The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-04-07
A CLOWN FOR FIVE MINUTES.
He Made q Tremendous hit" and
IL Cost Him 5000.

He Made . Tremendous Hit" and
IL Cost Him $500.
There sat in fashionable restau-
rant the other evenings n man OF iron
gray hair and dignified bearing, who,
IL appearances could be relied upon,
had never in his life done anything
ridiculous. He was So dignified that
he was almost stately. Portly, pink
OF complexion and erect, he was
picture of the gentleman OF ease.
And yet this man Mt one period in
his life was circus clown. Twenty
five years ago he lived in Norfolk,
Va. His father, wealthy Virginian,
owned steamboat and steamship
line. To Norfolk one day came n
circus. When it had closed its bus
ness there it engaged steamboat to
take il further South. The boat
stopped at several places, but every
where, as they would say now. the
show was a frost. When the end
Of the water route was reached the
circus owed the boat $500, and had
not dollar to pay. On the boat, to
look after the interests OF the steam
ship company, was the son OF the
owner of the line. He telegraphed
to his father explaining the situa-
ton.
Let the circus 60 on" was the
answer but go with it. Collect on
account whenever you can"
So the young man-the same who,
twenty-five years later, made so good
an appearance in fashionable New
York restaurant-became n stroller
with circus. He was with il to
make collections on account, but
there was nothing to collect. Busi-
ness got worse; everybody, even the
would-be collector, went broke, ]"
and still the circus wandered on.
The young Virginian, who was at
first regarded as n prosecuting de-
mon, to make himself less objection
able to the circus people began to
offer his services in various ways. lie
collected tickets, sold them, and
made himself generally agreeable.
One evening in "A little town way
down South in Dixie Il clown fell i'll.
II was necessary to have two clowns,
for one said all his funny things TO a
second. A circus without a clown
is worse than Hamlet with the sweet
prince eliminated, and so the man
ager went to the young Virginian.
You'll have to be second clown
tonight" he said. There will be
nothing for you TO do. Wen paint
you, chalk you and make you up"
So second clown the Son OF Norfolk
prepared to be.
The two clowns were accustomed
to make their entrance by turning u
| double-summcrsault of spring
board, landing in the ring. When the
/ time came on that evening the Vir-
ginian made sudden resolve. In his
boyhood he had turned handsprings
and summcrsaults He would try IL
again. The first clown, the real arti-
Gle, made his entrance in approved
style. Then came the substitute
He ran out boldly on the board and
sprang. He was shot high into the
air, thrown over and over, and came
down with terrific thud fiat on his
back. Slowly he arose, staggering
weakly around the ring, on his face
that look Of comical agony which n
man wears who has had the wind
Knocked out Of him, He was greeted
with a storm Of applause. The spec
tators thought that that was his
part-that he was trick clown.
They shouted, clapped their hands
and howled with delight. Painfully
bowling. he staggered out Of the ring
and then threw himself TO the
ground, gaspiny 90 get back his
breath. Outside, i'm the ring, the
crowd was roaring for him 20 appear
again. The ringmaster came 20 him.
They're crazy over you, he said.
You'll have TO do that again for
them"
b" My lands!" groaned the new
clown. clasping his stomach. DO
that again? See here you owe US
$500. Let me of from doing that
again, and well call it square. - New
York Tribune.
A sEvES-YEAR-oLD son of A. vi.
Lassiter, who is well knowg in Gum