Smyrna times., 1868-08-26
Joe GrimaIdi and his ..Dead Father

Everybody has heard of Grimaldi, the cele-
brated clown. The incidents we are about to
give occurred when he was quite child, pro-
badly not more than seven years OF age. The
family consisted at this time of the father,
mother, Joe, his only brother, John Baptist,
three or four male servants, and man of color
who acted as footman, and was dignifed with
the appelation Of Black Sam.
The father was extremely hospltable and
fond Of company he rarely dined alone, and
ON certain gala days, of which Christmas eve
was one, had very large party, upon which
occasions his really splendid service OF plate
together with various costly articles OF bVOu-
terie, was laid out for the admiration of the
guests. Upon one Christmas eve, when the
dining parlor was decorated and prepared with
all due gorgeousness and splendOr, the two
boys, accompanied by Black Sam, stole in and
began to pass various encomiums on its beauti
! ful appearance.
''Ah!' said Sam, to some remark of the
brothers, land when old massa die all desc
| fine things will be yours. y
| Both the boys we're much struck with this
remark, and especially John, the younger, who,
being extremely young, probably thought much
! less about death than his brother, and accord
ingly exclaimed, without the least reserve or
delicacy, that he should be exceedingly glad if
these fine things were his. Nothing more was
said upon the subject.
Black Sam went to his work, the boys COM
menced game of play, and nobody thought
any more of the matter except the father him
self, who, passing the door of the room at the
moment the remarks were made, distinctly
heard them. He pondered over the matter
for some days, and at length, with the view of
ascertaining the dispositions of his two sons,
formed a singular resolution, still connected
with the topic ever upwards in his mind, and
determined to feign himself dead.
He caused himself to be laid out in the
drawing-room, covered with a sheet, and had
the room darkened, the windows closed, and
| all the usual ceremonies which accompany
death performed. All this being done and the
servants duly instructed, the two boys were
cautiously informed that their father had died
suddenly, and were at once hurried into the
room where he lay, in order that he might
hear them give vent to their real feelings
When Joe was brought into the dark room on
so short a notice, his sensations were rather
complicated, but they speedily resolved them
selves into a firm persuasion that his father was
not dead.
A variety of causes led him to this conclu-
sion, among which the most prominent were
his having recently seen his father in the best
of health; and besides several half suppressed
winks and blinks from Black Sam, his observ-
ing, by looking closely at the sheet that his
QeceaSeu parent Stll Df6aCneu. w lCn very
little hesitation the boy perceived what line OF
conduct he ought to adopt, and at once burst
ing into roar OF the most distracted grief,
flung himself upon the foor and rolled about
in seeming transport of anguish.
John, who had not seen so much of public
life as his brother, was not so cunning, and per-
ceiving in his fathers death nothing but re-
lief from fogging and books (for both Of which
he had great dslike), and the immediate pos
session of all the plate in the dining-room
skipped about the room, indulging in various
snatches of song, and, swapping his fingers, de-
, cared that he was glad to hear it.
"Oh you cruel boy" said Joe, in pas
sion Of tears Hadn't you any love for YOU
dear father? Oh! what would 1 give to set
, him alive again
"Oh! never mind" replied the brother
"don't be such fool as to cry; we can have
the cuckoo clock all to ourselves now.
S This was more than the deceased could bear
3 He jumped from the bier, opened the shutters
threw off the sheet and attacked his young
son most unmercifully; while Joe, not knowing
t what might be his own fate, ran and hid him
r self in the coal cellar, where he was discovered
D some hours afterwards by Black Sam, fas
} asleep, who carried him to his father, who hat
been anxiously in search Of him, and by whom
5 he was received with every demonstration o
} affection, as the son who truly and sincerel.
loved him.