Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-07-21
THE HORSE AND HIS
RIDER.
Grand Competitive Struggle In
Montgomery Queens Arena
The Champion Centaurs. ChasD
w. Fish and James Robin
son.
Thrilling Story Of tn cir Break.
neck Exploits at Salt Lake.

Thrilling Story of tn cir Break.
neck Exploits at Salt Lake.
A Ten Thousand Dollar Prize
to the Best Man.
The renowned champion bareback rider,
James Robinson, has accepted a challenge
from Charles w. Fish, whose marvellous
horsemanshTp before the crowned heads of
Europe has gained him the title of F" Cham.
pion of the World" During the tenting
season of 1876, the American people by
ballot at each performance, will decide the
contest ard proclaim the victor. Montgon-
cry Queens circus, shortly to arrive in
Ottumws, will bring both these celebrated
riders, that our citizens may vote for their
favorite. Therefore, brief account by an
eyewitness, of what may be seen at this
wonderful circus, will interest the readers
Of the COURIER:
While at Salt Lake, recently, our live
| stock reporter,--who had been especially
| deputed to ascertain what the racing fea-
ture of the greatest circus on earth was like
was 80 delighted with the street pageant,
that be at once made up his mind, as thous-
ands of others did,
TO GO TO THE CIRCUS.
Procuring audience with Manager Queen,
he solicited no courtesy usually extended
to the press, but munifcently proposed to
give him ten dollars for a"family ticket"
Smiling graciously upon so liberal pa
tron, Queen took the money and our report
or the ticket. AS the latter happened at
the time to be the guest of the Mormon
patriarch and part husband of Ann Eliza,
he very naturally extended an invitation,
which was eagerly accepted by Brigham
! and forty.three of his wives. Together
they proceeded to. the immense canvass.
backed tabernacle, and were admitted on
that "family ticket" by the profoundly as
tonished and anti-polygamic (you beD
door-keeper. The attention Of the audi
ence, that filed every portion of the vast
tent, was rivited in moment when Man
ager Queen introduced the celebrated Chas,
w. Fish. Smiling sweetly pensive smile
in reply to the storm of applause that well
coined him, Fish gazed affectionately upon
HIS NOBLE sTEED,
then with disdainful wave of the hand, he
dismissed the attendant groom. Again the
plaudits of excited lookera-on "rang wild
and Free as Fish vaulted nigh into the air,
aud the admirable trained animal leaped
forward, and making swift circuit of the
ring received him as he alighted on one foot
the other being deity pointed to the zenith
ut an angle of forty five degrees.
Full alive to the importance of the con-
test, Fish bent back until his short cropped
hair touched his heels, then suddenly threw
himself forward in sumersault so high
that he turned it back again before touch
ing the horse, just as an expert would En-
glish q billiard ball. This he repeated sew
eral times. until the audience were wild
with enthusiasm, AZ they had never seen or
imagined such a feat. Queen then an
nounced that Mr.. Fish would appear in
HIS GRAND FINALE.
With lightning speed the noble horse
flew twice around the ring, while his rider |
bounded through balloons and over bars.
But now erect and motionless he urged his |
horse to greater exertion, and with glance |
Of triumph towards the audience, threw
the horse made the circuit Of the ring. when when
he slighted and complacently stood poised
with his left toe upon the animals right
ear. This most novel and astounding feat.
suir, not tad nj ND nv fox1 b., N.
most graceful Of execution, most graceful |
In appearance, and most dangerous tespeci-
ally to the ears Of the horse). requiring
moro nicely In balance and calculation Of
distance than any Of his marvellous acts.
The countenance of Mr.. Fish fairly shone
as he gracefully bowed and picturesquely
vanished, saying as plainly as words could
have said, E.....
=. ''I'vE GOT HIM Now"
Manager Queen again called the attention
Of the expectant assemblage TO the appear
ance Of Mr.. james Robinson in his as.
founding saddle acts. Being widely known,
Mr.. Robinson was greeted with tumultuous
applause, which he gracefully acknowl-
edged. Then at a signal, his trained and
symmetrical steed burnt into the ring with
the speed of wind, when. having settled
into a steady, locomotive like gait, Mr..
Robinson bounded into the air, catching
the reins, and by superhmmau expenditure
Of agile strength, sustained. himself
ABOVE THE SADDLE
without touching it, while born seven times
around the ring, showing its utter useless
ness to the trained rider. Standing erect
he then threw four sumersaults at lief. an.
giles to his horse, alighting upon him with
the greatest ease at the opposite side of the
rim e. The hurdle then being placed in
readiness, Mr.. Robinson rides furionsy at
it, leaving his horse and
MAX Es cARoM
with left ear on quarter pole on the OPP
posite side Of the hurdle, from which he
ricochets back to his saddle. He is the on
~ rider in the world that possesses the en-
durance necessary to accomplish this, the
most daring act ever attcm .,ted by mortal
man.
After a few moments breathing spell the
closing feat was given, in which both as
rider and horse trainer Nj. Robinson proves
himself to be unrivaled. The saddle and
birdie being removed, the horse with his
rider upon bis bare back waltzed around up
on three, then two, and finally one leg, ia a
manner contradictory to all preconceived
notions of locomotion. The extraordinary
training skill of of Mr., Robinson was even
still further displayed in the prodigious
strength displayed il the tail of the superb
charger. Urging him to his greatest burst Of
speed, with his infant son, Master Eugene,
aged seven years, standing erect upon his
head he walked deliberately down from be.
tween his horses ears along his back out
upon his outstretched tail, and there stand
ing with folded arms, indicative of the feel
ing 81 have won 2" disappeared
IN THAT PROUD ATTITUDE
from the spell-bound and awe-strcken null
titude into the rear tent.
In response to the repeated and vocifer-
Gus calls of the electrified audience, Mr.,
Queen then led the blushing Mr.. Robinson
to the front, and thus addressed him
IN CHARACTERISTIC SPEECH:
"MR. RoBINsoN-Redoubta champi-
on Of the two homispheres! have the
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