The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1873-09-04


u wife and some little 'uns who,
of course, they must live, too and
having been in the profession all
my life, why. it don't seem as if 1
could do anything ont.
There, now, then them's two of
mine coming in the ring now.
First ones IL and t'other 0. "The
Pigmy Twisters" we call 'em in
the bill. and they don't do amiss
for their size. Pitch a summerset
easy, either of 'em. There they
60, you sec; and after another
year or two's eddication they'll be
great help to the family, besides
having a profession of their own
to make 'e,n independent when
they won't stop in the nest any
longer. All they've got to do is to
keep clear of their fathers's acci-
dent, for, get a hip joint put out
as l did, and the country doctor
to say it was a strain, ard never
put it up till too late-get in for an
accident like that, by treading on
an orange peel and slipping
when running for jump, then
it's doer up for life, as with
me.
But it's a queer life, sir. No
rect, no comfort, no peace at all.
Public house always, and say,
now, here's to-day: long distance
to come, and had to start early in
order to get here in good time;
then there was to dress and take
part in the procession at one
o'clock, you know, was the alter
noon performance. That was
over about four, and then, they
were to begin again at half past
seven. All! and nobody knows
but them as has been to it, what
being about in cold weather is
dressing and undressing in a can
VAS tent, with the wind cuttin'
through, and then hopping over
tho mud to get into the damp
ring, when you're ready to shiv-
er as You slip aboat, if the wealth
er has been very mad. Well, you
get'your part through, and then,
in niue cases ont Of ten, what
sort of a place have you to go
into? Why, one where there's no
rest for you OH account of IFS be-
my a busy night because OF the
circus, and the house full. So
p'r'aps you get an hour or two's
sleep, p'r'aps not, according to
circumstances.
AS for me you know, I'm one
of the tent men; for though one
leg shorter then the other makes
me limp a good deal, Pm 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 performance is
nearly over; dropping the outside
aud taking down the cloth curtains
that divide the sixpences from
the shillings. Well, there's a deal
to do over that, can tell you:
for looking at the weight OF the
great tent, and it's pole aud ropes;
besides which it's most always
wet, and ever 30 much heavier
than if it was dry. | think some
times 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 it,and can stand anything |
now in the shape Of wet and cold.
The women feel it worse, poor
things, but they seldom grumble,
and puts mp with everything most
patient no matter what it is; and
they have some hard times of !,
when the weather's bad.
Ycu people come to sec and be
amused, and we've got to amuse
you. Fancy, then, boing the clown
and coming on with bad tooth
ache, or a violent cold in the chest,
or racked 80 with rheumatic pains.
that every moment is agony. just
fancy all that in a cold spring
timo, which is 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. can,
though, all! and realize it, too, for
I've been through it all. / began
life with my fatherin circus as
used to go round to the fairs,
Greenwich and Camberwell, and
the rest of 'em; set mp aside of
old Richardson's we used be-
tween them and Jinple's: while