The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1877-11-24
An AoroR's HoMr.-How John 4. O,eens Passes

AN AoToRs HoME.-How John T.. Queens Passes
the Time at has Pretty Residence Towsontocn.
The following from the Lancaster (Pa.) Eram-
iney and Express is probably about near correct
as newspaper correspondents generally are:
"The home of John Il. Owens lies to the north
of Baltimore about ten miles, on the verge of the
littevillage of Towsontown. Lest any one should
imagine that Towsontown is place to be ignored
on the map, be it known that the comedian
ceives many letters addressed to him Baltimore,
near TowsontOwn." You reach it by lovely
road, displaying mixture of all the pictorial in
| gradients, water alone excepted, which gives such
enviable distinction to Maryland scenery. Aig-
burth, it must be known, is famOusly pretty sub
urb of Liverpool, where the comedian who is Eng
| fish by birth, used to visit a favorte uncle; and
when prosperity crowded so fast the jolly
nephew that it was necessary to branch out and
build something worthy of his purse and tastes,
he discarded the name of Rock Spring, by which
his home was first chrstened, and revived the
fond memories of Merre England by adopting
that of Aigburth Vale. at is strong Saxon
name. 1 like it," says Mr.. Owens, as he rolls it,
like a sweet morsel, under his tongue. He has
lived on the same spot for twenty years, low
ing Maryland much Gust Henry V. told
| Catharine he loved Francc) that he has got hold
of more of her from time to time until he is now
monarch of nearly three hundred prime acres.-
Here, then, from the rare June days at the close
! of the season till the September revival on the
boards, Scion Single dOffs his footlight regalia
and plays farmer. "My country friends" says
| the comedian, with drOll sense of feeling hurt,
''call me dandy farmer. Bless their sweet souls
They don't realize the frantic struggles L made to
| become one of the craft To indulge in agri-
cultural metaphor the tale is rather narrowing.
| His farm hand came to him one day and asked for
! thirty dollars to buy fertilizer. He got the
money, and Mr. Owens made memorandum of
the purchase. On his return from starring tour
his thoughts became violently bucOlic. He look
| ed over his books and took inventory of his
stock and material. Among other things he want
ed to know where that thirty dollar fertilizer was.
''0ut in the field yonder" was the reply. Out
sauntered the bucolic Single to inspect the
farm implements for which he had paid hard cash
in the coin of the realm. Finding nothing that
met his views of fertilizer, he came back at a
quick pace, wondering whether the faithful servant
! should be shot or hung. "John, you want to show
me that fertilizer, now p. d. O." "Lord Mr..
Owens how can you see it when it's all been har-
rOwed into the ground| The crushed comedian
whistled his way back to the house with his thumbs
digging into his ribs.
when his friends call, he sets out milk and
champagne, with the fearful request that they will
take champagne, because it doesn't cost as much.
lie calculates that he swallows a dollar bill with
every Royal Trophy tomato The cost of pro-
ducing his delicious fruits would paralyZe the am
btiOn of the ordinary adventurer but he still
keeps reaching out after the choicest and rarest
varieties. When the end of the year comes and
he finds he must enter up the balance on the off
side of his Agburth ledger he calls it experience,
and prays Heaven to sanctify unto him these bu-
collie Affections. In all that Mr.. Owens does
meditates he has the fullest sympathy and fellow
ship Of his charming wife. She always accOmpa-
mics him on his tours and lends the most gracious
help in his Aigburth Inequalities, even to porting
with him over and deciphering, for the benefit of
old literary friends like Lawrence Barrett. the
rious poems in the Lancashire dialect of which
this actor is excessively fond. Mrs Owens is very
scholarly in her tastes. She wears her hair (this
for the ladies' in the style revived by Mrs. Hayes,
and she very much resembles the mistress of the
White House in voice and manners. Having no
children of their own, Mr.. Owens and his wife
long since concentrated their affections on the chill
dren of Mrs. Warden, the comedians sister, and
"Uncle John" has been father to them in the
most generous way 1t is not necessary to tell the
members of the theatrical profession that John E.
Owens, during his many years experience and sue
cess on the stage, has done many acts of kindness
toward his brethren on the stage They have
grateful realization Of the fact, and they will have
to let it be known, for he never will.
being wealthy, probably worth half million,
and having business interests to watch in the
South and other localities, he intends hereafter to
but playing just about when he feels like it. The
vcissitudes he had passed through-for, of course,
he has had j share of them-only gives sauce
to his quiet .ty and relish to his present lot.
1t is lastingl o his credit he has resisted the
foundations and Bohemian prodigal instincts of
the stage. and reached the heaven of happiness,
financial domestic, and professional, at the age of
55-the richest actor in America and apparently
the most cOntented and jolly man."