Border Minstrelsy

“ Hooley & Emerson’s Megatherians, season 1879-80; Livermore Bros. in England; Frank Moran’s Minstrels, Carncross’ Minstrels in Philadelphia, and the Big 4 Minstrels, 1880-81.
Major Burk was born in New York City, June 21, 1845, and now resides there.
Milt. G. Barlow was one of the greatest “old darky” delineators that minstrelsy has known, and probably did more to popularize “Old Black Joe” than any other performer.
Mr. Barlow originally aspired to be a Dutch comedian. His first minstrel engagement was with the Jackson Emersonians in 1870; the tour lasted about four weeks ”

“ Some maintain that minstrelsy is here to stay, while others insist there are no more minstrel shows.
But if the question were: Are the minstrels dying out? there could be no divergence of opinion. The passing away in the last decade or so of such luminaries as Neil. Bryant, Billy Rice, Billy West, Billy Emerson, Wm. Henry Rice, Frank Cushman, Ben. Cotton, Johnny Booker, Jack Herman, Andy Leavitt, E. F. Dixey, J. B. Donniker, “Eugene” J. H. Haverly, Sam. Hague, Dave Reed and many others, eliminate the matter of doubt entirely. ”

“ The Barlow Brothers were one of the best-known song and dance teams in minstrelsy. In 1867 they were performing at the Bowery Theatre, New York City.
In 1871 they were with Morris Brothers Minstrels, closing February 3, 1872; in September, the following year, they joined Simmons and Slocum’s Minstrels in Philadelphia; they did a plantation song and dance turn there which they called “Quit Dat”: perhaps most of us picture that act. April 10, 1877, at Cynthiana, Ky., saw the first performance of Barlow Brothers Minstrels, an organization that toured the country for about fifteen years. ”

“ Mr. Marks’ first appearance in minstrelsy was with the Quinlan and Wall Company in 1904; subsequently with the following well-known organizations—Culhane, Chace and Weston’s; Primrose’s; Dockstader’s; Murphy and Gibson’s; Wm. H. West’s (Ricaby’s) ; and Dumont’s in Philadelphia.
Season of 1909-10 he was with the George Evans’ Minstrels. One night the “Honey Boy” came back on the stage with tears in his eyes (that being the regulation place to have them) ; “I’m short an end man,” said the newly-made minstrel magnate, “who will volunteer?” “I will,” said little Clarence ”

“ Where the Minstrel [1] may find his own semblance pourtray'd;
The red fires that gleam on the summit are those
That first on his own inmost spirit have preyed.
Ah, deeply the Minstrel has felt all he sings,
Every passion he paints his own bosom has known ”

“ The other boy pushed back his sombrero. Jack Merrill was only a lad, after all, and he found himself suddenly called upon to answer a question which might have stumped a grown man. The question, however, was decided for him, and by a means so utterly unexpected that it came near jolting the Border Boys out of their composure; for Jack, as they had ridden up from the river, had admonished his companions to keep cool minds and wits and stiff upper lips whatever happened. ”

“ In the company were Billy Birch, Frank Moran, Frank Kent and Bob Slavin; all since passed away.
Old minstrel habitues will recall that nigger-act wherein one of the performers declares loudly to his friends that he is boss in his own home, how he rules the ranch and so on; and just as he is saying it his wife would show up then he would inflict dire punishment upon her, she comes running down the aisle from the front of the house saying, “Where’s my husband?” gathers her lesser half by the ear and amidst the jeers of his companions, carries him away. ”

“ Of the lingering sunset, whose beauties were thine,
And the motionless figures were blazoned in blood.
But an undertone rose thro' the chords like a wail,
'Twas thy elegy mourning thee deep in the sound,
Soon, soon did that something of sadness prevail,
And the minors commingled and fell to the ground.
Rest peacefully, Minstrel, He took thee who gave,
That passion is still that once swelled in thy lay,
Thy notes are departed, thy fame is thy grave,
For the angels descended and bore thee away. ”

“ This unique character in minstrelsy, up to the time of his death, enjoyed the double distinction of being the oldest living minstrel, as well as having attained greater longevity than any other known black-face performer.
There have been many versions of the veteran’s interesting career. Mr. Moore in a letter to the author, dated December 3, 1908, says his first appearance was in New York with Welch and Delevan at the old Broadway Circus in negro opera, playing in black-face, in 1844. ”

