Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1880-10-07
Ring-Master and Clown.

From ''Recollections of an Equestrian
Manager" in Chambers Journal, we ex-
tract the following amusing incident:
While performing at Brighton, we had
Henry Brown as one of our clowns; not a
"tunbllng,' only talking clown. In
his younger days Brown had been first
| class "tumbler," but increasing years
had rendered him somewhat more rotund
then is convenient for person who, as
Charles Dickens somewhere says, has to
''tle himself in knot, and then unite
himself" and he now confined himselfto
somersaults of wit and repartee, at which
he was no bad hand. At the time of
which am writing he was tall and of
portly build. and a very gentlemanly
looking man. as far as could Judge of
him in his clowns attire and painted face.
AS ring master, saw him and talked
with him every day in the ring; but he
was always dressed and off before came
out, so never knew him but as clown.
Leaving Brown at this point, l must
introduce person whose acquaintance l
had formed as follows: In my daily
walks tor the past two or three weeks,
had regularly met a gentleman in the
street, who, if going in an opposite direc-
tion from myself, would invariably stop
for morning chat; or if in the same di-
rection, would accompany me on my way
for short distance, the topics of our
conversation usually being the weather,
local news, politics, and other equally Or
iginal subjects. Looking upon him as
perhaps visitor to Brighton, or perhaps
an inhabitant of the town, who had re-
cognized me through gong to the circus,
it struck me as something not quite in
accordance with human nature that he
never ence mentioned one word of circus
matters OR made any reference to myself
as connected Herewith. From his ap-
pearance--of commanding stature and
somewhat stout, dressed with scrupulous
care from the crown of his shining hat
to the toes of his well. polished boots
he might have passed muster for a
prosperous retired merchant. But
there was calm gravity in his face and
in his demeanor, which spoke of clerical
sobriety of thought and quietness of life,
and made me more than half inclined to
look upon my acquaintance as dissent
ing minister. Hence, while his censci-
entious scruples forbade him to discourse
upon the trivolities of circus, his broth
erly love impelled him to converse with
the manager thereof, perhaps in the hope
that he might wean me from such path
of wickednessl
One morning l had E aid visit to the
Mayors house on business connected
with the circus, and had not gone many
yards from the door, when l met my
mysterious friend.
"Fine morning. he said, as I ap-
preached.
beautiful" l replied.
"How did you get on with the Mayor
he then asked. Gle must have seen mo
come away from the house.)
"The Mayor2" answered, in the tone
of one who was not quite certain what
"Mayor" might be.
"Yes-the Mayor" he echoed. "You
have just been to his house, haven't you?
Wasn't he at home?''
so, yes; he was at home," L replied.
"But you'll excuse my saying tiny
business with the mayor was of private
with the circus"
"Precisely so,'' cody answered my
companion. "That's Just why I thought
myself entitled to ask. But it's OF no
consequence
"Confound the fellow!" mentally ex-
claimed; adding aloud, "Well, you must
pardon my rudeness; but really, sir, l
fail to see, in what way my employers
business can concern you."
This seemed to stagger him a little;
and how the dialogue might have ended,
I can't tell, had I not at that moment, as
I looked him full in the face, noticed
peculiar twitch or twinkle of the eyelid
and recognized the man. 1t was Brown,
the clownl
lat once apologized, and explained
that up to that moment I had not had
the faintest notion who he was.
"Pray, don't apologize, my dear tel
low" he replied, "but, considering that
for the past fortnight you and 1 have
stood face to face in the ring, and rat
tied away ON terms of the greatest init
macy, could never have dreamt you
didn't know mer'