The true northerner., 1875-03-05
THE CANVASMAN'S STORY.

Nothing takes like a circus and ours
takes better than anybody's, can tell
you. [ am only an understrapper now,
you know, but the guvnor did the right
hing by me, and, of course, l do the
right thing by him. You see, we always
make a good fuss i'll the shape of well
billing the places we are going to, for it
doesn't do to be stingy i'll that way, and
he guvnor has some spicy affairs of
rampagious horses and wonderful Jump
ing, and all i'll colors to ketch the eye ;
while for the shop windows there's some
Autographs EFF the performing horse, or
the helephant, or the gutta- -percha
brothers tied in human knot, while
every one who exhibits has q 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 wife and some little
uns, why they must live, too and hav-
ing been in the profession all my life
why, it don't seem as il / could do any
thing out.
There, now then, them's two of mine
coming in the ring now First ones
eleven, and tother's nine. "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 go, yOu see and after another year
or two's eddication they'll be great
help to the family, besides having pro-
fession of their own TO make 'em indie
pendent 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 a hip-ioint put out, as | did, and
then the country doctor to say as it was
a strain, and never try to put it in till it
was too late-get i'll for an accident
like that through treading on piece of
orange-peel, and slipping when running
for jump, why it's a doer-up for life,
as with me.
But it is a queer life, sir. No rest, no
comfort, no peace ut all. Hotel always,
and say, now here's to-day Long dis
tance to come and we had to start early
to get here in good time then there was
to dress and take part III the procession
at l o'clock. Two o'clock, you know,
was the first performance. That was
over about 4 ; and then, of course, there
was beginning again at half-past Z. All !!
and nobody knows but them as has been
at it, what BEING about III the cold, wet
weather is-dressing and undressing in
canvas tent, with the wind cutting
through, then hopping over the mud to
get into the damp ring, when you re
ready to shiver 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 place have
you to go into! Why, one where there's
no rest for you on account of it's being n
busy night because of the circus, and the
house so full. So, p'raps you get an
hour or two's sleep, praps 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 good
deal, I'm strong, you know, and my job
ia to see the tent up. You've notice us
strike it as fast as ever we can as soon as
the performance is nearly over. Well,
there's deal to do over that, / can tell
you for look mt the weight of the great
tent and its poles and ropes besides
which it's most always wet, and SO ever
so much heavier than if it was dry.
think sometimes rs we have least rest of
tilll Ollt Dub llltll VIC Gtht III IIlfllS
and sleep in the wagon going from town
to town, and that's very refreshing when
one gets use to it. At first, you know,
it's decidedly rheumatic, and makes you
very queer but you soon get used 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 put up with everything
most patient-no matter what it is and
they have some hard times of it when the
weather's bad Haa
The people come to see and be amused
and we've got TO amuse you. Fancy,
then, being the clown, and coming on
with bad toothache, or violent cold in
the chest, or racked so with rheumatic
pains at every moments agony. Just
fancy all 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
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