for tip-no! l don't think /
could do that.
but l did run an elevator in Il
New York apartment house. Oh. yes
! was an elevator boy for quite II
while l had come to New York with
an excellent letter of introduction to
one of the theatrical agents; bu: l
never could get !: chance to present
it. / tried repeatedly; tod his office
boy that 1 had a letter to The man
But the boy always came cut from
the inner SANCTION with the message
that l might C"!l again. | did call
call ngain--and many times uGain:
but the Eentlcm1n WAS always too
busy.
"rhe war ended finally, the thea
trical business seemed good, so / got
out the wig | had worn as the Cd
Baptist preacher, spent couple Of
dollars having it fixed up, and was
just about to try for n chance in
vaudeville again, when the stage
manager of Abraham Lincoln sent
for me.
'In that play there was the small
part of Gusts, an old Negro servant.
and Mr. Longeran was not satisfied
with the way ii was being done. They
asked me to come down to n rchears-
al--the play had not been prodn y.
thcn-and look ii over. | found that
this was the dress rehearsal and tina.
the play was to CO., ~" very next
night in Stanford. Could I learn the
lines Immediately and go on ut the
first performance? l said l could, il
they would settle 1t with the other
actor.
Il had no rehearsal! with tho com
pnny. The next day, through mla-
take, l went to New Haven instead
OF Stamford; and when l finally
reached the thoatre in the latter
town. 1t was after seven o'clock anu
l had only time to dress and make up
before the performance began. But l
got through oil right; and it was be
cause OF my work in the role Of tho
Gusts, that the Provincetown Play
ers asked me to do this part In Tho
Emperor Jones'"
ut must scem| pretty wonderful
TO have made such n success, after
the years you have waited for it."
said.
The somber look IN his eyes did not
change as he replied:
II don't know just how much It
amounts to. 1t seems to me n good
deal like people saying Well! knew
>. the poll"parrot could say II few words;
but didn't know the poll-parrot could
carry on conversation! 1t really
talks very well-considering the fact
that it's only n poll-parrot.
You're cynical" 1 protested.
Il don't want to be-" he said earn
'estiy. 4 am pleased; especially with
the generous praise Of the critics. But
don't fool myself about the stone
walls that are in my way. Mr.. O'Neill
made n breach in those walls by writ
ing play that had in it q serious
81 "a MI,
lncetown Players gave me the chance
to do the part. But-what next? II
were white, dozen opportunities
would come to me at once as a result
OF success like this. But I'm black
1t is no joke when I ask myself,
Where do I so from here?'
There may be small part open
to me in something-like the pare o,
Gusts. But do you know that 1t IL
hard for colored man to get n
chance to play even Negro in regular
comDanies? I played such part III
enc company, and some Of the actors
used to stand outside my dressing.
room and talk about me, evidently
Intending me to oyerhear them.
why did they get a Niger FIR
that part" They would say? "A white
man could play 1t better than any
niger that ever was born?'
"The ladies in the company were
always courteous. So were few of
the men. The rest did not see me.
They never even said 'Good-evening'
them, or attempt to speak to them.
When we arrived in town, thele
would be on the call board list OF
the members Of the company, with t1e
hotels to which they might go. But
my name was never among them.
was pariah dog who must hunt a
kennel for himself, IL he was to have
one.
Don't misunderstood me. don't
know that they could have done any
thing else. don't mean to be blam
ing anyone. I am simply telling what
the conditions are. But my present
success has at least accomplished
something. / now have letter on
AoH> 10 ~