The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-04-24
Tho Patagoninn Brothers,

Tho Pntagonian Brothers.
Prom Dickens Household Words
We are not related, His name is John
Gd1,hs, and am William Wulduri and we
eallcl ourselves the Palagonian Brothers, Be-
cause il looked well in the bills and pleased
the public, We met by chance, about six
wears since, on the race-coursc at Doncaster,
and so took a sort Of mutual liking, and,went
partners iua tour through the midland coun-
ties. We had never seen or heard of each
other up to that time and though We became
good friends, were never greatly intimate.
knew nothing Of his past life, nor he ofmine,
and never asked him question on the sub
icet, am particular to have this all clear
from the beginning; for am plain man
telling plain story aud | want no one TO
,ni,undcrstand word Of what l ana about 20
relate.
We made q little money by our tour II
vaSnut much but It was more than either
of US had been able to earn before so We
agreed TO stay together and Try our fortune
In London. This time We got an engage
mcnt at Ashley, for the winter, aud, when
summer came, joined a travelling circis, and
roamrd about as before.
The circus was capital thing-a republic,
80 to say, Ia which all were equals We had
manager, TO whog, We paid fixed salary,
aud the rcstwc shares in the profits. There
we're times when We did not even clear our
expenses, there were towns where we made
ten aud fifteen pounds night but the bad
luck went along with the good. aud. on the
whole, We prospcrcd.
We stayed with the company two years and
a'halr in all, and played at every town be-
t',cen York aud London. During that time
we had found lcismc 10 improve. We knew
each Others weight and strength now to n
mir, and grew 66fdrr with CXplric6cc, 40
thpt there was scarcely n new feat brought
ont anywhere which We did not learn, even TO
the "perche business. and the trick of walk
ing, head dowuWards, on marble ceiling
The fact is, that we were admirably matched,
which in our profession, is the most inrort-
ant point Of ait. Our height was the same,
to the sixteenth Of an inch, and we were not
unlike in figure. If Grifths possessed a lit
tie more muscular strength, was the more
active, and even that difference was in our fa-
,or. | believe that in other respects, We
suited each other equally well, and kno1
that, for the three years and half which we
had spent together counting frorh our first
meeting at Doucastcr down to the time when
we dissolved partnership with the circus
folks) we had never had an angry word. Grif-
iiths was a steady, saving, silent fellow enough,
with little grey eyes, and heavy black brows.
| remember thinking, once or twice, that he
was not quite the sort of person ! would like
for an enemy but that was in reference to
no utt Of his, and only a fancy of my own.
For myself, can live with any one who is
disposed to live with me, and love peace and
goodwill better than anything in the world.
We had now grown SO expert, that we re-
solved to better ourselves and return TO Lon
don, which we dill sonnet 'rc about the end
OF February or the beginning of March, oigh-
teen hundred and tiity-hvc. We put up at a
little inn in the Boroughi and before a week
was over, found ourselves engaged by Mr..
james Rice, of the Bclviderc Tavern, at a
salary OF seven pounds week. Now, this
was great advance upon all our previous
gains and the Tavern was by no means a
bad place for the founding of theatrical rep
utption.
Situated halfway between the West-end
and the City, surrounded by densely popu-
lated neighborhood, and lying in the very
path of the omhibuses, this establishment
was one Of the most prosperous of its class.
There was a theatre, and concert-room, and
garden, where dancing, and smoking, and
rifle shooting, and supper-eating was going
on from eight till twelve O'Clock every night
all through the summer, which made the
place a special favorte with the working
classes.
Here, then-we were engaged (GrifTths and
l) with promise that our salary should be
raised if we proved attractive; and raised it
soon was. for we drew enormously. We
brought out the perche and the ceiling busi-
ness came down in the midst of fireworks,
from a platform higher than the roof of the
theatre and, in short, did everything that
ever yet was done in our line-ay, and did
1t well too, though perhaps it is not.my place
TO say So At all events, the great colored