The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-02-03

| .
| spoEe no WORD; we sat and wept .
| by the road side together;
! No nuler dew on that bright day
| Was dropped upon the heather.
| JOHN STUART BLACKIE.
The canvasman's Story.
| Nothing takes like a circus; and ours
takes better than any body's, l can tell
you. l am only an understrapper now,
you know, but the guynor did the right
thing by me, and, of course, l do the right
thing by him. You see, we always make
good fuss in the shape of well billing
the places we are going to, for it doesn't
do TO be stingy that way, and the guvnor
has some spicy affairs of rampagj0us
horses, and wonderful jumping, and all
in colors to ketch the eye; while for the
shop windows there's some Autographs
OF the performing horse, or the helephant,
or the Gutta-percha Brothers tied in a
human knot, while every one who eXhib-
it's has ticket for free admission.
But it's q queer life, sir, and one not to
be enyied-only, you see, you must live F.;
and when there's wife and some little
uns, wny they must live too; and hav-
ing been in the profession all my life
why, it don't seem as If l could do any
| thing out.
There, now then, tnem's two of mine
coming IN the ring how. First One'S
eleven, and tother's nine. "The Plgmy
Twisters," we call 'em in the bill, and
they don't do amiss for their size. Pitch
| a summerset easy, either OF 'em. TEere
they 90, you see; and after another year
or tWo's eddication they'll be a great
help to the family, besides having pro-
| fession OF their own to make 'em inde-
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 nip joint put out, as did, and
then the country doctor to say as it was
a strain, and never try to put in till it
was too late-get IN for an accident like
that through treading OH piece OF
orange-peel and slipping when running
for Jump, why, it's doer-up for life, as
with me.
But it is queer life, sir. No rest, no
comfort, no peace at all. Hotel al
ways, and say, now, here's to-day; Long
distance to come, and we had to start
ear 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. That
was over about four; and then, OF
course, there was begin again at bali
past seven. All! and nobody knows but
them as has been at it, what being about
in the cold, wet weather is-dressing
and undressing in canvas tent, with
the wind cutting through, and then hop
ping over the mud to get into the damp
ring, when you're ready to shiyer as you
slip about, il the weather has been very
bad. Well, you get your part through
and then, nine cases out often, what sort
Of a place have you to 60 into? Why, one
where there's no rest for you on account
of its being busy night because-o the
circus, and the house full. SO, p'raps
you get an hour or two's sleep, p'raps
not, according to circumstances.
AS for me, you know, Pm one Of the
tent men; for though one leg shorter than
the other makes me limp good deal, Pm
strong, you know, and my job is to see
the tent up. You've noticed us strike II
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; fO1
look at the weight of the great tent and
it's poles and ropes; besides which it's
most always wet, and so ever so much
heavier than if it was dry. l 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 de.
cidedly rheumatic, and makes you very
queer; but you soon get used to it, and
can stand any thing 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 il when the
weather's bad.
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 III
the chest, or racked SO with rheumatic
pains at every moments agony. Just
fancy all that, in q cold spring time
which is the time when you feel the cold
most. But, there, you can't fancy it,
you people who always have comfortable
homes and fires in 'em. l can, though
ahl and realize it, too, for Pve been
through it all. begun life, with my
| father, in circus.
Little slip OF a chap I was then, in
tights, and bit Of paint ON each chalked
cheek, to make me look ike a clown
and then never knew what it was to be
afraid, while he took me up on one of the
old piebald horses, and held me on his
shoulder, or under bis arm, or stood me
on his head, or out at full length upon his
hand, and me all the time with my little
arms folded, and standing as stiff as 8
rod.
Do anything he would with me, l never
flinched. Used to like it, and think il
tine fun, feeling all the while as old and
deep as could be, while quite looked
down on boys double my age. Then
was regularly drilled into the life, you
know, working hard every day at the re-
hearsals-and very hard work it is. Pve
done almost everything, from the horse
work to the trapeze., Pye turned sum
tstsuS through the air like bali almost. s goi
well on with the tight rope, and have
walked right up rope to place hun
dred feet high, while the fireworks have
been fizzing and sputteting round me
y 4 Il. Il = a /. : ,