The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-11-07
sawdust and shakespeare.

| n lbItlng In towns aud cltles-admlSSlOn,
fifty cents, children half price-a "Great
Show and School of Educated Animals" :"
His show was Io greater than shows of
that kind generally are, and his school of
animals had certainly not graduated with
higher honors than many other schools of
the same sort, yet we read in the Pitts
burgh papers that on late appearance of
Dan d Co. In that city-a "farewen ap-
pearance," by the way-he was presented
by the printers of the place with copy
of Shakspeare's works. The. idea at
once strikes one that the printers had been
dead headed into Dams show, and took
this method to reciprocase the favor, but
on reading the speeches delivered on the
occasion-ot course there were speeches
it ia discovered that the testimonial was
bestowed because Dan was a successful
Snowman and an Aonor to the "profes
Sion" All this may be. Dan undoubted-
ly appeared to considerable advantage in
the motley, and could tramp saw-dust as
laborioasly and retail stale jokes as ener-
getically as is possible, and he certainly
made good deal of money by his arenic
| operations, but-and the question Is one
of portent-why should the printers as
class be the first to publicly recognize
these facts7 We may be wrong, but we
think it would have oeen infinitely more
10 accordance with the eternal fitness of
thirgs bad the hostlers, and the boot
blacks, and "the great unwashed" gener
ally, been permitted to mouopolize the
glory of having discovered the grain of
wheat under Dar's bushel of chaf. In
the name of Gutenberg, Faust and
| Scheffer, what have the pristerS got to do
with Dan and his profession, or with Dan's
success in his profession True, they set
the types and printed the gorgeous hand
bills which made his name famous; but
no doubt they got paid for the service.
That was strictly matter of business,
and the alacrity or the liberality with
which Dan settled his bills had, or ought
to have, nothing to do with his reputa-
ton as a Snowman. The more we pprder
on this phase of the subject, the less are
we able to understand it. Then again.
Why did the printers, after they lad re-
solved to present Dan with something,
give him book, and of all books, Shaks-
peare's works? Why didn't they give
him a new wand !? or a cap and bells?-
something of "proeessionaf' character?
Or, coming to books, why didn't they pre-
cipitate upon him Joe Smiths Hand
Book of Fun, or Christy's Joke Book, or
Laugh and Grow Fat-some book nth a
moral and point attached ? A fool con-
fessed, harlequin, wearer of the mot
ley, to be presented with copy OF Shaks-
peare's works ! The joke is TOO good
Just here, an idea strikes Us. Perhaps,
after all, the whole thing was "set up
on Dan as joke. Dan an honor to the
profession of clown-Shakspeare works
1t is all clear now. The presentation
was indeed and in truth joke, and the
Pittsburgh printers take rank as the most
successful jokers in Christeudom.
But if the printers were in fun, DaE
looked upon the presentation as solemn
earnestness. After receiving the book
and admiring its rich binding, he made a
few remarks, the gist whereof-and it is
this we have been aiming at all this time
lis as follows:
"Although once a poor boy, stable boy
l-if YOU like, livery stable boy-I have
come back to be taken by the hand by all
classes of society. Ladies and gentlemen
give me their smiling approval and words of
| kindness. 1t may please you to
| know how have conducted myself financial
| Iy since | started out in the show business,
| and | consider the time has come for me to
tell you | have made more money than any
six of the richest circus men i'll the world.
X The question may arise, What have
done with this money In order that my
many friends may know what L have Gone
with it. / will! saw that since l84l have de-
voted to charitable and patriotic societies,
and given away to assist in succoring the
moor wounded, sick and oppressed, over q
million and half of dollars, and have the
documents to show 1t.
Without calling for "the documents
we beg leave to remark that it is about
time for Dan to stop his professional ca
reer. lie has been clown long enough tc
enable him to do good to an extent that
ought to canonize him. He is taken by
the hand by all classes of society. Ladies
and gentlemen smile on him. He has re
ceived from the printers of Pittsburgh, ;
copy of Shakspeare's works. Why
shouldn't he stop? And if there b.