New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-01
MR.. ION M4TTHEWS, KING or cLOUNS.

From The LOJ,dDR World.
Not far to 60 you Sec Ny future home Is iuli III
Ibis remark proceeds from very good-loo&ing
whIte-haued old gentleman. with CHEEKY voice
and polished manner, aud endowed also WIN lLaI
0Id-word gaiety which seems to have almost de-
parted trum rs. Mr. Tom Matthews Is the very re-
verse OF the Oltru-quOtcd hypOChOhdfiac, "O.lo MS
physIcian's counsel to 20 and see harlequin, replied
truthtully and mUurnluly, ! am harlequin. Mr.
Matthews was nor, me ee'l' "a Hir''PHtu' put
clown, aud the idYOTltc pupil oil UIIH"dl, anu TUG
last clown who was really funny. Ihrle are ana
have been. wonderfully agile clowns, skilled aero
hats and trainers ol performing dogs and children
But they are not funny. The secret OF this seems
to pa that they do not. Ike Grmanl ana uIs pupil
make the clown an acting part III Is also pos
siblr that they have not that gaIeiy al temlr'a-
mrnt which. at the ago OF seNenty-siA lOm
Matthew, hd, III perfect ION.
As he looks won The extreme outer lilngo ~
Brighton toward the GOWNS ana the cchclery "pp,
site his window, II never seems 10 ans ChceIl GA
gentleman that thele Is any thing giuoms ia mo
prospect. In keeping mp the character oi q merry
family" lac 10 well seconded Dy ms daughter, 1iIo'
Lawrence. As the parent. 20 the child - she -
daughter TO clown " ana noth uS can De more 'A-
hlaIatiug than 10 witnes, father ana daush'er'
with DIauOiOTtc UaStaUets and sleigh bells, gong
through a circus performance WhIle TWO enormous
cats rush wildly round the room over taOI'S auN
ch arr, i'm a nd of stcrplechase Tins Is the autioc-
mrnt OF father ana daughter when tht} Hnd tuiHs'
gong rather fatty. Inst tile lCrtolseshel! Cdt,
which sits on Tom Matthew's shoulder Oh Ei'hcr
curls round his neck Ike fur collar Il di,o"sr'L
and then he huge white Persian comes up from lho
lower regions. These cats are boih prle-"lhheIS
aud beautiful ANIMALS, gentle ana sdSAcious enough
10 know that the rafting of Cd>tdncts and upIibS
of circus bells Is the signal for ldn lhch MIS- Law"
renee SITS down 10 the pIdHOiOrtc, and away we al
20 urging on mentally our Wild career Ihc catS
become wild with excitement, and the pace IKE NC
din increases till the veteran pulls up, GREATNESS
from cXrrtlOn and excitement. 49,.
AS,urcdly no man ever lOFcu MS WoIh DoLtOi
than this most amusing Old gentleman WhCIV
quircs but little pressing to sn2 hot collins OK
trImallIs famous song, d" Pigs Pcttitoes. AZ
l,t DI
clown at Drury Lane before the Queen, the Hn,o
ConSort and their young children. ~ WIN pc &C.
membered that m the song OF Hot COLLINS tu'.o
is an cplTOit considered eDirCur when loyal person
ages are present The clown sings the song ons
after suggesting that Tins Htile woman sno
thought II no sin To take little drop OF "ai
ing the obvious gin 10 Ue supplied by the gar
lcry. This taking OF the audience INTO ooh''ueHoSg
has proved an enduring success; Dub lh' ti'',I
the clown while awaiting the response OF IhC -.
lrry is sometimes awkwardly filed up by Ms lnnro
cuterptising members. Now the late IIh'e OV.
hardly, with all ms virtues the man !"
sublecte to a yOcy OF gallery Suggestions, Hn,HI
Matthews was very unhappy aOOht iOt OouI'"s'
and dreaded sOme cOHHt!Sapsi Dut, 10 MS gio"t =,
lief and amusement Prince Albert ieant Da.SS -
his chair and roared with laughter at the niisVi.
tunes which belell the little old woman III INV
laiUmI S",S how long and dncult it Is for clown
10 ,nvent his comic business for the season Asp
tbo way ia which clowns pick up fun II they IooS
for it, Mr.. Matthews tells an adiraDy ear
story At the time referred TO- he Was living ne S
Gr1naldi in ROSOman-st. Gong home one ulght, 10
saw a policeman steal a scrag of mutton iIo IRON
butchers shop conceal it under his coat ana nlISo
OH Next time he met the policeman, ne lsugu
ngy asked how he liked mutton Tor dinner I tbe
the abjcct terror OF the man inspired nun ",.n
idea of famous piece OF comic business, OF sDuna
enduring quality Mr. Matthews had at THAT tni 70
favorite dog called Trudge. after chafacte, ~ J
once popular but forgotten lay OF sienS
Yarirn Trudge was half-bIed animal oet"t
IN" types of the Newfoundland and droyers dO ~
and was very sagacious. lie had becn tI1l in 10
nv The Dog of Montargs." piece IN when na'
master enacted Landry The dog IN TINS lJns Rs
MAR drama i, taught to leap at psu, Wn,In a hi,
actor WHO IL TO be seized 10y him wears IV,u.aineJ
, neck Al il curious that the DOG one - niaced.
tales no heed of the place where the PAD aIiss
bnt flies at it. and at it only, Inc I h;y,r with
Matthews met the policeman and taken LIZ tbe
The rnhberv no was exercising his dog. "heI a.,
pad slipped down 10 the level of his poeso' a VA,
DOG nj once seized him 10y the coa!-tan. ~ bnsi.
sufficient for the clown who saw MS oo ho.me
ness at once. In the pantomime. eiI" nnt lee of
butchers man the policeman passed pu' ssying
mutton into his pocket and Just as n nS O%ed down
the stage was seized by the dog ana us refer
Whether this was the original OF the Joe. rs, re-.
ring to stolen n luton against the foIIoo, STAYING
main unknown; but II has shown grc"' w.
pOver.