The study of Near ventriloquism and the ac­quirement of the Punch voice leads to the con­clusion that the attainment of this branch of the art is not merely the employment of natural speech with still lips, but is in fact the use of a more accentuated speech than that ordinarily employed in the portrayal of eccentric character on the stage.

Like the actor who exaggerates seemingly unimportant actions to add effectiveness to his performance, or the artist who, in his cartoons, distorts the features and general appearance of his subjects for comic purposes, it is legitimate for the ventriloquist to lend as much contrast be­tween the voices used as possible by caricaturing what might actually be the voices of persons similar to those represented by his figures. The puppets themselves are exaggerated in face, color­ing and expression while suggestive of the class of people represented, so why not their voices?

In using a number of figures, however, it is inevitable that some of the voices should resemble the performer's natural voice to a more or less re­mote degree, the more remote of course the bet­ter, but even then they may be made distinct by accent and appropriate dialect. And it is sur­prising how much individuality one may give the different voices by care and attention.

We will now consider the methods used for the production of some of the other voices employed in Near ventriloquism. In direct contrast to the Punch voice is that which is sometimes called the "Grunt" voice. To produce this, the tongue should be allowed to lie fiat with its tip almost touching the back of the front lower teeth where they enter the flesh. In this position, and with the whole of the vocal cords relaxed, the words are simply grunted at the back of the mouth, with the lips still and only slightly apart, as when using the Punch voice. In other words, make less effort to speak than you would natu­rally, using only the back part of the tongue, so that the sound is made in the lower part of the throat.

This voice is a caricature of that used by old men who no longer have command over tongue and lips and speak with open mouths. In figure working it is used to supply speech for the Old Man without whom no ventriloquial family is complete, in contrast to the sharp, reedy voice of the Old Woman who is usually his companion, and the less shrill tones of the Irish or the Negro figure. It may also be used for the same pur­pose when the couple are supposed to be behind a screen.

Given the Old Man, Old Woman, Irish and Negro figures, it naturally follows that there should be a little girl to make the family com­plete, and for this we revert to the Punch voice, only it should be made less reedy and more like a child's. The young of all animals, including the human animal, uses a high key to speak or make the sound peculiar to itself.

There is a certain kind of very reedy-voiced little girl that ventriloquists employ with one set of jokes and humorous business which you may either copy or by proceeding in a more artistic way imitate direct from nature. The conven­tional kind is usually asked to sing and complies, after more or less urging, with that hoary old chestnut,

"Father, dear father, come home with me now,
The dock in the tower strikes twelve—"

when the Irish boy or the Negro interrupts with "Get out, it is half-past eight," or whatever time it is, which breaks up the song and the audience, too.

The unconventional way is well illustrated by a latter-day ventriloquist who, at the close of his act produces a beautifully dressed doll represent­ing a little girl with golden hair. In response to a request she sings a popular ditty in a perfect childish treble, the ventriloquist holding her while standing effectively posed with his right foot resting on the topmost rung of a chair. Be­fore the last verse is finished, a lady enters from, the wings and touches the performer on the shoulder. Apparently relieved at the interrup­tion, he hands her the little girl and she retires to the back of the stage with it while it is still apparently singing. As she does so the ventriloquist turns his back to the audience in a natural manner and the voice of the little girl grows fainter until, as the woman with a single backward glance and smile passes from view, the performer leisurely follows and, standing at the rear of the stage, looks after them until the voice dies away in the distance.

The voice and dialect most appropriate for the Negro figure should be studied from nature or from close imitations of the real thing as given by burnt-cork comedians. The characteristic "e-yah" laugh is often the principal use of this figure, being given occasionally as an interrup­tion at amusing points in the dialogue.

As to others, of course there is no limit to those which an ambitious ventriloquist may adopt at different times and only a few suggestive hints can be given here concerning the principal ones.

The Yankee farmer often proves amusing if brightly done. The accepted Yankee, as he is ordinarily depicted, has the twang he inherits from his early ancestors; he "guesses" and "cal­culates," and indulges in exaggerated humor in which allusions to death and physical injury are relied upon to provoke mirth. In case of a farmer, pure and simple, his tribulations in the city, usually New York, are the theme of his con­versation, and a good song for him is "Reuben Haskins of Skowhegan, Maine."  

It perhaps may as well be mentioned here that appropriate songs play no small part in a ventriloquial entertainment, although in some ex­hibitions of the kind too many are used. One for the Irish boy or Negro and one for the Old Man or Old Woman are none too many, however, but where three or four are used in a twenty or twenty-live-minute performance, the audience may think it is getting too much of a good thing. Two old standbys for the Old Man figure are "The Old Turnkey" and "If I Were as Young as I Used to Be." Something more modern, however, al­ways bearing in mind that the song chosen should be written for a bass voice and in slow time, would be better. A familiar one for the Old Lady is "Darling I am Growing Old." A very good effect may be obtained by having this song rendered as a trio by the Old Lady and the Irish and Negro figures, each taking an alternate line or two. Such a feat requires considerable prac­tice to make perfect, because of the constant change of voice. One ventriloquist makes a specialty of "Roll On, Silver Moon" for his Irish boy, the chorus of which he sings with a yodle effect. Usually, however, this figure sings a popular humorous ditty.

If you should have occasion to imitate a French­man don't fail to remember that the Parisian lacks in aspirates what he makes up in r's; gives a sex to everything, and introduces a little Punch quality into the terminations ending in "n."

The German puts a "b" where he should use a "p" and vice versa, and a "v" for a "w."

Among the characters which you may care to imitate, either for figure working or for Natural ventriloquism are fleshy people, who never have deep or big voices. Use a little voice with mod­erate pitch for a fat man, and a falsetto voice for a fat old lady.

The voice of a jocular young man is hard, loud and thin, and is produced explosively against the front of the palate, immediately above the upper row of teeth.

The loafer or tramp whose voice has been destroyed by chronic hoarseness and drink speaks in a sort of harsh whisper. The only hint that can be given for its production is the statement that it is the Grunt voice without the grunt. On account of its character it is hardly suitable for figures, but with a little appropriate dialogue it may be used at a partly opened door to suggest to the people in a room that there is such a per­son outside who is trying to beg a " handout" or cast off clothing. Of course the door must be partly opened, not shut, as otherwise the sound would not, in the nature of things, be heard, for it is quite impossible to ventriloquize a whisper.
This voice is usually the product of large cities and does not belong to a countryman. A fair imitation of this voice is often given by so-called "tramp comedians" of the variety stage.