Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-07-21
THE ONE MAN CIRCUS.


opening through which the Ring master ac-
by Mr.. Merryman, is wont to make
his entrance previous to the Grand Entree |
with which all well regulated circuses COM |
mence. Imagine their surprise when, instead |
of the Master and Clown, there appeared be-
fore them middle aged gentleman, dressed
in full suit of black broad-cloth, slightly |
bald on the top of the head and wearing gold
spectacles.
This preacher-like person advanced to the
centre of the circle, and exclaimed in loud
but respectful voice:
ssLadies and gentlemen, I'm man by the
name of Robert Ridgely. formerly of place
called Richmond Y Roads. This here circus
stopped at Richmond X Roads, and the bad
whiskey there made the circus men, women,
and children sick excepting myself. They
held up pretty well until they got here, when
they all broke down, and I'm obliged to play
the whole circus myself, and Pm going to
do it.''
Without another word, Mr.. Ridgely made a
bow and disappeared. In less than two min
utes he returned leading the Grand Entree,
consisting of eight horses and rider. So
admirably trained were the horses, and so ac-
customed to the performance, that with the
assistance of a few oaths and gestures from
Mr.. Ridgely they performed all the various
and difficult evolutions without single blum
der, exciting great surprise and pleasure in
the audience.
Scarcely had the last horse disappeared be-
hind the curtain ere Mr.. Ridgely returned in
the costume of the clown, and cracked the reg
ular role of circus jokes with an imaginary
ringmaster. Retiring for moment, he soon
came forth as a sailor, and went through with
the whole performance admirably WELL not for
getting 10 stop occasionally and jump down
from his horse and take up the clown and ring
masters parts where he had left off. Next he
played the Two Horse act, and played it well.
Next the Enthusiastically done. When he
alighted from the horse, and pretending to re-
ceive severe cut on the b-b-breast from
the imaginary ring m aster, clapped the palm
of his hand to the wounded part, the effect
was electrical-the whole house roared.
So he went on with the four horse act, the
bare back act, the India rubber man, the canon
ball man, the tight rope performance, the
ground and lofty tumbling, and indeed every
part belonging to the regular circus role all
the time keeping up running fire of jokes
with the invisible ring MASTER and eliciting
continuously increasing amount of applause.
He also sang two comic songs, both of which
were rapturously encored. He also danced
the Highland fling and Virginia break down.
1t was taken for granted that the part OF
Mile. Eugeine Duprez, the great Partisan E
questrienne, would not be attempted. But
the versatile and daring Ridgely, like the coun-
tryman with the bill of fare, was determined
to eat or rather to play through the entire bill.
When he came out in 'slow neck and short
sleeves" very brief petticoat, and flesh color
ed stockinet, and commenced smiling aud kiss
ing his hand to the audience, as he rode round
the ring, the excitement was beyond anything
in the history of circuses. Four fifths of the
audience went into such convulsions of laugh
ter that many of them rolled off the benches
to the ground and struggled there in uncon-
trolable writings of amusement. Mile. Du-
PREF Ridgely's legs, We are bound TO say, were
very creditable legs, and displayed themselves
very freely. This was decidedly the great hit
of the evening.
the exhibition of his pet elephants, named res
pectively Gizzard and Charles Jeems. Bring.
ing these in under his arms, he placed them
on the ground and then made them stand on
their heads, tnrn summersaults, dance iigs,
and pick his pocket.
At the end of the entertainment Mr.. Ridge
ly thanked the crowd for their patronage, and
invited them to come again tomorrow even
ing, and to come earip, as he was in the habit
of doing when he was a voting man. He beg
ged them to make allowance for the fact that
it was a new business to him, but he declared
with emphasis that he meant to keep pitchin'
in till he got the hang of the thing. He was
in the ring and meant to keep the ring.
Flrates still swarm in the waters of the Chi
ma Seas. The schooner Heather Bell, on her
way from Macao to Hong Kong, was attacked
by three pirate junks OFF Castlepeak, and the
master and crew murdered. One Chinese es
capped and brought the news to Hong Kong. A
British gunboat was sent in search. and suc-
ceeded in capturing seven juaks. One hum
dred pirates made their escape, eighty were
drowned, and seventy captured
''Children and fools,'' says an old adage
''always tell the truth .sMother sent me -
said little girl to neighbor, ssto come and
ask you to take tea with her this evenings
"Dld she say at what time, my dear ?'' ssNo.
ma'am; she only said she would ask you, and
then the thing would be off her mind that's
all she said''