Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-05-24
coMIcAL WAS coRRIeAN.

An Old Fashione Travelling Snowman
and Ventri oq list.
I suppose there are more queer by
ways in the show business than in any
other vocation on earth, ;" said an ad-
vance agent, chatting after the perfor-
nance few nights ago. ''fsran across
one of the oddities reeentlS.'' he con-
tinued, lin the person of single hand
ed entertainer, who has, been working
a quiet little circuit of his own for the
last twenty years, and is beginning to
think about retiring onsa snug fortune,
yet doubt whether you could find a
soul in the city who ever heard of him.
My discovery of the gentleman was
due to a mislaid railroad schedule that
forced me to stop over night at a
dreary little country town in West Yir-
ginia. Looking around the office, of
the hotel, which was also dining room,
reading room and smoking room, was
surprised to see a handbill announcing
that Comical Corrigan would give one
of his well-known and justly popular
entertainments at the brick church that
evening. The poster went on to say
that there was nothing about the show
to offend the most fastidious; that it
would include comic and sentimental
ballads, limitations of wild beasts, ven
triloquisms. selections on fourteen sep
arate and distinct musical instruments
funny stump speech and refined jig
and wing dancing, the whole to con-
clude with an exhibition Of prestidigi-
tation or parlor magic.
..That sounded promising, so after
supper sanntered around to the brick
church, which | found crowded to the
doors. managed to get seat, how
ever, and, upon my word, haven't en-
joyed myself as much for years" :"
quotes the New Orleans Times Demo-
crat. Il was transported back to my
boyhood's happy days, and for two
solid hours forgot l had trouble on
earth. Comical Corrigan turned out to
be a plump, rosy person, with flexible
face and a jovial eye, and his entertain
ment was exactly what remember
seeing atsour old town hall when was
a little shaver of 9 or 1O-the same
good, old jokes, the same conundrums,
the same stories, the same songs-I
don't believe missed single boyhood
favorite. In the yentriIoquism selection
he hauled out the two dolls l hadn't
seen for SO many years, perched them
on his knees and began the well-re-
membered dialogue: Well, Sammy.
how do you feel? he asks. with my
fingers, squeaks Sammy, in falsetto
Then Comieal Corrigan w11acked him
over the head and we all roared with
laughter. When Mr.. Corrigan an
nouneed that he would now recite q
pathetic recitation by special request, ;
/ knew he would favor us with Cur
few Shall Not Ring Tonight before he
opened his mouth, and when he asked
for ring to grind to atoms and fire
from pistol in his chaste seance Of
prestidfgitation, or parlor magic, 1
could hardly get mine off quick enough,
| was so anxious to see that dear old
trick done again.
after it was all over I met Corrigan
and found him first-rate fellow. He
told me he had been doing that sort of
thing ever since 1880 drifted into it by
degrees, organizing his circuit of towns,
making friends of the church and fra
iternal order people, and gradually
building up clientele that was now as
regular and steady as a clock. He
sticks to small places, makes the
rounds once season, and is welcomed