Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-10

encnsed in yellow kid gloves. Alto9eth-
er, if there had been any dudes in those
days, Farren would have passed for one.
"Good Lord |" said Eph, when he met
him, ''you must be fond Of hard work
this weather."
"Why ?" demanded Farren.
"Why, to carry them around. Why
didn't you send them down by one Of the
boys?"
''what are you giving me? Send what
DOWN."
"Why, those two Connecticut hams"
Farren put as much Of his hands in his
pockets as he could get in and didn't
speak to Eph again for a month.
Horn was one Of the party Of profess
sionals who went to England to see the
Heenan and Sayers fight. Eph spread
himself over London, determined to see
all the sights. One day he got into a cab !,
and alighted after short ride. He asked
the cabman how much he wanted.
Zone an threepence," said cabby.
"There's an English shilling for you,"
said Eph. "Take it and be of. That's
all you're entitled to-"
1t was all Eph had.
"But mehize," replied the Englishman,
81 drove you past 'er Maiesty's palace,
you know, and the 'Ouses of Parliament,
you know"
you're entitled to Just shilling and
no more" said Eph. you've got it, Be
off,"
"But, mehize," began the cabman,
"you saw both 'Ouses of Parliament and
'er Maiesty's palace"
"Now," interrupted Eph, in severe
tone, "Ill give You just ten seconds. If
you amt off in that time, by the Lord
that made me, I'll tell the Queen"
Cabby made Maud s. time around the
corner at once.
Horn tried his hand ut management and
had hard time of it. During his first
season Ms manager he quartered his
troupe in tenth-rate hotels, six in a bed,
and rarely had enough loose change to
set the glasses up along the line. Every
night he used to roll his vest up carefully
and put it under his pillow. The boys
watched him do so several times in silent
wonder. Finally, one asked:
"What the deuce are you up to, Eph.
You haven't had cent in that vest for a
fortnight, I'll swear"
81 don't deny that, replied Eph. But
l expect to have some pretty soon. I'm
rehearsing, that's all. j."
|
whose authenticity there is no possible
doubt Horn lodged at one time in Smiths
chop house on Howard street. He re-
mained there for eight weeks without set
tling. Then he got letter, which he
New YORK, June, 1852.
Mr.. Horn-Dear Sir This is to in
form YOU that Your trunk has been re
moved from No. IA to the office. You
bill, at three (S3) dollars per week, ii
twenty-four (S24) dollars. Respectfully
CHARLES SMITH.
"Take pen and answer that" salt
Eph, as he dictated:
New YORK, juno, 1852.
Mr.. Charles Smith--Dear Sir: I'm
gentleman. If ever 1 meet you on tn
street I'll warm your jaw.
Respectfully,
His
EPH Y HoRN.
Mark.
"His mark" was a scrawl of doubled
up fist coming in contact with nose, ex
ecuted by Eph himself with pencil, fo
he could never handle pen without turn
ing all the paper within foot aroun
black.
One of Horns physical peculiaritie
was his thumbs. His hands were SO bi
that he could never get them into hi
pockets, and the thumbs were immensel
large and curved upward. When h
walked with his hands down the thumb
curved up like snail's horn. One sun
mer, while he was in Boston, an aC
quaintance who accosted him in the stree
remarked the peculiar shape of his thumt
and asked:
!, "Why. Eph, what makes You carr
your thumbs that way ?"
"To show people the way to the Pos
Office" he replied, working his thumb
a "It's a handy habit to have in Boston.
= Horns end was sorrowful one. Fl
voice failed him, and his irregulariti'
broke him down, mentally and PHYSICAL.
. He was old in mind if not in body, al
his jokes were flat and stale. Hetook h
: last engagement at the Globe Theat
. here, and was dead failure. But on IL
: Saturday afternoon he took u benefit, O
, his old friends, including Backus al
!, Birch, worked like beavers, and built /
:. n splendid house for him.
a The theatre was packed, and evel
point, no matter how old and sapless, VI
taken up. In one of the lulls poor Ell
came down to the footlights and rais
one of his great hands, all shaking wi
nervousness. A solemn hush fell on Il
r. house, and he said sadly in quaveril
he voice
"Boys, you're too late. You ought
have done this last Tuesday. The pr
in gramme for the coming week has be
N made out and sent to the printers.
I'd A roar of laughter told Low the hit h
is taken. The programme had been prii
n ed, with his name left out.
NJ A few mouths later Eph Horns nal
il figured on the last programme our nam
fe are inscribed on that which those W
III outlive us plant at our heads when
"a reach the common end of all our iournt
il ings.