The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1871-08-23
LIFE IN THE RING.
Circus Riders aud hon they Lige--Ntghf
Travel and Day Work--Au about
Trick Horses and Jumpino, &c.

Circus Riders and hon they Live Nigh
| Travel and Day WOrk-Au dbow
Trick Horses and Jumping, &c. G
Well. it's a pretty hard life at first. but
after you get used to il all goes easy e
nough.'
The speaker was Orlando Henry Harri-
son. the dashing rider Of the plains. and
'unsurpassable hurdle leaper.' as he was
ia AAs ssaaBs AYs
| had just been introduced to him in the
Office OF the local newspaper, his particular
business Of the moment being to dead head
the editor and bis family.
Yes, but the getting used to It cannot be
very agreeable.
II isn't 50 hard as you think. Them
| biz pads we stand on amt much trouble.
Walk over to the tent with me, and iii tell
you about It,
MY meeting him in the newspaper sane
tum--as country editors invariably style
that part Of tho common room occupied by
their desk-had given me kind OF privi-
legged character IN his eyes. and he conse-
| quently interposed no objection between me
sud the secrets Of what ! may call his
trade.
We walked together along the single
street. Mr.. Harrison an object Of admiring
attention slightly tinctnred with awe 10 the
juvenile rural mind. and At length came to
the tent standing in the center Of large
open lot--hired for the day. Il was con-
structed in the usual style, Of canvas. kept
| In place By poles. with top Of the same
material, whose middle was affixed 70 the
summit Of the tall eenterpole. Over all
| aoated the American Gag. Near BY the
small tents devoted to side shows were m
pldly erecting and already The peanut and
| cheap sigar sepders we're ii position. The
benevolent gentleman who gives cyefy one
spin AZ his golden arrow with the chance
Of having whatever h stops at for the dis-
gracefully insignificant sum Of Eve eents,
was busily occupied in putting vp his booth
| and displaying bis enficing wares.
Entering the tent We found number Of
men engaged in arranging the foundations
for the smpsitheatenof seats. while in the
center Of the incfosure slight circular bar.
| ricsdelofturf. with stakes aid a circunIscrit-
ing rope on top. showed the ring.
You seem 70 have a good many hands
here; count twenty men fixing che seats.
Most Of them belong 70 the company
but in every village or town We come 70 ve
sIwsys engage few Of the loafes 70 help IN
fixing things. Thsy'll do pretty much all
we want Cor couple Of tickets apieca,'
DO not sny o. The psrformers assist IN
thesc duiicsf
Not often. unless 20 happen 70 be short
Of hands. You see is's about slough work
for them TO tumble and ride. Aperformcr
| has altogether near hours muscular work
every day lexcept Sunday. Of course. and
be don't feel much. like hammering nails
and lifting heavy posts and boards between
tines
Isulposc you live pretty iweil7'
| About the same as other people, onl,
We can't smoke when travelling and can I
drink anything stronger than glass Of ale
now and then. Il xouldn'tdo 70 be shaky
% the least. Why. know trapere fsl
low once that used 70 do the leap for life
business. Well. one night he took just
cup u tea. without sugar or milk, before
coming into The ring. He thought that !
would steady hs nerves and do bim good
as he'd been kind Of out O. sorts. Tn
time come Cor him TO make his jump, an'
away he went. Bot bic hand shook lit
tle Just al tie WRONG time, and down b
came 70 the ground with N awful thumr
| The audience holloed, cause they though
Ne was dead. hut he picked himself u
and bowed and walked out just as cool q
YOU ever sec. But that cupof tea cost hiI
two broken ribs, and he couldn't do any
thing for Eve MONTHS
How large Is your eompanyT
We have fifteen performers and cightee
!. other men-thirty-three altogether. That
: : quite large number; some circuses don
have more than twonty, and hardly one b
more than twonty.hve--that's about u
highest
i should like very much 70 500 some
your borses.'
Tll show you the best we've gos--m
!. own wait moment
II He went into the temporary stable at y
back, and In few moments returned W.T.
z bis horse. II was dark bar, Of hites
hands, beautifully shaped. and With kir
Of intelligent eye.
There, mid Mr.. Harrison. pointing
him with pride. 4 raised him inyselffro
\ the time he was fcaleds he's rising nh
nov. and Just ss good an apimsl "a he ev'
y was! BE cost me $500 st hrst, but
!, ', woulsn,t take three thousand for him N
l. nor three times that. Come here. Cha
y ley." The horse came up 70 him. ~
Il stood looking at me. With biz head ovor b
?. masters left shoelder. e
v Is hea trick horssf e.
II Yes, but I don't sfsen use him for tba
e He can walk ou.his bind legs, and dane
= and drink out Of Q bottle 3 bat that's q
q ways empty. I usually DO only ,the An
and bis dying sseedi' you've seen that
=, II out,r.ooaf ~ = - faff s mr. .