How to become an actor

by Aaron A. Warford

Chorus.

Den hearken to de music’s rapture,

For a dance our feet begin to ache,

An’ since of us dose coons make a capture,

We’ll show you how to make a break.

[Dance.

[Meanwhile Pete and Ike come on and make remarks on the dancing. At the end of dance the girls spy the negroes and angrily walk towards them. Pete and Ike produce large razors and chase the girls. They shout, and Clara dives through window of cottage, Rebecca walking through the door. Pete and Ike put up their razors and call for the girls; they at length come out slowly.]

Reb. (To Pete.) What for you try to carve me wid a razor, eh? Fo’ fifty dollahs I’d strike you so hard dat you wouldn’t eben hab time to dream of anoddah hen roost.

Pete. Who dreams about hen-roosts, eh? I tink I know considerable ob your private experience, anyway. I guess as how I know who took de duck eggs from Jim Barker’s hen coop. You can’t teach me ’bout de honesty ob some people.