The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-08-13
MET HIS MATCH.
TILT AT LYING BETWEEN A NEWSPAPER
REPORTER AND CIRCUS
AGENT.

/
Yesterday afternoon a dapper lit
tie man, with a two. ounce cane and
a 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, ODE
lighted to meet you, sir, really / am.
I've heard of you every place have
stopped on my way from New York.
had such curiosity to see you
that / got oil at Reno and took run
up. But really I had expected to
find an Older man, considering the
magnificent reputation your dramat-
ic and circus criticisms have given
you. All Of our boys told me to be
sure and see You, if I didn't get
aboard of anything else in Town."
"Ah," said the reporter, blushing
in four colors, II am very glad to see
you. Might I inquire your name?''
swell, here's my card" said the
little man, handing out a piece Of
pasteboard about five inches square.
]"You may have heard Of me before
Clarence De Lacy Slocum, agent for
the Sebastian Van Buena Vista Cir
Gus and Menagerie. This is by far
the hugest combination of gigantic
circuses ever put on the road. We
started out about Eve years ago in a
small way, with not over 400, 900 feet
of canvass, only nine tents, and
scarcely 1900 animals, but we grad
ually absorbed all the small-fry
shows. They'd go into bankruptcy
along the route, and we would buy
their ou fits. Sebastian, our owner,
is the most sympathetic man on the
earth. He'd bny their little shows
and pay double price, inst to help the
poor devils along. Money is of no
account to him. He's travelling sim
ply for pleasure and desire to see
the great West"
| I'D like to know him. remarked
the reporter.
ooh, he knows you--tlat is BY
reputation. lie has your picture set
in a frame that cost him over $l00.
He was saying to me one night that
whenever business was dull he Just
took look at that pIiz Of yours, and
it always made him feel as happy as
if he was obliged to turn 500 people
away from the door,"
"How came lie TO get hold of my
picturc?"
ooh, he begged it of De Murska OF
Modjcska, or Clara--I forget which,
She hated like thunder to part with
it, but you see he had loaned the
great actress $4,000 once in Paris
to buy wardrobe and some jewelry
for a new piece, and as the debt was
not Cancelled she couldn't very well
refuse. But l just came in to give
you little information about oul
p4show. l always like to give man
oil the points when I know he pos
sesses the talent to handle them in
the right style. Some fellows down
at Reno and Carson tried to pump
} me, but I didn't propose to let a des
cription of my show to be mangled
up by scrub writer's. Besides Sebas
tian telegraphed me from New York
last night not to let anybody but YOU
get aboard of the first grand descrip
tion. Just mention four miles Of
cages containing wild beasts, with
twelve new varieties of elephants
, and recently discovered monster
from Africa, called the Jabberwock
which weighs four thousand pounds
"Indeed!'
eyes, sir; and a mnalike you, will
, a fine descriptive ability and mex
haustiblc command of language
which has made you famous in TIVE
continents
s elbow many columns do you want2'
| "Oh, as many as you please"
! "When will your show be here?'
"Perhaps not for two months; i
+ takes such long time to move TIN
, animals that our progress across thu
: country is SLOW"
> "Just so. Well, our figures 70
big circusses like yours are sl40.
! column, cash down, and thirty pc
i cent. of the gross receipts if the shoy