Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-06-19

II
tine I'd country peuplc IO,, talK about 60
inc ND to London to see the sights; why,
what's the thing that they always reck-
lects bestY Why, isn't it about going TO
SHastley'ss" To be sure it is; and some
of ,em will talk to you for long enough
about old Ducrow, and Madame Ducrow
and her cream ponies, and about Miss
Woolford pitching off her horse on her
head. and then about the fire, and Batty
and Cook, and all the rest of it. And l
don't care, summer or winter, wet or
dry. whenever we go with our troupe in
to country town, there is always an
audience.
Nothing takes like circus; and ours
takes better than anybody's, can tell you.
am only an understrapper now, you
know; but the guvnor did the right thing
nv me. and of course I do the right thing
by him. You see, we always makes a
good fuss in the shape of well-billing the
places we are going to, for it doesn't do to
he stingy in that way, and the guvnor has
some spicy affairs of rampagious horses,
and wonderful jumping, and all the colors
that catch the eve while for the shop win
dows there's some Autographs of the per-
forming horse, or the helephant, or the
Gutta Percha Brothers tied in human
knot. while every one who exhibits them
has a ticket for free admission.
But it's queer life, sir, and one not to
be envied; only, you see, you must live;
and when there's a wife and some little
'uns, why, of course they must live, too !;
and having been in the profession all my
life, why, it don't seem as If could do
anything out.
There, now, then, them's two of mine
coming in the ring now. First ones
eleven and tother's nine. "The Pigmy
Twistersn we call 'em in the bill, and they
don't do amiss for their size. Pitch a
summerset easy, either of 'em. There they
90, you see; and after another year OF
two's eddication they'll be great help to
the family, besides having a profession of
their own, to make 'em independent when
they won't stop in the nest any longer.
All they've got to do is to keep clear Of
their fathers accident, for, get hip
joint put out as did, and the country
doctor to say it was a strain, and never
putt up till too late-get in for an acct
dent like that, by treading on an orange
peel and slipping when running for a
jump, then it's doer up for life as
with me.
But it's queer life, sir No rest, no
comfort, no peace at all. Public houses
always, and say, now, here's to-day; long
distance to come, and had to start early to
get here in good time; then there was to
dress and take part in the procession at
one O'Clock. Two O'Clock, you know,
was the afternoon performance. That
was over about four, and then, of course,
there was to begin again at halfpast seven.
All! and nobody knows but them as has
been to it, what being about in the cold,
wet weather is-dressing and undressing
ina canvas tent, with the wind cutting
through, and then hopping over the mud
to get into the damp ring, when you're
ready to SILVER as you slip about if the
weather has been very bad. Well, you get
part through, and then, in nine cases out
of ten, what sort OF place have
you to go into? Why, one where
there's no rest for you on ac-
count of it's being busy night because
Of the circus, and the house full. So
p'r'aps you get an hour or two's sleep,
AS for me, you know, Pm one of the
tent men; for though one leg shorter than
the other makes me limp good deal, I'm
strong, you know, and my job is to see
the tent up. You've noticed us strike it
as fast as ever we can as soon as the per
formance is nearly over; dropping the
outside, and taking down the cloth cur
tains that divide the sixpences from the
shillings Well, there's deal to do over
that, l can tell you; for look at the weight
of the great tent and its pole and ropes
besides which it's most always wet, and
ever SO much heavier than lift was dry.
think sometimes as we have least rest of
any one; but then we take it in turns, and
sleep in the wagon going from town to
town, and that's very refreshing, when
once You get used to it. At first, you
know, it's decidedly rheumatic, and makes
you very queer; but you soon get used to
1t, and / stand anything now in the shape
of wet and cold. The women feel it
worse, poor things, but they seldom grum-
BILE, and puts up with everything most
patient-no matter what it Is; and they
have some hard times Of II when the
weather's bad.
You people come to see and be amused,
and we've got to amuse you. Fancy,
then, being the clown and coming on with
q bad toothache, or violent cold in the
chest or racked 80 with rheumatic pains
that every moments agony. just fancy
al that In cold spring time, which il
the time you feel the cold most But,
there, you can't fancy it, you people who
always have comfortable homes and fires
in 'em. I can, though; ali! and realize
y 700, for I've been through it all. be-
gun life with my father in circus as used
70 60 round 70 fairs, Greenwich and Cam
berwell, and the rest of 'em; set up aside
OF old Richardson's, we used-between
them. and Jingles; while Wombells used
10 be tother end. Little bit Of chap
was then in tights, and bit of paint on
each chalked cheek, to make me look like
clown; and then l never knew what it
vas 70 be afraid, while he took me up on
one OF the old pietald horses, and held
me on his shoulder or under his arm, OF
ssood NJ On his headsor outat full lengtl,
upon h1 hard And me- all fla sfirne wifl,