The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-04-18
BoYs WHO WANT TO JOIN THE CIRcus--A

/ BOYs WHO WANT TO JOIN THE C1RCUS-A
WANDERER FROM TIE OLD NORTH STATE
OTHER You've ADvEETURERs.:-Every boy
Of spirit at q young and tender, period OF
his life has wished to join the circus.
Where one ever determined. that the presi-
dcucy should be the goal Of his, earthly am
bition, ten thousand have. resolved that
when they were big they would become
knights Of the ring. The aroma OF the saw
dust circle, the glitter OF the. actors cos
tumery, the FURNISHED steel and silver OF
their armor, the dazzling brllliancy OF the
horses trappings, the shouts o! applause OF
the assembled crowd, the brassy music OF
the band, and all the various and sundry
destinations OF circus-life, are too much for
the average juvenile brain.
He dreams about dashing through hoop
lined with daggers or OF jumping over q
pyramid of forty elephants, or Of standing
up on one toe on a bareback horse with the
latter going at the rate OF thousand miles q
minute At such times his contortions in
his little bed are fearful. His appetite, for a
wonder, leaves him, and he drops from the
average ten biscuits per supper down to
two, and he iorgets all about his lessons and
spends his odd moments standing on his
head, or jumping over the house-cat Sup
posed to be for the time n royal Bengal
tiger, and gives other evidences Of tempo
rary insanity.
Experienced mothers know all the symp-
toms, and they say ga circus is coming"
with much about the air OF desolation they
would assume were it the breaking out OF a
mild case OF smallpox. But the boys will
be boys. They go through all the acrobatic
and equestrian motions, and make resolu-
tions to abandon the trundle-bed, desert the
nursery, resign their toys, and join the cir
cus. But these resolutions, like those Of
the American people in relation to monu-
ment-building, are not always carried out.
Occasionally, however, some bold one
does put his threats into practice. Robert
Booth, of Waynesboro', N. G., did. He is
about ten or twelve years of age, and he
crept into Forepaugh's caravan, probably
without the consent OF any Of the managers,
asked for lodgings ut the Third station
house, got them, and was sent to court yes
terday morning as yagrant. He said to
the Justice that he had no father or mother !;
that he was poor; that the circus-men
treated him well, and he liked them, and
wanted to 60 back to them, and his request
was granted. He was discharged, and went
out Of the courtroom with smile OF salts
faction family observable beneath the coat
ing of dirt on his face.
The boy that found his way to Mr.. Hodg-
sons, on the Brook turnpike, Monday, was
doubtless on his way to the circus. 1t is
said that that can't be, because the little
stranger can't talk, and can only say his
name is "Sonny." That makes no differ
ence. The love OF the circus is born in the
boy. 1t isn't an educated taste. Who
knows that Charlie Ross didn't run of after
a procession, that he isn't now far away
living in tent, eating at the mess-:able,
doing duty as ostler for an elephant, or in
training for a grand equestrian DEBUT?
How many boys want to belong to cir
Gus company; how many start to join !;
how many do actually fall in with the tent
men and become adopted sons Of the cara
van how many mothers mourn for these
wanderers, Heaven only knows-statisti-
clans do not pretend to tell us.