LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2460, 23 February 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

BLADES TBB CLOW.V ; A CIRCUS STORY. Some years ago I was travelling in Autrails. One sultry day I was journeying through one of the great ‘ forests primaeval,’ when, halting at noon in a shady tangle, my party noticed signs of country life and habitations. What perplexed me was that there wore two horaes tied to a tree—not by any means the rough, unkempt creatures seen in the bush, but rather elegantly shaped steeds, well groomed, something after the pattern of ‘ park-haoka.’ About the bridles and saddles there was a curious showinesa which suggested some old associations of a profession. Going on a little farther I heard the sound of voices, and and came up with the riders a lady and gentleman seated at the foot of a tree in a shady spot. He was a tall muscular man of about forty, she a petite creature, with a childish, half gay, half sad face —rather, these alternately—and some ten years younger. She wore a broad-leafed hat, which became her. As I drew near they both rose, and he greeted roe in an American accent ; but I was looking at her steadily. At last it broke upon me. ‘ Surely,’ I said, ‘ though it is now ten years ago—still, Blades the clown ’ She broke out into a si very laugh. ‘ I was waiting till you found that out,’ she said. ‘I knew you at onca ; it was so many years ago, wasn't it ! * ‘ Yea,’ I said. ‘They’re all gone,’ she added abruptly ; ‘ poor Joe Blades and Old Toby he went the next year, and Billy—you heard about poor Billy, of course T—went for a soldier and was killed. Only I and Jack left. Would you know Jack now ? He couldn’t do what he did then,’ I did remember him, though ; the brilliant Hedges. He rose before me, on the last occasion, seated lightly on the quarter of his * bare-backed’ steed, himself almost as bare-backed- Yes, I recalled him perfectly. ‘ We’re rich, now,’ he said, 1 thrfe shows going about, and one permanent regular home. Hero we’re taking a tour. Como np to the tent and see us. We are a very happy couple now, I can tell you, though It was begun disastrously. Yes, rether. Neither sbe nor I work at it now, but we see that the others do.’ I wens with them and stayed a week, I met them afterwards in Europe. They were always friends, Here now shall be related how I originally came to know them. The drum had continued all through dinner banging with unabated violence, and yet to a degree me filed, as if the drum beaten were under bedclothes. A remote, fantastic idea, however possible to conceive, yet impossible to execute, save In Alice’s Wonderland. A horn would wind out occasionally la emulation, also as If under blankets. It was at an old Inn in Pontefract, at the entrance of the town. The time was about nine o’clock. 1 What is that, waiter ? It has been going on all dinner.’ * Only the show, sir. Blade’s circus; a poor shabby thing, sir ; should’nt be allowed.’ Yet if on a more respectable footing there would have been more noise. ‘ You sea, sir, Blades was reared in the town, bern and bred, asi he tells them every night himself, and so they always let him have that field—he and his daughter ; and they come regular—Jos and the old grey ’oss Toby; and they all go for old times’ sake and the honor of the place.’ I went to the window and unclosed the shutters* There at the end of the field was what seemed a huge old horn stable lantern, a dirty looking bell tent, infant, lit up dimly within; outside some few pots of paraffin flared up on the ground. ‘ 'I hat a circus !’ I said. ‘ It’s big enough for what they gives, sir. There’s only themselves. ‘Only themselves!’ I repeated; ‘but that’s all there is in any other circus.’ ‘ I mean only old Blades, his daughter, and Billy, and the musicians.’ ‘Forty feeding like one,’ I murmured half aloud ; ‘ an old establishment.’ ‘ With old Toby, the old grey.’ * The horse!’ ‘Yes, air, he does it all too. Bat the thing is clever, nnc mraon clever. London gentlemen stopping here have said so again and again. Old Blades is clown, and flrstrate—that Is, ones he was. And the girl goes on Toby, a very handsome, clever thing. Joe, ring master; but when his turn comes he’s Dick Turpin and rides to York. You should see him going round as Bonypart sitting on the rock at St. Helena, and commanding the French at Waterloo, and wearing his crownation robes.’ * All on the hors° T’

