LEONARD'S LILT.

NZ Truth, Issue 416, 14 June 1913, Page 5

LEONARD'S LILT.

A VINEGARY V^LLIST'S VERSES. HAS A FUNG M THE FIAPPER KING, A JOLT FOR X JINGCINC JOURNALIST,

Leonard Nelson, the comic songster, who recently, - while on the FullerBrennari circuit of New Zealand,-made a big hit, with his character song, '^Mister Booze," has, broken out m a fresh spot. Incidentally, Leonard has made another hit, and this time at the expense of a' jingling journalist, who, by some means "or other, has built up a reputation as a theatrical critic. Leonard, to be brief, has landed m Perth, W.A., and was evidently quickly "sorted" out by the jingier m question, with unpleasant results for the jingier. To make matters plain, the journalist m question is "Dryblower" Murphy, of the Perth "Sunday Times," an individual who needs no introduction to members of the theatrical professiori. Perth "Truth," m dealing wi|h what happened, has the following to say : "Blokes who' live m glass houses should not heave rocks." The above is the colonial colloquial interpretation of an: ancient and probably moss-grown adage, which contains, nevertheless, a large' amount of common' horse-sense. It applies pertineritly and particularly to the so-called jingling critic: of our pink pall for pallid people contempprary, who,' while endeavoring to establish for himself the reputation of being a judge of things theatrical, has- cer-' tainly succeeded m proving that as a shrewd student of-the anatomical proportions of the fair sex, particularly when they are m the earlier, or.flapper, stages, there ain't no flies on Fly Blower. The fatted calf of a buxom flapper evidently appeals to Blowfly more strongly than A PLATE OF PRAWNS or a well-sparred-for schooner of succulous Swan, but we leave it to Leonard Nelson, the vaudevillain, now appearing at the Melrose Theatre, to express his opinion at large concerning the chicken-chasing capabilities' of the —ahem —critic of the "Crimes!" In his capacity of theatrical critic for the pink sheet, "Blowfly" has' persistently pin-pricked Leonard Nelson for reasons probably known to himself. The newspaper critic should be above blithering bias and paltry prejudice. ' A man with the unlimited license of "Flyblower" can make or mar a reputation, v When, however, newspaper readers digest the vapid vaporings of "Blow" they come \o one conclusion, that his so-called criticisms are fre-

quently tinctured with the essence of blowflyism. Nevertheless, his effusions sometimes are taken seriously by Visiting . artists, for they are warned ahead of their advent to this State of his vagaries,, and advised to keep sweet with 'THIS PUTTY PRETENDER to the plume of Inclement Scott m the little theatrical world of W.A. "Blow" was the sapient scribe who at one time boomed Fred Bluett t;o the skies. In his then estimation there never was, never is, and never would be, a comedian who could hold the candle to Freddie: The last visit- of Fred, however, found. "Blowfly" buzzing another tune. Freddy may have forgotten, that the tap, should turn when theatrical topics were on' the tapis, but whatever the cause, "Blow" had no eulogy- to utter about the fellow who formerly he had flattered so f ulsomely. . Another of "Fly's" aversions is Madame Clara Butt, who, authorities the world over admit, is tlie possessor of the contralto voice of the century. But "Blowfly" the . buzzer finds some sort of solace m calling madame the "glorious noise." His puny paragraphs delighted himself, but didn't affect the booking, office receipts during her last visit, and we don't , suppose Clara will pass Perth because it happens TO ' HARBOR THE BUZZER. Some few may have suffered from the inharmonious hash m "Blow's" allotted columns, for the oracle whose knowledge of things theatrical was mostly picked up when he was an ornamental "back-stander" m Lonnen's Opera Company, evidently prides himself on 'his mud-slinging capacity. It is a sort of poetical justice, therefore, that Leonard Nelson has evolved a song entitled, "Blow-fly, the Flapper King," which, during the week, has caught on at Melrose Theatre. That it is modelled on the plan and specification of that jingoistically blatant ballad, "The Big Brother m America" piffle, over which "Blow" throws bouquets at .himself m his own columns, accentuates the agony. Nelson has parodied the ORIGINAL PERPETRATION, and the conscientious critic must admit that the parody is a decided improvement on the fly-blown ballad. It goes thusly — and we recommend it to all bathroom tenors to try their teeth on : . "Sixteen months or more, A flapper, so they. say, Visited a big newspaper store. Silly little fool — should have been at school; Sixteen years of age — not more! Blowfly, the Flapper King, is blowing round his den, Calling little flappers "Dear," When all at once, oh, my! She gives a warning cry, There's someone on the stairs, ah! can't you hear? I've got a big mother and she's after you, With a whip! — with a whip! Then m rushed ma, a real good sport, And whipped that Blowfly till he b!o\v inside the court, And up flew a missus Fly and little flies, Making such a flutter and a fuss, As she chased him through the crowd They shouted long and loud. "This little bit of 'Murph 1 belongs .-.o us." We do not suggest that Alfred Austin would lose many nights' sleep If ha perused the above composition, for his job as Poet Laureate is still safe; we merely state that the rendering of this parody on the "big brother" is being received nightly with acclamation.