The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-09-13
THE CIRCUS.
VII positively erhi6n at Eaton, on
Wednesday Sept. 18th.
THEN AND NOW.

THEN AND Now.
Not many years ago, If a man or q boy was sup
pie, loose in the joints and quick to act, and could
turn a sumersault or leap q five rail fence, the
superstitious people regarded him as being in
league with Satan; but with the passing away Of
each year ignorance gave away to reason, and
when it was made known that a circus was COM
ing and would exhibit in this or that town, the
people-old men of four score years, old women
and boys and girls would become nearly demen-
ted at the prospect of seeing them are men an
gals in Their ring fiphop, an squat down jist in
time ter git out o fther way of ther hoops, and SIGH
fipsy-sipsy things!" The travelling show of that
period was made up principally of afew stage per-
formers of both sexes, and there was no riding
worth speaking of, nor were there any startling
feats performed. The clown would manage, by
stale jokes and q sprinkling of vulgar wit, to keep
the mail audience in a sort of good humor; moth
ing seen upon the big bills outside was seen in the
ring inside, and thus it followed that so much de-
ception disguised the people, and it got to pc so
that a travelling show could not make expenses
and every season witnessed some unfortunate
show put under the hammer"
But the people were to be undeceiyed. Van Am
burg & Cos Great Golden Menagerie, Frost's
Roman Circus and Royal Coliseum started out to
make a tour of the States, and to show the people
that one travelling show at least gave them the
worth of their money; bulletin boards an hum
dred feet long and more, and ten or fifteen feet
high, with huge, many colored and pictured pos
tiers, set forth the stern fact that what was seen
there in paints and inks would be seen in the two
tents on the day of exhibition. These assurances
were SO plain, so honest in their intent, that when
the show came every seat was occupied, ana the
ground about the ring covered with pleased and
amused people. The two tents were necessarily
made larger every season: more seats were added:
more men and borses were employed to convey
this monster show across the continent. Proprie-
tors of other shows were amazed: they could not
understand why Manager Frost with the Van Am
burg Company drew such crowds: they had placed
faIsehoods upon there posters-but the Secret Of
success"-where was it? The Van Amburg COM
pany found it in the truthful sentences contained
on their bulletin boards, and the people that
what was advertised was exhibited or performer
In this manner, by being honest with the people
Van Amburg & Co.'s Menagerie and Circus came
to be the only recognized show in America. The
people of different States and towns made it al
annual holiday when the Van Amburg show came
and to-day this show is the largest and best il
the world. Proof Of this assertion is found in tn,
two tents.
We headed this article "The Circus" and nov
will confne our words. to the ring. While they
do not claim to have engaged all the "best perfor
mers in the world, " they do claim that the enor
nous salaries paid to some of them will entitl
them to having the best. The acrobats, gymnas
tics, athletes, tumblers, ~jugglers, bareback riders
trapeze performers, mimics, and others who de
light and amuse the vast audiences, are not puny,
looking beings with sunken chests, but they ar
fresh, robusts, and full of strength, and able t
perform every act advertised. The inimitabl
clown is here arrayed in all his glory, and moth
ing obscene or vulgar passes his lips. He has Al
inexhauStible fund of incidents and anecdote, a.
original, and he will give them to you by the pa
full. The ring horses are not tired, WORKOUT crea
lures, made so from o~verwork, but they are fires
from there stables, lively, and know just VIVA
is required Of them. We cannot here tell you al
nor half, you can see in the arena. What they nc
vertise upon their bulletin boards will ~certainl
be seen in the show. What they ask of you is
study well what each poster says, and you vi
be all the wiser when you see all you have res
about. They have gentIemauly attaches connec
ed with every department, to name TO visitors Il
animals or other things in the tents. To NAL
the world are the judges.