Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1885 — TWO NOTED MINSTRELS, [ARTICLE]

TWO NOTED MINSTRELS,

Who Have Won Fortunes, and What They Say About Stage Life. [From Stage Whispers.] “BiUy" Emerson has recently riade a phenomenal success in Australia, and is rich. Emerson was born in Belfast in 1848. He began his career with Joe Sweeney s minstrels in Washington in 1857. Later on he lumped into prominence in connection with Newcomb's miustrels, with whom he visited Germany. He visited Australia in 1874, and on his return to America joined Haverjy's minstrels in San Franclacp at $ >OO a week and expenses. With this troupe he played before her Majesty the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and royalty generally. After this trip he leased the Standard Theater, San Francisco, where for three years he did the largest business ever known to minstrelsy. In 4,p r fi lttßt went to Australia again, where he has “beaten the record.” “ fiiHy ” is a very handsome fellow, an excel ent singer, dances gracefully, and is a true humorist. “ Yes, sir, I have traveled all over the world, have met all sorts of people, come in contact with all sorts of customs, and had all sorts or experiences. One must *have a constitution like a locomotive to stand it. “Yes, I know I seem to bear it like a major, and I do, but I tell you candidly that with the perpetual change of diet, water, and climate, if I bad hot maintained my vigor with regular use of Warner’s safe cure, I should have gone under long ago.” George H. Primrose, whose name is known in every amusement circle in America, is even more emphatic, if possible, than “Billy” Emerson, in commendation of the same article to sporting and traveling men generally, among whom it is a great favorite. Emerson has grown rich on the boards and so has Primrose, because they have not squandered the public’s “favors.”