The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-02-26
THE CANVAsMAN's STORY.


ways make a good fuss in the shape of
we'll billing the places we are going to.
for it doesn't do to be stingy in that
way, and the guvnor has some spicy af-
fairs Of rampajOus horses, and wonder
full jumping, and all in colors to catch
the eye while for the shop windows
there's some Autographs of the per-
forming horse, or the helephant, or the
Rutta-rercha brothers tied in a human
knot, while every one who exhibits has
a ticket for free admission.
But it's queer life, sir, and one not
to be eDvied-only, yoH see, one must
live and when there's a wife and some
little uns, why they must live too and
having been in the profession all my
life-why, it don't seem as if I could
do anything out.
There, now then, them's two of mine
coming in the ring now. First ones
IL, and t'Other's Q. "The Pigmy
Twisters, we call 'em in the bill, and
they don't do amiss for their size. Pitch
a somerset easy, either one of them,
There they go, you see and after
another year or twO's eddicltion they'll
be great help to the family, besides
having a profession of their own to
make EN- 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-forg get hip Joint put
out, as | did, al then the country doc
tor to say it was a strain, and never try
to put It in until it was too Ia.e-get in
for an accident like that through tread
ing on piece of orange-peel, and slip
ping when running for jump, why it's
dOer up for life, as with me.
But it is a queer life, sir No rest, no
comfort, no peace at all. Hotel always,
and say, now here's to day: Long dis
lance to come and we had to start early
to get here in good time then there
was to dress and take part in the pro-
CessiOn at one o'clock. Two o'clock,
you know, was the first performance.
Th was over about four and then,
of course, there was beginning again at
half-past seven. All and nobody
knows bat them as has been at it, what
being about in the cold, wet weather
is-dressing and undressing in a canvas
tent, with the vino cutting through,
and then hopping over the mud to get
in the damp ring, when you're ready to
shlver as you slip about, if the weather
has been very bad. Well, you get
your part through, and then, nine cases
out of ten, what sort of a place have
you to go into? Why, one where there's
no rest fer you on account of its being
busy night because of the circus, and
the house full. So, p'raaps you get an
hour or two's sleep, p'raps not, accord
ing to circumstances.
As for me, you know, I'm one of the
tent men for though one leg shorter
than the other makes me limp a good
deal, I'm strong, You know, and my job
Is to see the tent up. You've noticed
us strike 1T as fast as ever we can as
soon as the performance is nearly over.
Well, there's a deal to do over that, |
can tell you for look at the weight of
the great tent. and its poles and ropes {;
besides which 1t is most always wet, and
so ever so much heavier than if it was
dry. l think sometimes as we have
least rest of any one, but then we take
it IN turns, and sleep in the wagon 60
ing from town to town, and that's very
refreshing when once you get used TO
1t. 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 worst.
poor things; but they seldom grumble,
and puts up with everything most pa,
tient-no matter what it is and they
have some hard times of it when the
weather's bad.
The people come to see and be
amused, aud we have got to amuse you.
Fancy, then, being the clown, and com
ing on with bad toothache, or a violent
cold in the chest, or racked so with
rheumatic pains at every moments
agony. Just fancy all that, in a cold
spring time, which is the time when Won
feel the cold most. But there, YOU
can't fancy it, you people who always
have comfortable homes ard fire in EN-
L can, though, ah and realize it, too
for I've been through it ali. [ begun
life with my father in a circus.
Little slip of a chap l was then, il
tights, and a bit of paint on each chalk
Ell cheek, to make me look like a clown
and then never knew what it was to bt
afraid, while he took me up on one o.
the old piebald horses, and held me OF
his shoulder, or under his arm, or stood
me on his head, or out at full length
upon his hand, and me all the time will
nay little arms folded, and standing as
still as a rod.
DO anything he would with me, J
never tllnched. Used to like IL anG
think 1t fine fun, feeling all the while
rs old and deep as could be, while
quite looked down on boys double my
age. Then l was regularly drilled into
life, You know, working hard every day
at the rehearsals-and very hard worL
1t Is. I've done almost everything from
the house work to the trapeze, I've
turned summersets over five horses
and gone through the air like ball al
most. L got well on with the tight rope
and have walked right up a rope to q
place a hundred feet high, while the
fireworks have been fixing and splut.
terIng round me, for ] always had good
nerve, and never felt afraid of apy.
thing while, though 1 never got to be
regular crack at any one thing, / was
sure card, and a useful man to a man.
ager, for, If l warn't a star. l never
missed my tip. l could always be sure
of an engagement, and a pretty good
salary and what followed? Why, what
always follows-why, L must take &
fancy to one of our lady riders at Pan
canals Classical Cirque National, and
get married.
Now, you know most people, wheT
they fall in love, do it by taking a fancy
to face. Well, that's natural p'r'aps
but l didn't, for 1 took fancy to my
wife's way Of doing the scarf trick or
horseback. L dare say you know what
| mean-when they make bit of mus
lin float over them, and all that sort oil
thing. Well, it struck me one day as
the girl, who was so clever at that and
was always quiet at rehearsing, and
never stood any chatting, could be clever
at other things and 1 said to myself
That's settler if she'll have me III
have She And the very next night.
when We were goin through the Flying
Indians piece on two horses, you
know, that we'd done dozens of times
before III a quiet business way-Pd got
to gallop after her horse, while she was
pretending TO flee from me, and me, oi
course, done mp in style with feathers
and so OD. Then when her horse was
SO swift l could not ketch her, / makes
n lot of dumb motions, and SHES my
tOmahawk at her horse, which begins TO
halt and then limp, when 1 close up and
pass my arm around her and bring her