The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-02
rhe joke was on the clown.


''It is not often that an old-time circus
clown gets a setback that throws him
clean off his bearings" said a member OF
that profession to a Cleveland Plain
Dealer man not long ago. That's just
what happened to me one day last sum-
mer, and l can't help smiling when 1
recall my own confusion.
I'VE were showing at a little town In
the western part of the state, and had
big afternoon house. l had tried a new
bit of business some time before, AMI II
went so well that 1 worked it at every
performance. In grave voice / would
inquire If there was doctor in the audi
ence. OF course, there was sure to be
one, and the chances were that a lne-
Jorlty of the people present either knew
or had heard of him. When he stood up
in response to my inquiry 1 would thank
him for his promptness and congratulate
him on having located in a town that ar
forded him so many advantages. Then
/ would say something about the conven-
fence of the village cemetery, whereat the
audience was pretty sure to roar with
laughter, while the bamboozled doctor
hastily resumed his seat. 1t was rather
coarse, and not very funny but so Iona
as it took well l didn't care for that.
ON the particular afternoon of which
l speak | called for the doctor, as usuai,
ana expected, of course, to see him pop
L
tnlnk OF some humorous remark to make
to MT the occasion, when noticed a
Dright-faced young woman standing up
only little distance from me.
mered.
" I am she answered, in such pref
" ana dignifed way. Saw YOU couId
nave knocked me down with a straw.
couldn't work that coarse old gag on that
sweet young woman, yet for the life OF
me Tor half-minute 1 was completely
done up. Then l said: Will you kindly
come this way| Then 1 helped her down
from the Seats and she followed me across
the ring and into the big dressing tent
saw all the ring people doing their best
10 Keep from roaring at my predicamen..
put gave them scowl that kept them
quiet.
Jimmy Cummins had fallen and broken
his arm up at Bacyrus, and he was
walking about the dressing tent. I caIlen
him over
Jimmy, said, I don't like the way
that arm was set, and I've brought Won a
doctor Jimmy gave me the aueerest
look' but he's quick-witted, and one of
tne most gentlemanly athletes that ever
stepped into the ring.
Glad of it; Doc he said. Il didn't
fancy the job myself
SIT down here and let me look at IT.
sald the girl doctor-as cool as you please.
l had to go back to the ring. and left tbern
there together. She was unwrapping the
Dandages as swiftly and neatly as anv
hospital sharp could do it, Jimmy was
looking at her lively fingers with an ex
preston half-comical, half-shame-faced
When came back she was putting ev-
erything in place.
Well what's the verdict? 1 jocularly
inquired
You were right, Doc answered Jim
my; 1T was a bungling job, but DR.. Brown
son has fixed it all right
Good l said and now I'll escort the
doctor back to the street again. asking
her to kindly pardon the way in which her
afternoons enjoyment was Interrupted
You needn't mind, Doc, said Jimmy;
I'll escort the doctor myself
When Jimmy came back l said to him:
Jim. of course, I'll stand the cost of that
little surgical job. The joke is on me all
around. No, you WON'T said Jimmy I
still pay my own bills. The fact is Doc,
I've made up my mind to drop out of the
show for a couple of weeks and get
Strengthened up. This is a pretty town,
and L can get well here great deal faster
than knocking along with the show Yes
l smilingly added, and the medical attend
ance seems to be very satisfactory, too
80 Jimmy dropped out of the show, and
his partner went on and did the dancing
barrel and the cannon-ball act The show
broke up soon after and 1 haven't seen
Jimmy since.
Did he marry the doctor? Well. do you
know, I've often wondered about that my
self"