“ Billy Arlington (Valentine Burnell) , was one of the great luminaries of minstrelsy. He achieved fame as a comedian, as a stump speaker and banjoist; he was a good all round performer. Mr. Arlington’s professional career began in the 50’s.
February 20, 1860, he opened in New York with George Christy’s Minstrels, and was associated with the latter practically until the formation of Arlington and Donniker’s Minstrels in August, 1862; the organization was subsequently known as Arlington, Leon, Kelly and Donniker’s. Arlington’s Minstrels opened in Chicago in September, 1867. ”

“ Nine days did the sea toss me—yes, ten days did the waves buffet me—ere I was cast upon these shores.”
“I welcome you, Wainamoinen!” cried the grim Mistress. “Welcome, welcome to this northern land! Your name is well known to me, and long have I honored it. Men call you the sweet singer of Hero Land, and they say that no other songs cheer the dreary hours of winter as yours do. You shall stay here in Pohyola and sing to me and my people. My house shall be your home and this delightful land shall be your country.”
The gray-bearded Minstrel shook his head and sighed. ”

“ The following season he joined Bidwell and McDonough’s “Black Crook” Company; subsequently he appeared with the California Minstrels, and Tony Denier’s “Humpty Dumpty.” In November, 1876, he became a member of Haverly’s “Blackbirds of a Nation,” one of the many minstrel companies controlled at one time by that astute manager.
Mr. Field’s other minstrel engagements were with Simmons and Slocum’s in 1877, and Duprez and Benedict’s, in 1883. In May, 1875, he paid a visit to Peter Sells’ and his circus, and in conjunction with McIntyre and Heath put on a minstrel first part, also did a monologue. ”

“ All your magic shall come to naught, for you shall never steal the Maid of Beauty from her home land, never put her in your magic vessel, never carry her over the treacherous sea.”
The Minstrel saw now that he was beaten; he felt that all his secret plans had been discovered, and so he concealed his bitter feelings while he acknowledged defeat. “Wisest of smiths,” he said, “we are friends and brothers, and therefore we must not fall out and quarrel. [193] Let us still be lovers as of old. ”

“ But the men of the race were as cruel and harsh as the women were fair and loving. It was the fashion then for all the fair ladies of the court to have a minstrel attached to the household to beguile the idle hours with songs and improvisations. Lady Edith followed the fashion and had a favorite minstrel, too, one Douglas North. He was of gentle blood, handsome, brave, and chivalrous. My Lady Edith, was a flirt in her day. She angled for the young minstrel’s heart, meaning to play with it a moment, then cast it aside like a broken toy. ”

“ I find this significant note in my diary. "My Grant life is now so nearly complete that I feel free to begin a work which I have long meditated. I began to dictate, to-day, the story of my life as boy and man in the West. In view of my approaching perilous trip into the North I want to leave a fairly accurate chronicle of what I saw and what I did on the Middle Border. The truth is, with all my trailing about in the Rocky Mountains I have never been in a satisfying wilderness. It is impossible, even in Wyoming, to get fifty miles from settlement. ”

“ Subsequently he joined his brother George, and as George and Willie Guy became quite popular at Hooley’s Minstrels in Brooklyn, where they remained for a considerable time.
The next few years he was with the minstrel organization of Kelly and Leon; Moore and Burgess, Harry Robinson’s, Welch, Hughes and White; Smith and Taylor’s, and George Christy’s.
In 1874 he became a member of Guy Brother’s Minstrels, and as such continued practically until his death. Mr. Guy ranked high as a song and dance performer and comedian. ”

“ I do not deny it, gudeman; but I have often heard you say these three men are the pests of the border; and that, were it not for them, things might go on reasonably enough, for no one counts a few head of cattle lifted, now and again. It is bad enough that, every two or three years, armies should march across the border, one way or the other; but surely we might live peaceably, between times. Did not I nearly lose you at Otterburn, and had you laid up on my hands, for well-nigh six months? ”

