Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-07-15

41clI pldCcS JOOA COuApOSSu,
And the Parson preached his sermon
To "fifteenthly," where it closed.
IT. H., in the N. y Independent.
The Modern Annanias.
DEsPRATE CONFLICT WITH A CIRCUS
ADVANCE AGENT. Heroic CONDUCT
A GALLANT REPORTER.
Yesterday afternoon dapper little
man, with twO-ounce cane and half
pound cluster diamond pin, came into
the Chronicle Office and asked if the
amusement reporter was in. When the
man he sought was pointed out, the
stranger grasped him warmly by the
hand, remarking, Delighted to meet
you, sir-really am. I've heard of you
at every place I've stopped on my way
from New York. I had such a curiosity
to see you that I got off at Reno and
took run up. But really had expect
ed to find much older man, consider
ing the magnificent reputation your
dramatic and circus criticisms have
given you. All of our boys told me to
be sure to see you, if didn't get aboard
"Ah," said the reporter, blushlng In
AOAA OOAOAof l. GILL 8 AesN w oS~ J WI A~>S3>As
I inquire your name?"
"Well, here's my card" said the lit
tie man, handing out piece of paper
about five inches square, "you have
heard of me before-Clarence De Lacy
Slocum, agent of the Sebastian Van
Buena Vista Circus and Menagerie.-
This is by far the hugest combination of
circuses ever put on, the road. We
started out about five yezrs ago in a
small way, not over four hundred thou
sand feet of canvass, only nine tents,
and scarce fifteen hundred animals. but
we gradually absorbed all the small fry
shows. They'd go into bankruptcy
along the route, and we would buy. their
outfits. Sebastian our owner, is the
most sympathetic man on earth. He'd
buy their poor little shows and pay dou-
BILE price, just to help the poor devils
along. Money is of no account to him.
He's travelling simply for pleasure, and
desireto see the great West"
'I'd like to know him, !" remarked the
reporter.
"Oh, he knows you-tbat is by repu.
tation. He has your picture set in
frame that cost him 500. He was say
ing to me one night that when ever
business was dull he took look at that
phiz of yours and it always made him
feel as happy as if he was obliged to
turn five hundred people away at the
door"
.'How came he to get hold of my pic
ture?"
''Oh, he begged it of De Murska, or
MOdJeska, or Clara MOrris-I forget
which. She hated like thunder to part
with 1t, but you see he had loaned the
great actress $4,000 once in Paris to
buy wardrobe and some jewelry for a
new play, and as the debt was never
Cancelled, she couldn't very well refuse.
But just came in time to give you q
little information about our show. i
always like to give man all the points
when know he possesses the talent to
handle them in the right style. Some
fellows down at Reno and Carson tried
to pump me, but didn't propose to let
description of my show be mangled up
by scrub writers. Besides Sebastian
telegraphed me from New York last
night not to let any body but you get a.
board of the first grand description.
just mention four miles of cages con.
tanning wild beasts, with twelve new
varieties of elephants and a recently dis
covered monster called the jabberwock,
which weighs 5000 pounds.
Indeed ~ ..s--
"Yes, Eir and man like you with
a fine descriptive ability and inexhaust-
IDLE command of language which has
made you famous in two continents
GLOW many columns do you want ?"
LAS many as you please"
when will the show be here ?"
Perhaps not for two months it takes
such a long time to move the an
finals that our progress across the coun-
try is slow"
''Well our figures for big circuses like
yours are (150 column cash down. and
80 per cent of the gross receipts if the
show is success"
The circus agent seemed greatly af-
fected. "Isn't that rather steep?" he
said ?"
ut would be, perhaps, for a small
provincial journal like the New York
Herald, or even the London Times, but
we circulate such a mammoth edition
that the price is comparatively trifing.
Fourteen freight cars come up every day
with paper for our edition, which is
worked off on five big Walter Presses,
lightning geared. Our expense for steam
alone, sir, is $1,000 a day. We have
more carriers than you could pack into
your largest tent. Our Eastern circula-
ton has been increasing at the rate of a
thousand day for the last two years
By simply cutting down the size of the
paper an eight of an inch our proprietor
has saved enough money to build four
school-houses worth 10000 each, and
endowed an orphan asylum in each
county in the State. He doesn't run
the paper for money, but just simply for
his health and because he likes this
country. Our mailing and folding ma
chinery would remind you of the Risdon
iron wOrks.u
lis it in this buildingW
"Oh, no; this is simply the branch
ofice-the place where we write up cir
cuses--p
The circus agent groaned as if in
agony and ffsd from the Office Virgin
ia City Men, Chronicle.