Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-06-24
a Thrilling Story.
From Dickens Household Words
THE Pa rAGONIiN BROTHERS.

we called ourselves the Patagonian Broth
els. because it looked we'll in the bills and
pleased the public We met by chance.
about six years since, on the raee-courSc
at Doncaster, and so took a sort OF mutual
liking. and went partners IN a tour through
the midland counties. We hal 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 of mine, and L never ask
Ell him a question on the subject. L am
particular TO have this all clear from the
beginning: for am plain man telling a
plain story. and want no one to misun-
derstand word Of what am about to re-
late.
We made little money by our tour. 1t
was not 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
ment at Astlcy's for the winter. and, when
summer came. joined a travelling circus,
and roamed about as before.
The circus was capital thing "a repub-
lie. so to-say, in which all were equals
We had manager. to whom we paid
fixed salary, ami the rest went shares IN
the profits. There were times when we
did not even clear our expenses; there were
towns where we male ten and fifteen pounds
a night but the bad luck went along with
the good. and, on the whole, we prosper
ell.
We STAYED with the company two years
anil half in ALL and played at every town
between York aud London. During that
time we hal found leisure to improve
We knew each others weight and strength
now to hair. and grew bolder by expert
ence; SO that there was scarcely new feat
brought out anywhere which we did not
learn. even to the ''perche" business. and
the trick of walking. head downwaris, on
a marble ceiling. The fact is, We were al
mirably matched. which. in our profession,
Is the most important point OF all. Our
height was the same. to the sixteenth oil al
inch. and we were not unlike in figure. II
Griiiiths possessed little more muscular
strength. L was the mere active, and even
that difference was IN our favor. believe
that, In other respects, we suited each 9th
er equally well, and know that. for the
three years and a-half which we had spent
together Counting from the first meeting
at Doncaster down to the time when we
dissolved partnership with the circus folks.
we had never had an angry word. GrIfiiths
xas- steady. ssvias,- 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 act of his. and only fancy of my
own For myself. i can live with any one
who is disposed to live with me, aud love
peace and goodwill better than anything
in the world.
We hal now grown so expert, that we
resolved to better ourselves and return to
London. which we dill somewhere about the
end of February or the beginning of March.
eighteen hunlred AMI filty-hve. We put
MP at little inn in the Borough; and, be-
fore week was over. found ourselves en-
gagged by Mr. James Rice, OF the Belvidere
Tavern. at a salary of seven pounls week.
Now, this was great advance upon all OF
previous gains: and the Tavern was by no
means bad place for the foundling of a
theatrical reputation.
Situated halfway between the West end
and the City. surrounded by denscly pop
ulatcl neighborhood. AMI lying in the very
path of the omnibuses, this establishment
was one Of the most prosperous OF its class.
There was a theatre, and n concert room,
anil a garden, where dancing. and smoking,
and rifle shooting, and suppcr-cating was
going on from eight till twelve o'clock at
night all through the summer. which made
tho place special favorite with the work
ing classes.
Here, then we were engaged (Griffiths
and ~, with promise that our salary
should lie raised if we proved attractive;
and raised it soon was, for we drew enor-
mously. We brought ont the perche and
the ceiling business;- came down in the
midst of fireworks, from platform higher
than the roof Of the theatre; and, in short,
did everything that ever yet was done in
our line--ay. and did it we'll too. though
perhaps it is not my place to say SO. At
all events, the great colored posters were
pasted up all over town; and the gentleman
who writes about the plays in the Sunday
Snub, was please to observe that there was
no performance in London half so wonder
ful as that of the Patagonian Brothers; for
which l take this opportunity to thank him
kindly.
We lodged (of course together in qui-
ct street ON hill, near Islington. The
house was kept by Mrs. Morrison, res
pectable, industrious woman, whose hus-
band had been gas-6tter at one of the the
aires, and was now left widow with one
only daughter just nineteen years of age
She was very good, and very pretty. She
was christened Alice, but her mother called
her Ally, and we soon fell into the same
habit; for they were very simple, friendly
people, and we were soon as good friends
as If we had been living together in the same
house for years.
am not good hand at telling a story.
as dare say you have found out by this
time, ,-and, indeed, never did sit down
to write one out before might as well
come to the point at once, and confess that
loved her. | also fancied before many
months were over, that she did not altogeth-
er dislike me; for mans wits are twice as
sharp when he is in love, and there is not
blush, or glance, or a word, that he