ADVENTURES OF A SHOWMAN.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 336, 22 May 1877, Page 4

ADVENTURES OF A SHOWMAN.

The Lynch Brothers are in Gippsland, where they appear to have had some fun. The Melbourne Herald: —"The Lynch family of bellringers and vocalists are greatly appreciated in Gippsland, and are meeting with some curious adventures. On the 27th instant they arrived at Cowwar, a small village 22 miles from Walhalla, where their agent had arranged for them to perform in the only place available in the neighbourhood—viz., a large ballroom in connection with the local hotel. What was their dismay, then, to find the magnificent concert-hall, spoken so highly of by their agent, consisting of a large bark-hut, with apertures of three and four inches between each slab—a stage comprised of some 40 gin-cases nailed together, and minus a dressingroom. Making the best of a bad job, however, they had a portion of the stage end of the hut knocked out, and one of their conveyances a large American wagonette —secured alongside to act as a green-room. At night the place was crammed to suffocation, and everything went as ' merry as a marriage bell' till near the conclusion of the farce f Mr. Johnson in Want of a Coachman,' where Mr. Johnson (Harry Lynch) rushes out in a frantic rage at the supposed loss of his travelling menagerie. What was Mr. Johnson's horror and dismay then to find himself landed in an immense pool of mud and slush ! It seems just prior to this one of the audience—a well-known squatter—seeing the entertainment was nearly over, and fearing the crush, had given orders to have Ins wagonette ready. The groom, misunderstanding his instructions, harnessed the horses to the bellringers' conveyance, and was moving it tq the front of the hotel just as Mr. Johnson was rushing off the stage. Hence the unfortunate episode."