The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-05-16

The CHECKERED CAREER OF A CIRCUS
CLoWN.-l hose OF our readers who eniOVed
the iovial witticisms of the Irish clown con
nected with the ''Creat London Circ,s -
which exhibited in Johustown on AToDdo,-
last, viii be interested in the following ro
nance Of his life, which iS-said to be aT,und-
antly vouched for and Is told BY the-Piffs-
bTeh D5spofch bearing the above date
Monday last
Johnny Patterson. the celebrated Irish humorfst
now with the London circus is a near coupertior T
LORD Howth = one of The foremost noblelnen of Ire
iahd. 2iter whom the Hill OF Howth. most roman
tic and picturesque Young mountain eight ont
side OF the city OF Dublin Is called and where Castle
Howth + situated. His parents and al MS ncc,,I
are honoraby situated in the old country ana ferI
and have for long titao felt highly incensed at
hood The Disgrace over there Is Thought to he
sonethlne ifightiul an oldiashioncd prejudice ex-
istin@ in the minds of the uppcr-crr,t AGAINST an
arcuc characters. In carly life Johnny was sent 10
Trinity College, Dublin. to have his intellect train
t.l m" hIs scraluln cf'lnlned with ornaIn elias
sic lore. This w6a. and ~tiIl is considered i'm Ire
lahl 10 ne lhe 'lum turn pTupah capah." gradu-
4te from old lflh!tN being thought fit to gdoru any
draWlHg-ruunl- AtcF having spent some einbtecy
months SD tl3t 'chcrahlc house Of learning patter-
son. who had become restless and anxious 10 see
the world. day eludcd the viesiIaucc Of the an,
clcnt professors, took French leave and strayed
OF soldier. however. and after writing home and
yowiuG reformation it deyolved upon the fnfiucncc
ui ms iamliy To secure his release. This event
ually accomplished through the CNcrtionS of tho
late Lord Palmcrstou. an intimate friend Of the
fatterSons ot Clare. and Johnny was once more re
stored 60 the family hearth. He was not destined
1r1t1
genial mother wit emiuently un-uitei him for
quiet, unosteutatioUs life iu an obscene Y1lraT Vii
lSe and he painted for pastures new and am atrzo--
phere more couTeuiaI Johnny. Therefore had M,
sooner been comfortably Installed again as one ofs
numerous family than hs made up his mind To-
break out At the first convenient opportunity.
II was not long before an Opportuuc chance ar
rived. Charles Hcnglcr. the English Snowman
sent one OF his many circus comfauir- t,rr
through ireland II came along. U due course Of
Iic u" tlle Town where Patterson lived. The young
aspirant after sawiUst fame attended the show he
came infatuated with the glare and glitter and re
solved ut once 10 adopt the life of an iuertt Sb,y
and made an impression. The manager tboU.I1t
he perceived something i'm the lad ana consent J
TO take him along For some two three Stands
Master Patterson was employed in making himscI {
generally useful about the dressing room and the
ring. He worked hard and slept little. hut he liked
the excitement OF The existence and manuily stuck
to it, His invariable good nature and srraur say
earned Tor him the SOUbIiq5et among his companions
OF / hc Joker One day he approached Hcngler
and i'm plaintivc earnest way begged leave to e.
the role of the Irish clown q character hitherto
unknown in the ring. They had had English
clowns and Dutch clowns and French clowns but
never an Irish clown. The manager seemed struck
with the idea and gave his consent. Patterson at
once made a hit. His witticiSms bore the stamp of
originality. and his incNhaustihle fund OF humor
real and not assumed For more than hyc
wears after. he continued the leading clown OF
ilenglcr circus being subsequently transferred to
. the London establishment. England. where the
highest people in the land attended. His popu-
. larity became at once established there and he
f. rcigncd as no clown in that country ever rcigncd
. before.
Patterson in time tired of England and deter
mined TO seek new laurels in the United States
Two wears he badc adicu the old sod and set
sail for America. Landing here his ability became
at once apparent. and he found little difficulty In
7 securing an engagement with the London circus
with which organization he has remained since
Patterson is one of the most original clowns that
ever stepped into ring. and outside his business
fast friend to those he likes and unwilling enemy
to any