Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1884 — Paralyzing a Minstrel Show. [ARTICLE]

Paralyzing a Minstrel Show.

A very fair and decidedly intelligent audience assembled. After a painful overture and a song by a who seemed to express him through a clogged and difficult quill, one of tlie end men said: “Mr. Rice, es you wuz—ef you wuz cornin’ down the stfeet an’ a putty girl wuz ter kiss you, what would you do ?” “Why, I’d kiss her back.” “No you wouldn’t,” yelled a man in the audience, “you’d Sss%_her mouth. Give us something new.’’'“'*'' “Mr. Rice,” said another end man, “what would you call a man from England?” “I’d call him an Englishman.” “Uh, huh. What would you call a man from Ireland ?” “I’d call him an Irishman.” “Uh, huh. What would you call a man from Michigan ?” “I’d call him a Michigander.” The audience groaned and a man called: “Say, don’t give us that old Michigeese business.” Thus discouraged at joking, for old men in the audience had heard the “gags” annually since childhood, songs were decided to be the safest means of • entertainment. A horrible looking thing came out with a banjo and said: “ Goin’ to sing you a funny song. Took my girl to a fancy ball the other night. Didn’t have but 50 cents an’ was sorter slow in askin’ her to eat, but I asked her, an’ she said she wasn’t hungry, but she didn’t care if she did take a few lines. I had but fifty ”

“Oh, hold on,” cried a man in the gallery. “We know all about how she took oysters raw and plate of slaw.” Astonished at an audience that , had ever before seen a minstrel show, the manager at last decided to make ,a favorable impression by introducing something sensational, so he put on the old ghost trick where a fellow with a sheet around him comes in. The white man and negro had.sat down together and the white man had begun the song about the old' jaw-bone, when a loud-mouthed man, sitting near the door, exclaimed: “Boom, coo, coo-hoo, hoo,” and just then the drum boomed and the negro jumped and said: “Coo, coo, hoo, hoo, and the andience groaned. The thrilling ghost scene was a failure, and the manager, thinking to capture the house with a quartet, sent out a fellow who looked like an unwashed railroad section boss, a short fellow with a highwater jacket and two emblems of ignorance and vocal incapacity. When they began, the audience, almdst to a man, arose and left the house. This reception was a sign of encouragement, for it shows that people are at last frowning down on old and moldy jokes.— Arkansaw Traveler. I How can you expect your children to be better than you are yourself ? The old proverb is a true one. How can the foal amble when the horse and mare trot? I