“ He closed with Hooley and Campbell in New York City, January 26, 1861, and with “Eugene” and J. B. Donniker organized Unsworth’s Minstrels. A few months later he sailed for Europe, and subsequently joined Rumsey and Newcomb’s Minstrels in Liverpool; later going to Germany with them. Mr. Unsworth remained abroad playing the Music Halls, also a long engagement with Wilsom and Montague’s Minstrels, until the Spring of 1868, when he returned to America, and again joined Bryant’s Minstrels in New York: he remained two years. ”

“ In these circumstances, Lady Nairn expe [Pg 190] rienced painful alarm, lest, by any inadvertence on the part of her friends, the origin of her songs should be traced. While the publication of the "Minstrel" was proceeding, her correspondents received repeated injunctions to adopt every caution in preserving her incognita; she was even desirous that her sex might not be made known. "I beg the publisher will make no mention of a lady," she wrote to one of her correspondents, "as you observe, the more mystery the better, and still the balance is in favour of the lords of creation. ”

“ Minstrels at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, May 31, 1909.
The story that Mr. Arbuckle had blacked nearly his whole anatomy before the veteran minstrel, Raymond Hitchcock, intervened and told Arbuckle that only the face, neck and chest needed the burnt cork, is a fabrication, pure and simple.
Albert Guy has long been a member of the Guy Brothers Minstrels, where his superb baritone voice is heard to excellent advantage. As an interlocutor he ranks high.
Mr. Guy has been associated with his brothers professionally practically his entire career. ”

“ Presently, when the inhabitants judged from experience that there would be peace for the remainder of the night, they prepared to depart for their cellarless homes in the neighborhood. We followed their example, and as we were the last to go. Monsieur Dufael, General Rayières and his aide-de-camp walked with us, in clear moonlight, to our hotel.
"Look," said the Minx to me on the way upstairs (we had dropped behind Mother and Kate for a moment) —"look at the reward of a naughty girl." ”

“ The Minstrel heeded not her warning; for never yet had he abandoned a task once begun.
“I am old,” he said, “and many are the perils I have faced and many the dangers I have escaped. I am not a woman that I should say, ‘I cannot’; I am not a coward that I should say, ‘I dare not!’ So, come now, tiny daughter of Tuoni. Come, and quickly row me over your ferry.”
The maiden said not another word. She leaped into her boat, she seized the oars, and [134] with lightning speed she crossed the river. The broad, flat-bottomed vessel grated against the shore where the Minstrel was standing ”

“ There are no grand entertainments where there is no money; no lords and ladies where there are no entertainments—and there lay the poor lodger in the desolate house, groaning on a bed no longer his, smitten by the hand of God in the part where he was most vulnerable. Of what use telling such a man to take comfort, for he had written the ‘Minstrel’ and ‘Rob Roy’—telling him to think of his literary fame? Literary fame, indeed! he wanted back his lost gentility ”

“ And thereupon Sintram began to relate and to describe all that had passed with the pale man.
“I know him also very well,” said Biorn. “He is half crazed and half wise, as we sometimes are astonished at seeing that people can be. But do thou, my boy, go to rest after thy wild journey. I give you my word that Rolf shall be kindly received if he arrive here; and that if he do not come soon, he shall be sought for in the mountains.”
“I trust to your word, father,” said Sintram, half humble, half proud; and he did after the command of the grim lord of the castle. ”

“ We must go. It is certain that Lord John, a British officer, cannot accompany us to a French Front. He will lend us his car, if Miss Mix chooses to stop behind and flirt with him. She will lose her time if she does, I think. His father wishes him to marry Lady Lydia Lamb."
As if any man who had a chance of winning a Minx would let a Lamb be thrown at his head! ”

“ Mother had forgotten the Minx, who had made friends in the hotel, especially among British officers on leave, and had soared to a pinnacle of popularity with a newly arrived lot of American aviators. The appalling young person had, it seemed, been suppressed as a family nuisance ”

“ The tale of Si's marriage had soon got wind upon the Border, and proved occasion for many a jest and gibe far and wide, and when it came to the ears of the Land Sergeant of Gilsland he scented opportunity of revenge for a 'lick' on the head he had received in a fray with the Robsons when they drove a foray into South Tyne a few months bygone.
''Tis matter of march treason,' he said, when he heard of Si's means of escape from the Hawick halter. 'Whether he be married or no signifieth not, for all intercommuning with the [Pg 216] Scots is clean against Border law. ”