‘ Ay, indeed; there’s the wonder of it. And within five minutes I’ve seen that lad take off six wals'coasts, one after the other, and throw ’em into the ring. One red, one flowered, one short, one long, one— ’ ‘ Carious. But why ?—what did it mean ?’ 1 As the plonghboy, o’ course, ’listing, and going to the wars, and becoming a general, or the Bri-gand of the Bruttshy—that’s fine. You're thinking of going now, sir ? They’d take it as a compliment. Indeed, they expect it like, the Three Crowns being so nigh. It’ll comfort ’em, and some one’s been patting the police on ’em ; and the squire says he’ll hunt ’em out as vagabonds—no better nor worse than gipsies.' He handed me a poor, starved, attenuated bill, that seemed to have been “ set up" and printed on short commons. I read: — Blade’s Royal Circus. And as the hare, whom hounds and horns pursue. Pants to the spot from whence at first she flew; Still did I long, mv weary wanderings past. Here to return and die at home at la?t! (Not exactly quoted, but no matter). I went on:— J Blade.s. Original Knglibh Clown, Formerly Premier Comio, Ov S L- AO NO LET 11 S tIF.QUK MoXSTER, Begs to inform the surrounding nobility and gentry that he has opened His Cirque (This written in, in a neat female hand) ; At the Brickfield, by kind permission of Mr Burapns, of the ‘ Throe Crowns,’ (The next line printed)— Where he hopes to see his friends as before. The Old Attractions. The Old Variety Show. Old Blades the Clown, and old Toby the Performing Horse. No Foreigners, British to the Core. The lovely Mias Nelly in her varied Tricks and Acts, And Billy Williams, the unrivalled Delineator. I walked across Into the field It was an old tent, dirty as a collier’s sail, compounded and mysteriously attached to one small yellow van ; while a bit of canvas trained over some poles did, clearly, duty as Toby’s stable. Two little boys stood at the triangular entrance trying to peep in. The single cornet was playing cheerfully, but in spasms, accompanied by loud encouraging ‘Hups, Hups!’ Then would come abrupt pauses, while an animated dialogue would commence. As I entered there was no doorkeeper, no one to take the money. The scene was a small ring, lit ud by another ring—of candles, hang from above. About a dozen persons were present, half boys; while some chairs did duty as the ‘ reserved seats.’ In this dull light I could see a lovely creature in blue muslin and spangles, seated sideways on an old grey horse of the cut usually seen drawing omnibuses, who was now walking round, grunting and coughing, scant of breath, like an old man after getting upstairs. And there was surely old Blades himself, the ancient clown, his hands In his pockets, who was walking round engaged in jests upon his daughter, who, aooordlng to the rule of the ring, was affecting utter disdain. Yet, on my entrance, I noticed that the conversation flagged ; all eyes wandered to me with a greater Interest, Suddenly the music broke out again. The solitary cornet blasted as though it were a mail coach entering the town. The old horse with a groan responded to a touch of the whip from Mr Favanti, ‘Ring-master,’ and with much granting broke into an amble. Then Joe Blades, the old clown, assumed a new character, and came over and took the money. He was dazzled with the shilling, double the proper fee, but he ad led—‘See, mister, the reserved seats lets you behind the scenes.’

But the girl, who was now prancing round on the leather tea tray fixed on Toby’s back, had a singular air. Her figure and face were so fine and delicately shaped; her lips opened In an elegint curve, and seemed to move sensitively of themselves. She was out of tune and harmony with the place.

How she could eror hare been old Joo Blade’s daughter was a marvel. I will not osy she seemed a duke’s child, or even a nobleman's, for such are often athletic, stalwart creatures. I found that I could hardly well look at her performance ; as It seemed to me, a sort of shame came upon her refined face. Old .Toe was wheezing round and calling out some directions to her, evidently with the view of setting her off before the stranger; but I heard her say, a little impatiently, “I’m tired,” and the signor at once brought up Toby to a halt, and ran to help her down from the tea tray, after which she retired behind the scenes. Then Mr Favanti, amazingly transformed in a singularly short jacket, came out as “the Brigand of the Abruzzl,” and proceeded to He in watt for and rob all passengers. As this performance went on, and as it was of a daring kind, I confess to being more attraoted by the young girl, who was peeping out all the while behind the curtains, and watching the brigand in his evolutions — not, it must be confessed, of a very romantic character, owing to the prosaic nature of Toby, who snorted and grunted at every movement. However, the young fellow did hia work well enough, or did his beat. The old clown was now betide me. In a confidential tone—

