Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-12-12

came President, They called us the
two iokers. From the days Of Henry
Clay to the present he was the great
est Of them all. My God but honest
old Abe was a great man, but he died
at the right time. | met also the la
mented Garfield. He invited me
once to dine with him. When the
news came of his death it completely
unneryed me. Poor as lam, | paid So
to drape a building right here in
Wheeling. Shame on the man who
committed the cowardly deed. Hang
ing is too light a punishment for such
a william"
ut was reported some time ago that
you had been converted by Moody and
Sankey. Was there any truth in the
II believe in the bible and in the
plan of salvation. | spoke from the
same platform in st. Louis from
which Mr.. Moody spoke, but the re-
port that | was converted by him is
not true. They wanted me to join the
band. | told them l would if they
wonld give me the song book privi-
lege. | am a mercenary being, as yuo
see. Moody, Sankey, and Dan Rice
wouldn't that sound well?" And
Colonel Dan laid back in his chair and
laughed so heartily that no WIS well
nigh exhausted.
Haven't you something Of interest
to relate about your own circus life
and the show business in ~general?" /
inquired.
"The story Of my life lisa strange
one, a very strange one. Forty years
ago | first entered the ring, and since
then probably twenty c%ircuses have
existed under my name. For nine
years l received a salary of 81 900 per
week, and | know all the men who
have gained distinction in tho ring.
have been worth 5000, 900, and | hsy,
given away as much. Forepaugh,
Nathan, Cooper, Bailey & Co., E. r.
S~paulding, Avery Smith, and other
well known managers, have travelled
under my name, and w. c. Coup
who has now the best circus in the
United States, was once a sideshow.
man with me, and is a very likely and
liberal gentleman for all that. The
Jokes Of old Dan have been heard in
almost every city and town in the
entire land. | have put up tents
throughout the entire West which
would no more hold the people who
AOcked to my show than this room
would hold the crowds who thronged
weekly the church of a Talmage OF
Beecher. There are four circusel
travelling now under my name-one IL
Texas, one in ArkansaW, one on
the Mississippi river, and one il
Australia. East in the spring, NORTH
and northwest in the summer, anC
South in the fall is the order Of circus
going. But my mind wanders tonight
Old Dan is not himself any more. A
circus clown is not a very elevated
character in the eyes Of the world, bu.
with all his failings a circus clown ha.
a heart, and doesn't the bible say
Judge not that ye be not judged "
And so the old man talked for
couple Of hours or more. He told o
his divorce case, of his intention t
lecture 100 nights at 800 per night
and as he now and then recalled tn,
scenes ofhis former days an expires
sion of sadness would pass over hi
agel face. Whisky and time are fas
doing their work for old Dan. Tn,
light of his life is fast going out, the
silver chord is being loOsed, the gold
en- bowl is broken. anil of the tens O
thousands who have been delighte,
by his wit there is scarcely one
now to smooth the pathway of his de
elining years. The man who has en-
riched scores of men. who has VOL
tremendous applause in the ring anC
whose name has been synonymou
with all that ia great and gigantic il
the amusement world, is now poor
without friends, and scarcely FOOD
to eat and clothes to wear. Ate
all, he may we'll ask. Is life worth tht
living2 1t is sad to build sacred ten.
pies and see them shattered; and Il
place honey 10 our lips and find i
poison; sad that an evil star, a crue
fate, or a remorseless destiny should
follow human life. The driftwood Of
humanity is often without n Oh
paddle upon the great sea ofthe world
and true hearts are often engulfed in
the pools of doubt and DESPAIR. II
human sympathy could procure bread
for the table GA suffering brother, we
should see that it was plentifully sup.
piled; if a word Of announcement
could lift him out OF the darkness, we
should see that he had light. 1t is
heroic to suffer uncomplainingly, but
far more heroic is it to aid others in
misfortune, and thus shed little sun
light into hearts which are now dark,
aud J%esolate, and without a shadow O.
/ hopa