“Edwin Forrest was never weary of seeing Dan Bryant play the part of the hungry negro in “Old Times, Rocks,” and the verdict of the great player was that there was not a finer bit of tragic acting to be seen in America at that time than Dan in this broadly funny bit. Who that remembers the performance need be told how tears were constantly checking laughter in this little scene of the black man’s suffering through hunger, and how one’s sympathies were irresistibly wrung by the pathos of the minstrel’s voice when, on being questioned as to when he had eaten a square meal, he answered, humbly ‘I had a peanut last week.’ It was side-splitting--it was heartbreaking.” Mr. Bryant married Miss Ellen Fitzgibbons of St. Louis, Mo., in that city, July 29, 1860. Dan Bryant was born in Troy, N. Y., May 9, 1833; he died in New York City, April 10, 1875. [Illustration: BEN. COTTON TOM. WATERS BARRY MAXWELL HARRY G. RICHMOND CHAS. M. ERNEST NEIL. ROGERS STUDIES IN BLACK AND WHITE.] JOHN HART, jolly “fat” John Hart, as he was universally known, first appeared professionally in 1854 as a member of Eisenbeice’s Minstrels; the company stranded in Syracuse, N. Y., and that was the end of Eisenbeice. Some time later he was stock comedian at Trimble’s Varieties in Pittsburg, Pa. His first New York appearance was at Josh Hart’s Comique in 1869. In 1871, Hart, Ryman and Barney’s Minstrels were organized. Mr. Hart also was with Haverly; Kelly and Leon; Morris Bros., and other first-class minstrel companies. In 1888 he was the original Hiram Pepper in the “Two Sisters” Company. In September, 1887, he was one of the organizers of (Wm. Henry) Rice, Hart and (Add) Ryman’s Minstrels. He toured with the “Two Johns” for three years. John Hart was screamingly funny in the old-time nigger acts he used to do with Arthur Moreland at various times. He also played an engagement with Augustin Daly in the play of the “Royal Middy.” John Hart was born in Monongahela City, Pa., July 10, 1833; he died in New York City, June 4, 1904. J. G. H. SHOREY was one of the early minstrel proprietors and comedians. The first record of Mr. Shorey’s career as a black-face performer was in his father’s barn at the age of nine years; pins were the admission fee, and it is said that no one ever complained of being stuck. A few years later he joined a dramatic company, and later a circus; after that came Shorey’s Southern Minstrels. In the middle 50’s he formed an alliance with Duprez, Carle and Green, playing for a few seasons under the firm name. In later years he was identified with several prominent organizations in an executive capacity, as well as playing the variety theatres. Mr. Shorey is reputed to have been the proprietor of the first Dime Museum ever opened in Boston. J. G. H. Shorey was born in Great Falls, N. H., April 10, 1833; he died in Lynn, Mass., May 23, 1886.