• You see as I see. Nice pair they'll make. And one of these days they’ll have a show, fitting like, with a tent to hold a thousand, and a train of carriages and a gilt Boman car for the band, and something else besides Toby. Lord bless you ! he throws an air of the grootesk over it. Well done, Billy!’ Just at this moment a new visitor entered —a tall, athletic, fine-lookiog man, with a shaved Julius-Cresar sort of face, 'young, or youngish, according as we consider five-and-twenty or thirty young. He had deep-set eyes, and a handsome mouth and curly hair. He did not condescend to a seat, but stood scornfully surveying the antics of the brigand, who, after undressing himself, pointing guns backward ss if pursued, was now —reduced to his shirt sleeves, and on his knees, with head bent—waiting execution, Joe Biades had crossed to the stranger for toll, but the other said something In a low voice which seemed to astonish the old clown, who, as the brigand flew by, called to him—‘Wake up, Billy; here’s a swell ! ’ On which the performer, after a hurried glance, received a new life, and performed the most fantastic gymnastics, twirls and leaps, touching up his old horse with the whip to the latter’s astonishment. Even the pretty • Miss Nelly ’ peeped oat with eagerness to survey the stranger. He etiil seemed to look on with a fort of amused contempt. At the close of the performance I asked old Blades would he come up to the inn and have something ? I Jiked to bear about circus life, and ‘lf the young lady would some, and the o‘her ’ ‘ Billy you mean ? To be sure ; and Fairy too, though sbe'a shy ’ he paused. * You mean you’ll give us something to drink,’ he added nervously. ‘Certainly; with something to eat, if you’ll come to supper.’ Accordingly they ctme, in about halt an hour, somewhat to the astonishment of tho waiter. Billy proved, out of his disguise, to be an honest looking fellow, but very short for the profession, which regards with respect fine men only. Miss Nelly appeared a girlish little creature, with shy admiring eyes, and a smile that was ready at any moment. As her father said, ‘ brought up among clowns and ’orses, it was wonderful.’ It was a pleasant meal, and amusing. Soon the shyness of the girl wore off, her eyes brightened as certain delicacies made their their appearance ; she began, as I might call it, to prattle on about ‘ the profession,’ and who was getting ‘so lazy.’ Billy had his eyes fired on her as she talked, and old Blades, now grown qnite friendly and familiar, nudged me now and then, once declaring that she could ‘ work Billy like a managed ’oss’—l presumed he meant of the manege. Old Blades, I soon saw, had a fatal weakness, which declared itself almost at once, in spite of warning and frowns from his child ; wbo, in a pretty way, asked leave to take his liquors under her especial charge, to hla serious annoyance. It was evident, indeed, that ho was a little upset, and I saw the troubler gathering plainly on that pretty face—an anxiety of grief, as if in pain At last she rose and said with surprising firmness—

• Now Blades, you must have no more, and we’ll take you home.’ On which the old clown grew angry, and. with a lowering brow, asked—- ‘ What she were afraid of ? Was he a child at sohoo 1 , that he was to be spoken to like that, and by his own child too ? He, the oldest clown in tho service ! And before as noble-minded a gent as ever smelt sawdust —liberal ’arted, that would stand to a man for his benefit,’ &o.

But all the while Miss Nelly was getting on her things in a business like fashion, and Billy helping. When she had fixed her hat on —which she did, as she seemed to do everything, with an earnest vehemence—she said :

‘Now you juet came, daddy Blades, and say “ good night. ” * Then to me, with almost a lady’s grace : ‘ You have been so kind to us—thank you so much. Good-night.’ As they were turning to go out of the coffee room the doorway was suddenly filled with the handsome, commanding figure that had visited the show. He stood for a moment; and certainly a finer, handsomer specimen ot stalwart youth could not be conceived. He was over six feet high, graceful, and even elegant in make; there was something of the Hercules; his dress even was becoming; yet the same instinct helped all the party to recognise that he was *' professional." * Bless you,’ said old Blades; * it’s you that came in the show ; I saw yon.’ ‘ And a capital show.’ he said, ‘considering the materials You do as much with them as man or—’ and he paused for an instant as he looked at Nelly—‘ or this young lady can do. Don't go—don’t break up ; I was coming to look for you and tell you so.’ Miss Nelly was gazing with a shy awe at the handsome stranger, who spoke with a slight American accent, ‘ Yes, sit down for a moment, for a few minute i, till I tell you who I am, and till I hear about you. Here 1 champagne! we must all drink. And you, sir (to me). I must tell you,’ said be, ‘I am Hedges—Mr J. G. Hedges, as you see me displayed ; the great bare backed rider. My portrait Is done on a scale that no one else’s ever has been or could bo—eight feet high sometimes, with the horse flying round, and in all the colors of the rainbow—and yet cot like, after all. Hard, isn't it F'

Nelly laughed ; Billy did not. ‘And you're Hedges?' said old Blades, now sobered by awe and admiration ; ‘ bless you ; we've heard of yon driving the team of six, and you're black bare backed steed Pegasus. We know you as well as if we’d been in the same house with you. When and whore do you open ?’ ‘They’ll be here by daybreak, or before. The great tent is on its road. Ah ! that’s a caravan, if you like. A hundred horses, twenty gilt oars, thirty yellow vans, six clowns, and a hundred and ten men and women all told.’

Old Blades opened his eyes, but was too experienced a professional to do more. Bless you, he k>. ew that long ago. Billy gasped with genuine astonishment, (To he continued )