St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-05

now as he was Wnen the young men OF
today enjoyed his performances when
they were youngsters from the back
rows of the ''nlgger heaven"
He was found at the Grand last night
in his dressing room, and in the course
of long conversation between acts
unfolded his career.
well, | suppose l just had to be in
the show business" he said. Its the
family failing. You see l came of the
old Cooke stock, who have been clowns
and show people in England for many
generations. My mother was Miss
Cooke. They were a great family Of
riders. Why. my mothers father, ia
nous clown, is still living at Paterson
NJ, at the rather mature age of ninety
four. That certainly shows that it's
virtuous to make people laugh, for the
Good Book says that old age is Il reward
of good deeds, doesn't it? All the old
mans Iineal descendants except two
are in the show business. My father,
Charles H. Adams, was versatile
actor.
Eae Played Everything,
at all bad in traged". either.
81 vas born in England-in London
upwards of forty years ago. and first
went into training when was six years
old. They taught he contortioM acts
and riding, and all the round Of circus
features. 1t was several years before
went Oh, how ever. My first appearance
was with Pender'S circus at Oldham,
England, in 1867. l played the devil
the first thing that is, | took the part
of devil-a little one, of course-and
the name of THE Alpine Wonder"
My master, as they call 1t over there.
was Hubert Meers, grandfather of the
Meers sisters-Rosie, Lille and Marie
who came over here with Barnum
four years ago.
But never did clown act till we
went across to Copenhagen, when was
about ten years old. Somehow or other
tie company failed to get whte-faced
| Joker, and | asked permission TO go on
as a tumbling clown. suppose the
| fact that diGn't know word of Dan
| iSh had something TO do with my not
| talking. This was at the Tiyoli Car
| dens-a wonderful place Of amusement
| still in exiStence-where there is an un-
broken series OF high-clas performs
| ances music, drama and circus
from noon till midnight. Five been
clown ever since. Untll 1874 | remained
in the old country, playing chiefly with
| the London pantomimes.
| can English pantomime would sur
! prise most Americans. There's so little
| Of it that's pantomime. The first hour
and a half is devoted to a regular bur-
lesque. Then the fairy queen trans
forms the principal characters into
| Clown, Pantaloon, Harlequin and
| Columbine, and the last forty minutes
! of the performance is the pantomime.
| And then the clowns over there talk more
| or less III
Their Pantonine work.
| and anticipate with remarks such as
Here's butcher comingH the progress
of the plot Like the French and Ital-
ians, we never do that in this country.
Yes, indeed, the pantomime is a great
| institution in 'Merrie England Christ
mas they consider a sort of Sunday. but
the next night, boxing night, the pam
tomime begins, and rams for four
months, or even longer.
GAS l just said, it was in 1874 that 1
came here with Tony Denier, and since
then [ have been with The DEVILS
Auction" W. w. Coles circus Che is my
cousin, by the way. Stone 81 Murray's
circus, 'ZoZo, the Magic Queen" "He,
She, Him and Her." and several other
companies. You remember. too. my
own show-Adams Il Forepaugh's
"Humpty Dumpty," in which l made a
great hit. We quit because we lost
everything at the burning of the Park
theater in Cincinnati.
speaking of the fire reminds me Of
the narrowest escape of my life. Three
years ago "The DEVILS Auction" troupe
returned to the home theater-the Gem
trail, in Philadelphia-and on April %,
Wednesday of the last week of the sea-
son, a sudden fire started from one of
the border lights. just after the overture
call. We were all crowded together III
our dressing looms, down under the
stage, and most of us had only time to
escape with our lives. Six of our troupe
we're burnt to death, including SOU
brette and two
Little Dancing Girls.
For several days had nothing 10 wear
but pair of tights. wig and flannel
dressing gown.
Don't l look serious enough for a
married man?" inquired Mr.. Adams,
with his habitual air of dignity, and al