WANTED, by Two Boys, 16 and 17 years old, Who have a desire to learn the theatrical profession, an opportunity to go with some company during 1884 and '85. One of us can play Banjo, Guitar, Xylophone, Tambo[rine] and (Snare-drum by note), and one can play Guitar and Bones. Both can dance some and sing. Minstrel troupe preferred. Address, stating salary, etc. CHARLES MOREMAN, Brownsville, Fayette Co., Pa (P.O. Box 38).I wasn't able to find Charles Moreman in the 1880 census (not yet, anyway, I am going to keep looking) but I intend to find out about him and his friend (brother?) if I possibly can.
Don't you wonder whether Charles and the other boy got jobs in vaudeville and went out on the road? Or if anyone even wrote back to them? And what happened to them later in life?
I always want to know, but this sort of history is hard to research. I think that Joe Gould would want to know, too. And if he didn't find out, he'd probably have made up a really good story anyway.
From the New York Clipper, May 24, 1884.
8 comments:
I do want to hear more. I hope you find more info.
And apparently at least one of them expected a salary. That could be a clue. Perhaps not. And it goes with saying (although I fully intend to say it) that if one is industrious enough to learn to play a snare drum by note, he could almost certainly also play a tom tom or even bass drum by note as well. So there's that too.
You are sometimes too much for me, Lidian. But I am pretty easy. :)
ettarose - Me too, but ordinary lives can be awfully hard to trace (even though they can be the most interesting ones).
Max - I do sense a lack of business acumen in this ad - and a lack of what my parents used to call being streetwise...As for your second comment, I'll have to think about that. I've been told that it was sometimes hard to tell if I was being sarcastic or not, but the ones who said it seemed to enjoy this, so who knows? :)
Yeah. I enjoy it. I mean you wear me out. :)
VicarEzra - That's all right then...
Ezra - Are you sure you're not Max as well as Ezra? An intriguing thought...
In 1884 did 16 & 17 year olds run around without parental supervision? I wonder what their parents would have thought of their ad! www.satisfiedsole.com
Pam - That's such a good question, in fact when my eldest read this that was what she asked too. I wonder if the parents even knew that they'd written this...
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